Chapter 96

DOMINIC’S POV After the scene with my mother, the kids were quiet. Too quiet. No giggles. No playful bickering. Not even the excited chatter that usually followed a day full of games and treats. The change in their energy was immediate and suffocating—like a heavy curtain had dropped between us. They didn’t even ask for more arcade tokens, which earlier had been the highlight of their excitement. They just… sat there. Like tiny shadows of themselves. I offered to take them for ice cream, for another game, for a walk in the park. “No, thank you,” Aria whispered, her voice barely audible. Noah just shook his head, his fingers absently tugging at the handle of his toy sword. His eyes, usually so bright and curious, were dull. Haunted. I could only sigh. “Alright,” I said softly. “Let’s get you home.” The drive back was quiet—oppressively so. They sat beside me in the car, their little heads resting against the windows, the sunlight casting soft halos on their hair. Their tiny fingers fidg