Faith's POV

It was already late when we arrived home. I could feel the heaviness in my body, and even more so in my mind. I was exhausted—not just from the trip, but from the weight of what I had discovered earlier. Until now, my heart and mind still refused to fully accept what Austin had done to me.

I went inside ahead of Jake because he said he still needed to clean the car. The house was quiet when I entered; only the faint ticking of the clock could be heard.

I first checked on ...