Chapter 4 - The Aftermath
The rain continued to beat against the windows, a steady rhythm that slowly replaced the chaotic ringing in Ryan’s ears. He gently helped Sarah off the cold marble floor, his hands steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He scooped up Leo, resting the exhausted toddler on his hip, and guided his wife to the living room couch.
"Stay here. I'll get an ice pack," Ryan said, his voice soft but firm.
When he returned to the kitchen, the sight of the scattered orange pills made his stomach turn. They were Sarah's antidepressants—a prescription she had started a year ago to manage her severe postpartum depression. It was a battle they had fought together, a journey of healing that Eleanor had just tried to weaponize. Ryan meticulously gathered every single pill, placed them back in the bottle, and secured the cap.
He walked back into the living room, pressing the cold compress gently against Sarah’s swollen cheek. She flinched slightly, and a fresh wave of guilt washed over him.
"I should have warned you she was in town," Sarah whispered, her voice hoarse. "She texted me this morning, but I ignored it. I didn't think she would actually use the spare key."
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"This is not your fault, Sarah," Ryan said firmly, sitting beside her and wrapping his free arm around her shoulders. "She had no right to be here, and she certainly had no right to lay a hand on you. We are going to change the locks today."
Sarah leaned into his embrace, her breathing finally beginning to slow. The storm outside raged on, but inside their home, the immediate danger had passed. Now, they were left with the wreckage.
