Ayla's POV.
I got home way later than I should have. The street was empty, dark, with only the occasional bark from the neighbor’s dog breaking the silence. A faint car hum drifted somewhere far off, but nothing close enough to matter. My legs felt like lead…heavy and unsteady, like I’d been dragging the weight of the whole day, maybe even years, around with me. But it wasn’t just physical exhaustion. It was deeper…a tiredness that lived in my bones, in my mind, in every inch of my skin. My heart was raw, my thoughts jagged, and every breath felt like it needed permission.
I didn’t bother trying to be quiet. What was the point? If she was awake, I’d hear her yelling anyway. If not, maybe she’d be thankful for the silence.
The moment I pushed the door open, I saw her.
She was in the li
