Chapter 1
Anna’s POV
“Hey, Daddy, do you need anything from the kitchen?” I called out from the hallway, keeping my voice low and casual as I hovered near the bathroom door.
The house felt too quiet tonight with Dad out handling some late shifts at work, and Mr. Mathew had been staying over since last week, crashing in the guest room after those long evenings of talking and drinking with Dad.
I could not shake the way Mr. Mathew filled the space whenever he was around, his strong build and that easy confidence drawing my eyes every time he laughed or moved.
My skin tingled just thinking about him alone in there, and I pressed my palm flat against the wall to steady myself, wondering if he even heard me over the running water from earlier.
No response came back, only the faint drip of
