ETHAN'S POV

I stood there at the top of the stairs, my hand gripping the smooth wooden railing so tightly my knuckles turned white. I watched Rosa step back into the house, no longer carrying any luggage. She didn’t dare look at me directly, only offered a quick respectful bow before hurrying back to the kitchen, leaving the hallway painfully quiet.

I kept my eyes fixed on the front door, waiting… half-expecting to see it swing open again. Maybe she’d change her mind. Maybe she’d ...