Aurora's POV. 75.
I stood frozen, my heart thudding in my chest, eyes locked on Mia as she stumbled toward the exit with mother guiding her like a disgraced dog being dragged out the house.
It should’ve felt like a victory. It didn’t.
My fingers gripped the edge of the couch, knuckles white. My breath wasn't stable. The silence in the room wasn’t peaceful—it was dangerous. Sharp. Like walking barefoot on broken glass.
I watched them walk… one step… two steps…
And then something inside me snapped.
“Stop!”
My voice came out lower than I expected—firm, deadly calm.
They both stopped immediately, right at the middle of the hallway, inches away from the front door.
Mother turned her head halfway, not fully, just enough to let me know she heard me but didn’t think I was worth turning ar
