Ryan woke up early the next morning. The sun was barely rising, and the whole house was still quiet. He sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, staring at the floor. His chest felt tight again, the same strange pressure he had been feeling these days. It wasn’t pain—just something heavy sitting inside him, something he didn’t understand.He rubbed his face and sighed. “What is happening to me?” he whispered.For years, he had lived in this house like a shadow. Nobody cared where he went, what he did, or whether he even woke up at all. But now… things were shifting. Slowly. Quietly. And he didn’t understand it.Downstairs, Clara was also awake. She sat in the living room with her phone in her hand, her leg shaking, her eyes fixed on the stairs. She had barely slept all night. Her mind kept replaying yesterday—Eric showing up like he owned the house, Ryan watching him calmly, and then the call Ryan received.Clara didn’t know why, but something about that call bothered her. The

The next morning started quietly, but the quiet did not feel normal. It felt heavy, like the air inside the house was waiting for something to happen.Ryan woke up early and swept the compound before anyone stepped outside. He moved slowly, gently, like someone who had done this routine many times. But even as he worked, he felt that same strange awareness in him again — the ability to hear things far away, the sharpness in his eyes, the way his heartbeat stayed steady no matter how fast he moved.He didn’t understand it, so he ignored it… the same way he ignored everything that didn’t make sense.Clara stepped outside and froze when she saw him sweeping.“You’re awake early,” she said.Ryan looked up. “I couldn’t sleep well.”Clara stared at him, her brows tightening. “Again?”Ryan nodded.“Are you sick?” she asked.“No.”“Are you stressed?”“No.”“Then what is it?”Ryan hesitated. “I don’t know.”Clara didn’t like that answer, but she walked past him without saying more.

Clara came home earlier than usual. The door opened with force, and her heels clicked sharply on the floor. Ava was washing plates in the kitchen when she heard the sound and felt her heart drop a little.Clara only made that kind of noise when she was upset.“Where is he?” Clara asked immediately.Ava wiped her hands and turned. “Who?”“Ryan.” Clara folded her arms. “Where is he? He didn’t pick my calls.”Ava hesitated. “He went out earlier. He came back tired and went to rest.”Clara frowned deeply. “Rest? Rest from what? It’s not like he works.” She shook her head and dropped her bag on the chair. “I don’t understand that man.”Ava kept quiet. She didn’t like the way Clara talked about him, but she didn’t want to start anything.Clara noticed her silence. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”“I didn’t say anything.”“You don’t have to say anything,” Clara snapped. “Your face is loud enough.”Ava turned back to the plates. She didn’t want trouble.Then Clara’s voi

The next morning, the house felt strangely calm. For the first time in a long while, Ava’s mother did not shout Ryan’s name from the kitchen. Instead, she only called Ava to help her with breakfast. The absence of yelling made the house feel almost empty, and Ryan noticed the difference immediately.He stepped out of his small room, stretching slowly. He expected to hear Clara’s usual complaints or her mother’s sharp comments, but the air was quiet. Only the sound of plates clinking came from the kitchen.Ryan walked toward the sitting room and saw Ava arranging the chairs neatly. She looked up at him and gave a small nod—not a smile, not friendliness, just a normal greeting. But even that was new. Ava had never greeted him without her mother watching.“Good morning,” Ryan said calmly.“Morning,” Ava replied, then continued arranging the chairs.The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable. It simply felt strange… almost peaceful.A few minutes later, Ava’s mother came out of the kit

Ryan woke up early the next morning. The house was quiet, and for once, he felt calm. He had slept well, and there was a strange sense of hope inside him, though he didn't know why.He sat outside on the small balcony, watching the neighbourhood slowly come alive. People were sweeping, opening their shops, and going about their lives. It reminded him how simple things used to be before he married into Clara’s family.He touched his chest lightly.“It will make sense one day,” he whispered to himself.Just then, his phone buzzed inside the room. Ryan frowned. Hardly anyone called him, and he wasn't expecting any message.He walked in and picked up the phone.The message came from an unknown number.*“Ryan, we need to talk.”*He stared at it for a moment. Something about the tone felt serious… urgent.Then another message came in.*“It’s about what happened years ago. You deserve to know the truth.”*Ryan’s fingers tightened around the phone. His breath became shallow. His mind rushed b