Chapter 1
Ethan’s POV
“Hey, Sophie, pass me that box of lights over there on the table,” I called out while I balanced myself on the top step of the ladder in the living room, my arms stretched high as I wrapped the string of bulbs around the curtain rod, feeling the slight wobble under my feet from the uneven floorboards.
The sunlight poured in through the big windows, lighting up the whole space with this warm orange glow that made everything feel cozy and alive, and we were all busy getting the place ready for the big birthday party tonight, marking two full years since Dad married Clara and brought her and her daughters into our house, turning our lives into this shared chaos of meals and arguments and late-night talks.
Sophie looked up from where she was kneeling on the carpet, h
