The house felt quieter without him.
It wasn’t something Isabelle would’ve admitted out loud—especially not to Sebastian—but his absence left a subtle weight behind. The twins had noticed it too. The excitement of cake after school, bedtime stories, or silly nighttime routines felt dimmer, like someone had turned the volume down on joy.
He was only a few days into a week-long business trip. Just a short flight away. But even short flights felt like forever when your children kept asking, When’s Daddy coming back?
Elliott was curled on the couch with his dinosaur pillow, his small body tucked into the corner like he was saving space for someone else. Amelia sat beside him, legs crossed, cradling the iPad as they waited for his call—staring at the dark screen like it might light up faster
