The house had finally settled into something like normal—if there was such a thing anymore. The decorations from the party were long gone, the gifts neatly tucked away in the twins’ rooms, and life had slipped back into its usual rhythm.
But the quiet felt different now.
It had been days since the party—and days since Celeste’s unwelcome arrival had stirred up old wounds. Isabelle had tried to push it aside, to focus on work and the kids, but the unease lingered. It always did when her mother swept through like a hurricane, leaving destruction in her wake.
And then there was Sebastian.
He’d been… careful since the party. Not distant, exactly. But more measured. The way he watched her when he thought she wasn’t looking, the way his touch lingered just a little longer when their hands br
