That night, he studied Ethan’s face at dinner. Was the nose too sharp? The eyes too light? Leo’s curls, where had they come from? Claire laughed at something the boys said, her hand brushing his. Daniel smiled back automatically, but his mind was busy tracing features like a detective at work.
Memories sharpened cruelly. Claire’s late nights at the office, those quick calls she took outside, the way she once hugged an old college friend too long. Harmless details suddenly bloomed with menace. Daniel lay awake beside her, watching her breathe, wondering what he’d missed all these years.