When Gwen got home that night, Damien still wasn’t back. The house felt heavy, quiet, and empty, like the air itself was holding its breath. She sighed, rubbing her forehead tiredly. Everything had become so damn complicated in just a few days. Every move she made now felt like walking on glass.
She walked to Lucas’s room and found him sleeping peacefully, his small hand clutching his blanket. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she brushed his hair aside. At least he was safe. That was all that mattered for now.
Gwen went back to her room, changed into her swimsuit, and slipped out to the pool. The water was cool against her skin, calming her racing thoughts for a while. For those brief minutes, she could almost pretend everything was fine. When she finally got out, she dried herself, cr
