Daphne POV

“Safety is just an illusion before the storm.”

The power dies at exactly 2:14 a.m.

One second, the baby monitor hums softly beside my bed. Next, everything goes black. The kind of black that eats sound, eats light like the house itself is holding its breath.

I sit up, pulse hammering. “Christian?”

No answer.

The backup generator doesn’t kick in. That’s not supposed to happen.

“Christian!” My voice cracks the dark as I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight. The ...