Back in the city the danger started small, then grew sharp. Ethan still kissed her goodnight every evening, still left little notes on the fridge, still thought everything was perfect. Victoria smiled through it all. But every time the house went quiet, her skin hummed with the memory of the cabin. And Jaxon and Cole—they didn’t wait long to remind her.
One Tuesday night Ethan crashed early after a long day at work. Snored softly in their bed by 10:30. Victoria lay awake beside him, staring at the ceiling fan spinning slow circles. At 2:04 a.m. the bedroom door eased open—no creak, no light from the hallway. Cole slipped inside barefoot, wearing only gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He didn’t speak. Just closed the door with a soft click and padded to the foot of the bed.
She f
