Ethan’s POV

The air was crisp with that signature weather chill, the kind that made every breath feel sharper, every memory more vivid.

Thanksgiving had always been a grand affair at the Marcus estate.

Polished silver, shining chandeliers, too many forks on the table, and too much silence hiding beneath forced smiles.

I arrived with Lucas just as the afternoon sun spilled golden light across the driveway.

He hopped out of the car with the same excitement I used to feel when I was his age, ...