Chapter 41

Adrian returned home, his steps dragging as if each one carried the weight of a thousand bricks. The door creaked open and closed behind him, and the silence of the house pressed in on him like a suffocating blanket.

He moved slowly into the living room.

There she was— Amelia.

Seated on the couch, her head leaned against the armrest, her posture weary and broken. She looked nothing like the strong, vibrant woman he had married. Now, she was a shadow of herself, her shoulders curved inward as though the world had pushed her down and she no longer had the strength to resist.

She was backing up to the entrance, so she didn’t see him. But she must have heard the sound of the door because she did not flinch at his presence. Still, she remained crouched down and silent.

Adrian stopped. He stood there for a long while, his eyes fixed on her frail frame. His chest rose and fell, but words refused to come. Finally, he broke the silence.

“Where is Hazel?” h