The wooden floorboards creaked under small feet. Six-year-old Alexander clutched the edge of the doorway, his wide hazel eyes—Kai’s eyes—fixed on the scene unfolding in the sunlit kitchen. His mother, Elara, was bent over the marble island, her sundress hiked up around her waist, her dark hair spilling across the counter like spilled ink. Victor, his grandfather, stood behind her, powerful shoulders flexing with every forceful thrust. The sound was wet, rhythmic, unmistakable. Elara’s moans were low and throaty, nothing like the soft lullabies she sang to him at night. Her fingers gripped the edge of the counter so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
Alexander’s heart hammered. This wasn’t right. Grandpa was hurting Mommy. He was too big, too rough. She was crying out, her body jolting f
