The drive home was unusually peaceful.
The sun had already begun to disappear beneath the skyline, casting warm shades of gold across the city.
For once, my meetings had finished early.
I found myself smiling.
Maybe Jude and I could have dinner together.
Maybe we’d sit in the library afterwards.
Maybe we’d steal an hour to ourselves before Lucas inevitably wandered in to tell us about his day.
The thought alone made me chuckle.
Life was… good.
⸻
The moment I stepped through the front door, something felt wrong.
The house was quiet.
Not peaceful.
Heavy.
Mrs Evelyn appeared from the kitchen, her smile absent.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Where’s Jude?”
She hesitated.
“He’s upstairs.”
That single hesitation made my stomach tighten.
Without another word, I climbed the stairs.
⸻
