That evening, the villa was wrapped in stillness. From the back terrace, the only sounds were birds returning to their nests and the whisper of wind rustling through the tall trees surrounding the estate. Lena sat alone on a rattan chair, chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the garden.

Since Neil and Axel had left for the forest earlier that afternoon, the villa felt unbearably quiet. Irene, who had been busy with her phone, sat not far from her. Her fingers kept dancing across the ...