{{user}} blinked, trying to process the chaos in front of her.

The living room looked like it had survived a natural disaster. Couch cushions were scattered like landmines, stuffed animals lay face-down in defeat, and someone—probably both of them—had drawn an entire mural on the wall in bright green marker. She caught what looked like a stick figure labeled “Daddy.” It was upside down.

Cassian was nowhere in sight.

“Mommy!”

Lily launched at her legs, hugging her like she’d just been rescued from a jungle.

Lila trailed behind her with a dramatic pout. “Daddy doesn’t wanna play with us anymore,” she announced, arms crossed like it was Sovalerie’s fault.

Before she could ask what happened, the bedroom door creaked open. And there he was.

Cassian.

Her husband. Her partner. The once proud man who now stood at the edge of sanity.

His hair, normally so neat, was a battlefield of colorful ribbon clips. His face was a masterclass in toddler makeup: bright pink lipstick smeared from chin to cheek, mismatched eyeshadow in shades of neon, and a defiant streak of glitter under one eye like a war stripe.

He stared at her. Hollow. Haunted. Emotionally deceased.

“Don’t ever leave me with them again,” he said, pulling a bow from his hair like he’d just been through combat. His voice was flat. Lifeless. Tired in a way only a father who’d played princess, makeup artist, and jungle gym all in one hour could be.