Chapter 164

Ethan’s POV

The car hummed softly as we drove, but something about the ride didn’t feel right. I sat in the back seat with Emma, holding a cookie Daniel gave us. I stared at it for a moment, then glanced at Daniel in the front. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight I could see his knuckles turn white.

“Go on, Ethan,” Daniel said, his voice too nice. “Eat the cookie, Is good, I promise.”

I looked at Emma, and she looked at me. She was already nibbling on hers, and I didn’t want to seem rude, so I took a small bite. It was sweet, but something about it tasted… funny. Not bad just… weird.

Daniel looked at us in the rearview mirror and smiled, but it wasn’t like his usual smiles when he came to see Mom. This one looked… forced, like he didn’t mean it. “See? Tasty, right? You kids like juice? I got some for you, too.”

He passed two small juice boxes back to us. Emma grabbed hers right away, but I hesitated. Mom always said not to take things from people without her knowing. But Daniel was Mom’s friend, right? He wouldn’t do anything bad… would he?

“Drink up,” he urged again. His voice sounded kind but also a little sharp, like he was in a hurry.

I poked the straw into the box and took a sip. It was cold and fruity, but as I drank more, my tummy felt funny. I put the juice down and asked, “Are we almost at Mom’s?”

Daniel’s smile flickered for a second, and his eyes darted to the mirror again. “Soon, buddy. Just sit tight.”

Emma piped up next to me, her hands clutching her cookie. “Will Daddy be there, too?” she asked, her voice all excited.

Daniel didn’t answer right away. He kept driving, staring at the road like he didn’t hear her. I could see his jaw clenching. Emma frowned and leaned back in her seat, looking at me like she didn’t understand either.

felt like we’d been driving forever. I wanted to ask more questions, but my head started feeling funny. Heavy. My eyes blinked slow, and my body felt… floaty,

to

tired?”

me sleepy,” she said, her voice quiet. She laid her head on my

the mirror. “Just hold on a little

and tried to sit up

makes you sleep so fast? That was the last thing I

Daniel’s POV.

Ethan’s head lolled against Emma’s shoulder. She was slumped against the car door, her small hand still clutching the

Finally.

in my shoulders easing for the first time since

1/2

Thu, Dec

Chapter 164

medicine had done its job. The cookies

I let myself feel relieved. No more questions, no inore suspicious glances from Ethan. That boy had been staring

his voice small but firm

replied, keeping my

chimed in with

kept driving, gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles turned white. And when their little eyes had started to droop, I’d felt a weight lift

back to the road. It wasn’t guilt–no, guilt had

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