They did not speak about it on the way back.
Not because there was nothing to say. There was too much, and neither of them chose where to begin. Silence became the easier option, not because it solved anything, but because it delayed the moment when something would have to be named.
By the time they reached the house, the silence had settled into something that no longer felt temporary.
Elara walked ahead of him without waiting. And that, more than anything else, marked the difference.
Inside, she placed her bag down where she usually did, then moved to the table, picking up a file she had left earlier in the day. The pages were exactly where she had arranged them. Her pen lay across the top, untouched.
Normal.
Everything looked normal.
Rowan remained near the doorwa
