The morning light spilled gently through the large windows of the kitchen, casting a warm, sleepy glow across the hardwood floors. Outside, birds chirped and the soft hum of distant traffic buzzed faintly—normal sounds of a city waking up. But inside the mansion nothing felt quite normal.
The four of them sat gathered at the large dining Stefan, Ruby, Rayna, and Ethan—plates of half-eaten breakfast sitting between them. It was a quiet meal, the kind marked by thoughts too heavy to allow for small talk. Even the scent of freshly brewed coffee didn't quite break the somber air.
Ruby, sitting beside Rayna and directly opposite Stefan, looked up from her plate, clearing her throat gently.
"Babe," she said, glancing at him across the counter. "Rayna and I are heading to the hospital this morning since your mom's awake now."
