Rain drummed against the windows. The knife wavered.
Ryan’s face crumpled.
“I didn’t mean for it to get like this,” he muttered, tears spilling over. His grip loosened. The knife clattered into the sink.
He dropped to his knees.
Carter moved fast, securing him while Lopez rushed to Sarah’s side. She was shaking, but alive.
Outside, Lily sat in the patrol car, staring at the house. She didn’t cry when she saw her father led out in handcuffs. She just hugged herself tighter.
The storm hadn’t scared her.
The silence afterward did.
The Aftermath No One Sees
That night, Carter couldn’t sleep.
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