Chapter 164. David’s Jealousy

I stood on the veranda, the cool morning air brushing against my skin as I watched the kids load their school bags into Ellis’ car. The sun was still low in the sky, casting long shadows across the driveway, and for a moment everything felt strangely calm—too calm, like the quiet before something inevitably broke.

Solara bounced on her toes, already talking about what she wanted to show her teacher, while Cayden adjusted the straps of his backpack with more seriousness than any child his age should carry. I crouched down to their level, straightening Solara’s collar and brushing imaginary lint from Cayden’s sleeve, committing the feel of them to memory the way I always did when they left my sight.

“Have a great day,” I told them, smiling despite the knot tightening in my chest. “And watch out for each other.”

They hugged me tightly, both of them smelling like