The twins had finally settled in for the night, their soft, even breathing filling the quiet of their new rooms. The house, for once, was still. But the tension that had been building since dinner lingered like a storm waiting to break — thick, heavy, and charged. Isabelle stood outside the kitchen for a long moment, her hand resting lightly on the doorframe as she gathered herself. She could still hear the echoes of their earlier argument — the sharpness in Sophia’s voice, the tight restraint in Sebastian’s, the way Elliott and Amelia had fallen into silence, their eyes wide and wary.
This couldn’t go on.
Taking a steadying breath, Isabelle stepped inside.
Sophia was exactly where she’d expected her — leaning against the counter, arms crossed, scrolling through her phone with quick, ir
