ETHAN'S POV

A small scoff escaped my mouth, sharp and bitter, echoing in the heavy silence of the living room. “Oh, you wanna bring her into this, right? Fine.” My voice hardened, taking a deliberate step forward, each one measured, like I was closing in on prey. “Well, I’ll have you know that Lauren knows how to take care of a home as a mother. She doesn’t go to clubs on Saturdays and comes back home after midnight.”

The name hung in the air like a blade. Lauren. I hadn’t even meant to drag her into this argument, but Sofia had pushed me there. The second her name left my...