Pauline's POV
A restless energy had consumed me all morning. Since Apollo and Jenna's unexpected visit, an inexplicable dread had taken root in my chest, feeding on fears I couldn't articulate. The persistent worry that someone might arrive to steal Echo away haunted my every breath.
Perhaps it was irrational, but motherhood breeds such terrors. You convince yourself your child is secure, yet the instant you glance away and find them gone from where you left them, your entire world crumbles.
That nightmare became reality today.
After finishing lunch preparation, I turned from the stove while drying my hands on a kitchen towel, only to discover the chair beside me vacant.
"Echo?"
Silence answered me.
