POV: Siena Blake

The doorbell rang.

But it wasn’t the usual kind of ring. It wasn’t soft, or gentle, or forgettable like the ones we sometimes heard from the delivery man or a neighbor passing by.

This one echoed.

It was sharp and loud, and it filled the whole house. The sound felt heavy, like it had weight. Like it didn’t just ask for attention—it demanded it.

The room fell silent.

Margaret, who had been sipping her tea in the armchair, froze mid-sip. Her back straightened, and her hand trembled slightly as she lowered the cup back to its saucer.

Roman’s little toy car, which he had been racing across...