Ethan‘s POV’

Dad didn’t answer right away. He went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and sat across from me. The quiet felt heavy, like he was deciding how much to tell me.

“When we first got married,” he said, “your mother was always busy. Every day was either sleeping or working.”

I could picture her coming home late, dropping her bag, and heading straight to bed.

“By the time I woke up in the morning, she was already gone. No note, no breakfast together. Just ...