Isabella, ever observant, noticed the tension in the room. She rose gracefully from her chair, her eyes shimmering with an unspoken understanding. "I'll let you two talk," she murmured, slipping away to her room, the floorboards creaking softly under her feet. Rachel's gaze followed her until the door clicked shut, leaving her alone with Ethan and the echoes of their unspoken words.
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes downcast. "It's just... I don't know what's happening to me," he finally said, his voice thick with guilt. Rachel pulled her hand away, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of his words. The bond between her and her sister was unbreakable, and the thought of any rift forming between them was unbearable.
Rachel took a deep breath, steeling herself. "You can tell me anything," she said, her voice as calm as the surface of a lake before a storm. "I'm your wife, Ethan. We're in this together."
Ethan met her gaze, the pain in his eyes a knife to Rachel's heart. "I've been having... feelings," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "For Isabella."
The room spun around Rachel, and she felt the color drain from her cheeks. The words hung in the air, heavy and toxic. Rachel's mind raced her thoughts a tumultuous storm of love, anger, and fear. The quiet strength that had carried her through so much suddenly felt like a fragile thread threatening to snap under the pressure.
Her hand tightened into a fist, nails digging into her palm. "What kind of feelings?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Ethan swallowed hard, his eyes never leaving hers. "I... I think I've fallen in love with her."
The words hit Rachel like a sledgehammer, shattering the illusion of their perfect life. Her eyes filled with tears, and she took a step back as if to distance herself from the very air that carried the confession. The stew on the table grew cold, forgotten in the face of the emotional maelstrom.
"How could you?" Rachel's voice was a whisper, the hurt searing through her like wildfire. "We're a family, Ethan. How can you do this to us?"
Ethan stood, his chair scraping against the floor. "I didn't mean for it to happen," he said, his voice ragged with remorse. "It just... it did."
The silence that followed was deafening, a testament to the gravity of the revelation. Rachel's mind reeled her thoughts a tangled web of love, loyalty, and betrayal. She knew that the world outside was descending into chaos, but right now, the only apocalypse she could focus on was the one unfolding in her heart.