That morning, the house felt unusually quiet. Joe was still in his room, unwilling to speak much after the argument the night before. Olivia tried to lighten the mood by preparing breakfast, while Hunter got ready for work.

But the calm didn’t last long. The doorbell rang. When Olivia opened it, the face she least wanted to see reappeared: Shopia Joy.

“What are you doing here again?” Olivia asked, trying to stay calm.

Shopia Joy looked tired, her face pale and her eyes swollen as if she had been crying. “I… I just want to talk. I know I went too far last night.”

Olivia hesitated. But seeing the remorse...