LAUREN'S POV

Tessa drove into the driveway slowly and carefully parked the car. As the engine died, a heavy silence filled the space between us. I stared at the front door, the house that once felt like a safe place — warm, secure, filled with memories. Now, it just looked… unfamiliar. Like the shell of something I used to recognize.

I let out a long, shaky breath, and Tessa caught it.

“Remember,” she said softly, turning slightly in her seat to face me, “don’t stress yourself too ...