Chapter 302

At the apartment, David woke up to the sound of laughter. It took a few seconds for his mind to catch up. The bed beside him was empty. Lily wasn’t there. The curtains were slightly open, morning light spilling into the room, but what really pulled him awake was the sound. Children laughing. Running. Talking over each other. He frowned slightly and sat up. That was strange. There was only one child in the house. His son. David swung his legs off the bed and walked out quickly, his steps light but alert. As he opened the door, the laughter grew louder, clearer. A child’s voice that wasn’t Danish’s echoed through the living room. He stopped mid-step. What he saw made him freeze. Danish was running across the living room, laughing loudly, a small doll clutched in his hand. Behind him, a little girl chased him with short, hurried steps, her hair bouncing as she ran. “D!” she shouted, her voice full of protest. “You can’t take my doll!” Danish laughed even harder, darting away just as she r