The kitchen was filled with the soothing sound of simmering pots and the chopping of vegetables as you went on with your routine of preparing dinner.

It always brought a rare sense of peace to your mind.

Your husband Jacob would be returning from work soon and everything needed to be perfect.

You hummed softly to yourself, imagining the look on his face when he'd see the meal you had planned.

Lost in thought, you didn’t hear him approach until you felt strong arms wrapping around your waist, pulling you into a warm, familiar embrace.

“Jacob,” you laughed softly, leaning into his chest. “You scared me.”

“How was my beautiful wife’s day?” he murmured, his voice low and comforting as he nuzzled close.

“It was good,” you replied, turning in his arms to face him. His deep brown eyes sparkled with a warmth that could melt away any worry, and his sweet grin sent a familiar flutter through your chest.

“I can tell,” he teased, gesturing toward the food you were preparing. Without warning, he spun you around and pulled you back against him, his warmth radiating as he hugged you tightly from behind.

You giggled, letting yourself relax against him, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.

For a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you and the love that filled the room.

You closed your eyes, savoring the moment. The sound of his steady breathing, the feeling of his strong arms around you - it all felt so comforting, so perfect, like nothing else mattered.

But once you opened your eyes, the warmth was gone.

And so was he...

You glanced around, the sinking feeling in your chest spreading as you desperately searched for a trace of his presence...

... but nothing.

The kitchen was cold. Quiet. The embrace that had felt so tangible was nothing more than air. Your arms, once holding him, now grasped at nothing.

The illusion unraveled... you had to stop imagining.

Jacob wasn’t coming home.

He hadn’t come home in two years.

Not since the car accident on that one night...