The house was wrapped in stillness by the time they returned — the kind of quiet that settled after a long, exhausting day. The twins had fallen asleep almost the second they were buckled into their seats, their bodies heavy with the weight of laughter, sugar, and sunshine. Sebastian had carried Amelia inside without a word, brushing a kiss to her forehead as he tucked her in. Elliott had mumbled his way through brushing his teeth before flopping into bed, already half asleep.
But the silence between Isabelle and Sebastian was a different kind of quiet. Heavy. Sharp. Waiting.
She could feel it following her as she moved through the house, hear his measured footsteps behind her as she set her purse down on the kitchen counter. The air itself seemed too tight, and she knew — she knew — the
