The night was silent except for the soft hum of the rain against the windows. The house smelled faintly of cinnamon candles again, the kind Maya always burned before bed. Upstairs, her door was closed. She’d kissed me on the cheek when I arrived earlier, smiling like I was the safest person in her world.
I wasn’t.
I stood at the edge of the guest room, barefoot, heart thudding in a rhythm that didn’t feel like mine anymore. I could hear the faint sound of water running from their bathroom down the hall. He was still in the shower. It should have been my cue to leave. It should have been my last chance to end this before it swallowed everything.
But I didn’t move.
When the water stopped, my breathing grew shallow. A moment later, the bedroom door opened. His footsteps were soft against
