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Chapter Twenty-five

last update Last Updated: 2024-10-23 18:00:50

The air hung thick with unspoken tension as I steered Marco back to the dining area, my steps measured and deliberate. It was as if I hadn't heard the hushed whispers, the barely contained anger that had permeated the room just moments before. I placed Marco in his highchair, the plastic squeaking slightly against the wooden floor, and carefully measured out his food, the rhythmic clinking of the spoon against the bowl a stark contrast to the silence that had settled over the room.

My gaze fell upon Tyler, his face turned away, his shoulders stiff and unyielding. He was avoiding my eyes, a silent testament to the storm brewing beneath the surface. I cleared my throat, the sound sharp and unexpected in the quiet, and met the eyes of both Tyler and Laura.

"Let's eat," I said, my voice carefully neutral, a mask hiding the turmoil churning within. "Laura, you should join us." The words hung in the air, a fragile bridge over the chasm that had opened between us. Laura
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