As I pulled up to my house, I was puzzled to see Lorenzo's car parked out front. What is he doing here? We hadn't made any plans to meet. I took a deep breath and headed inside, preparing myself for whatever awaits.

When I opened the door, Lorenzo was standing in the entryway. "Erica! There you are," he said , rushing over to me and wrapping me in a tight hug. I hugged him back, but it felt more like a formality than a genuine embrace. Something felt off.

I glanced around the living room and noticed the kids weren't bouncing around excitedly like they normally do. In fact, they...