As the evening fell over the neighborhood, the house felt unusually quiet. Jack had retreated to his study, the door firmly closed, while Sarah sat in the living room with Hazel, helping her with a simple puzzle.
Yet, Sarah’s mind was far from the pieces on the table. Her thoughts kept returning to Jack’s behavior, his evasive answers, and the tension that had seeped into their lives ever since Selene appeared.
Hazel’s giggle broke through Sarah’s reverie.
“Mommy, look! I finished it!” Hazel said, clapping her tiny hands together.
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart.”
Sarah said, forcing a smile as she kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
“Why don’t you pick another one to start?”
As Hazel ran to fetch a new puzzle, Sarah glanced toward the study.
The sound of faint murmuring came from
