When he finally stepped out of the car, the mansion's grandeur felt hollow, a stark reminder of everything he had lost. He followed Mara inside, his footsteps echoing in the vast, empty halls. She was already halfway through the room.
"Mara," he called out, his voice echoing through the silence. She paused but didn't turn around. "This is still your home. You belong here. With me."
Mara's shoulders stiffened as she walked away, her silent retreat punctuating the tension in the air. For a fleeting moment, Ethan dared to hope she might call back, but her determined steps only grew fainter, swallowed by the distance.
Just then, Mrs. Morgan's cheerful voice cut through the stillness. "Oh my God, it's so good! To see you, madam, I'm so glad you came back. We were all so worried about you!" Her warm greeting came as Ethan and Mara appeared, a brief pause in their troubled dance.
