Chapter 108

• The Castellano household was quieter than it had been in weeks, the usual hum of tension replaced by a tentative calm. The children sat in the living room, engrossed in a board game, their laughter breaking through the stillness like rays of sunlight after a storm. Maya stood in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner, while Rafael leaned against the counter, watching her with an expression of quiet admiration.
• For a moment, it felt almost normal. Almost peaceful.
• “You’re staring,” Maya said without looking up, a small smile tugging at her lips.