Chapter 37

Declan

Each step down creaked under our weight, and I hated that sound—it felt like the house itself was mocking me, reminding me of what I’d just seen, what I couldn’t unsee. I wanted to scream, to demand answers he wouldn’t give, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. He never listened. Not really.

When we reached the ground floor, my father straightened his coat and glanced toward the door. “It’s time