Victoria woke up feeling surprisingly calm for the first time in days. After everything that had happened—the accident, the cold indifference from Daniel and Rita—she had expected to feel a lingering sadness or anger. But as the sunlight filtered in through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room, she felt… okay.

For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel consumed by rage or hurt. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was finally processing everything or if it was just a temporary calm before the storm, but either way, she welcomed it.

Ethan had already left for school, and Daniel had gone off to...