Grace’s mind whirled with confusion. Was this some ritual? A nightly trance orchestrated by a mother clinging desperately to the past? Or was it something darker, a pact bound by secrets Grace was never meant to understand?

Suddenly, Mrs. Turner’s voice rose, clear and commanding, shattering the hum of the storm. “He must stay,” she declared with a finality that sent chills down Grace’s spine. Ethan replied in a monotone, “I must stay.” The watch swung like a pendulum, and Mrs. Turner’s eyes gleamed with a fervent intensity.

In that moment, Grace understood. This was not merely about comfort or insomnia. Mrs. Turner needed Ethan—not just physically, but his very essence, his devotion, his presence. And Ethan, under the spell of old familial bonds and perhaps guilt from his father’s death, was bound to fulfill this need, willing or not.

The revelation hit Grace like a cold wave, leaving her trembling in the hallway. This was a reality she hadn’t bargained for, tethering her husband to a past he couldn’t escape, and a mother who refused to let go.

Grace retreated to their bedroom, her mind a storm of its own. Could she save Ethan from this cycle? Or was she destined to be the outsider, an observer in her own marriage?