Mark’s POV

I didn’t trust Alice. Not for a second.

She had been quiet lately—too quiet. For a woman who always had something to say, the silence felt like a storm waiting to hit. I didn’t like it.

The moment I stepped into the house, I felt the tension in the air. Something was off. My gut never lied.

I heard voices coming from the living room. Sage’s voice—sharp and cutting. And Alice’s…sickly sweet with that fake innocence she wore like armor.

I moved closer, standing just out ...