Lavinia

Hours had passed, I woke up to the sound of Ace’s car engine starting outside, followed by the crunch of tires on the driveway as he drove off.

I slipped on my nightgown and headed downstairs for a glass of water. I walked into the kitchen and saw Linda standing at the sink, washing dishes. Her back was to me, and she hummed softly to herself.

I stepped further into the room. “Good afternoon, sweetheart.”

Linda jumped and whirled around so fast that water splashed onto the floor with her eyes widened in complete shock. The dish in her hands nearly fell, “Mom! Oh my god… When did you...