ETHAN'S POV
The silence in our home used to be a comfort. A kind of peace. But now… now it has weight. A heartbeat.
It walks with me, breathes over my shoulder, sits between us like a third presence. I feel it in the walls, in the way her voice lingers in the air even when she hasn't spoken.
Ava hadn't really looked at me in days. She said she was fine, but I knew better. Her "I'm fine"s always came too quickly, too clean. And her silence screamed louder than any words she could say.
I stood on the balcony, staring out at the dark sky and the garden below.
The same garden she once claimed as her sanctuary. She hadn't stepped foot in it since the day of her testimony. It used to calm her, help her think. Now… I don't even know if she sees it anymore.
Behind me, I heard the soft click of the bedroom door. I didn't turn. I didn't need to.
She'd gone to bed.
Again.
No "goodnight," no passing glance.
Just the sound of the door and the echo of everything unsaid.
