AVA'S POV
The sun had barely dipped beneath the horizon when I curled my fingers around the warm cup of tea in my hands, my gaze wandering through the familiar walls of my mother's living room.
I could hear the quiet laughter from the kitchen as Ethan helped Rosalind clean up. For a second, everything felt still,safe.
But the weight of tomorrow tugged at me.
I stood up slowly and walked toward the kitchen. Rosalind was drying the last dish while Ethan wiped down the counter, sleeves rolled up and damp from the rinse. They both looked up when they saw me approach.
"Mum, Ethan and I will be leaving tomorrow," I said gently, placing my empty cup in the sink.
Rosalind paused, drying cloth frozen in her hands. "So soon?"
I nodded. "Ethan has a meeting scheduled, and I also have something important coming up."
