Sunday sunlight spilled softly through Elise’s curtains, a warm glow that did nothing to ease the weight in her chest. The sound of birds outside should’ve felt peaceful, but all she could think about was the dinner ahead.
By six that evening, she climbed into the front passenger seat of David’s car, buckling her seatbelt as he started the engine. The familiar hum filled the space between them, but it did nothing to calm the tension pressing in her chest.
“You look nice,” he said, eyes fixed on the road.
“Thanks,” Elise replied, smoothing her dress. It was pale blue, simple but elegant—the kind his mother would approve of. “You too.”
He nodded, hands on the wheel, and the silence stretched between them.
When they arrived at his parents’ house—a neat white two-story with trimmed hedges
