Maya opened the front door slowly. Her hands were shaking. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. It had only been a day since she was discharged from the hospital.

The nurses had said she was well enough to go home, but no one warned her how heavy coming back would feel.

The house was exactly as she had left it, but something inside her had shifted. Every corner held memories she wasn’t ready to face, and every step inside felt like walking into a life that no longer belonged to her.

This was the same house where she had cooked meals every day, folded clothes with a smile,...