Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Clara and Mark left the room. Their footsteps faded down the staircase, and the front door clicked shut behind them. David waited another few minutes to ensure they wouldn’t return before he carefully extricated himself from his hiding spot.

Standing alone in the room that was supposed to be a sanctuary of love and trust, David felt the weight of what he had witnessed. It was a burden he couldn’t bear alone. He needed to confront Clara, but more importantly, he needed to assure Emily and Ethan that their voices had been heard and that they would not live in the shadow of deceit any longer.