The Shepherd house was unusually quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavy and oppressive. Steve sat on the edge of the leather couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on the clock above the fireplace. The ticking of the seconds seemed to grow louder with each passing minute.
Stefan, his younger brother, paced back and forth across the living room, his boots thudding against the hardwood floor. Stanley and Stafford's fists were clenched, their face flushed with a mix of anger and frustration. Celeb stood abruptly, turning to Steve with a glare.
"I can't believe you just let him take her," Celeb snapped, his voice sharp. "You didn't even try to stop him. I wanted to follow them, but you said no. Why, Steve? I thought you hated Ethan. I thought you'd do anything to keep him away from Stefania."
