ication glowing on the screen. "

e parent-teacher group chat. Just like

Ava he knew would have called him, crying, begging, or screaming. She woul

ming up behind him and wrapping her a

ng a hand through his hair

purred, her voice confident. "Ignore her. She'll

ys been the center of Ava's world. But

o post a picture of him and Leah, a clear mes

profile. And

posts anymore. He

d bloc

ike of anger mixed with something

would give her a few days to cool off, and then she would come to

"fall" at the rock wall, Ben had insisted

y-faced Ava over the phone before she'd hun

the guest room, which was conveniently on the same floor as the master bedroom and Leo's room

eeded to see her, to gauge he

illed with what looked like military news reports. Stra

he asked, trying to

replied without

room for a while," he announc

ever

d. "That's fine.

n fact, I think it's a great idea. You, Leah, and Leo can be a ha

eable, but her tone was mocking. She was letting him do

?" he asked, his voice shar

d and turned bac

ouse eerily quiet. Maria, the housekeeper, was poli

everyone?"

," Maria said, her loyalty

ere Leah was reading a story to Leo in his room.

n the door an

was alm

, once covered in her personal photos and art, were blank. Her perso

n systematically erasing

e trembling with a rage he didn't ful

ptop he didn't recogniz

em," she s

u w

xplaining something to a child. "I donated the money to

This wasn't his wife. His wife was passionate, emotional, sometim

osing her. And for the first time, he rea