Eugene POV
The heat from the charcoal rolled against my face, a stark contrast to the freezing shower I’d taken twenty minutes ago. I kept my eyes locked on the grill, flipping the seasoned chicken breasts with steady, deliberate movements. For the first time in an entire week, the suffocating weight in my chest felt just a fraction lighter.
Looking out across the sprawling green lawn, I watched the two most important women in my life.
Emily was standing near the edge of the stone steps, a genuine, bright smile lighting up her face as Josh whispered something in her ear. She threw her head back and laughed—a sound I hadn't realized I was starved to hear. All week, she had been carrying the heavy, bitter burden of her mother’s sudden return, walking through the halls like a ghost. But r
