Lily’s pov

The heavy silence in the living room still clung to us when a sudden knock sounded at the front door.

Mom flinched hard enough that her shoulders jumped. Mia’s head snapped toward the sound so fast I heard the soft crack of her neck. I stayed still. Something in my gut already knew who it was before Mom even took a step. The knock wasn’t urgent. It wasn’t angry. It was the careful, almost hesitant knock of a man who knew he had no right to be here anymore but came anyway.

Mom wiped at her face with the sleeve of her robe and walked to the door....