Forty

Sage arrived unannounced, her presence instantly changing the atmosphere in our home. I had never met her before, but I knew of her. Arthur had spoken of her a few times, in that casual way you mention an old friend from childhood who had drifted away over the years. But now, seeing her in person, I could feel something wasn’t right. She didn’t come here just to catch up.

She was beautiful, of course. The kind of beauty that seemed effortless—sleek dark hair, sharp green eyes, and a certain confidence that came with knowing you could get what you wanted. I couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t just here to say hello.

Arthur greeted her with the usual politeness, but I could sense the awkwardness in the way he stood, the slight stiffness in his movements. He didn’t seem thrilled to see her, and I wondered why.

Sage smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Arthur,” she said smoothly, “it’s been too long.”

Arthur nodded, stepping back to let her inside. “Yeah, it has,” he replied, his