Chapter 171

Monday morning started quietly.

Too quietly.

Daniel noticed it the moment he walked into the kitchen.

Usually, mornings were a mixture of chaos and noise. Alex talking about ten different things at once. The older one reminding them to eat faster. Chairs scraping, backpacks dropping, someone always forgetting something.

But today?

Silence.

The older one sat at the table eating toast slowly while reading.

Alex stirred cereal without speaking.

Daniel paused by the ...