The morning air felt heavier than usual, like it was holding its breath just for us. I was standing in the foyer, coffee forgotten in my hand, when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the street.

“Mom?” I called, and before I could move, a black SUV screeched to a stop outside. People in suits were already crowding the sidewalk, cameras flashing like strobe lights in a nightmare I wasn’t ready to be part of.

Emily stepped out of the car, face pale but defiant. I could see the strain in her posture, the way her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. She tried to smile at the...