Bonus Chapter 145: Caged within
The woman sat at the wooden dining table, her expression distant as she carefully placed food onto seven plates. The once vibrant house had grown quiet, each footstep echoing through the empty corridors like a reminder of the tension that lingered in the air. She worked silently, methodically, her hands moving with an eerie precision.
After finishing, she wiped her hands on her apron and called out, "Come eat, everyone."
The children emerged from their rooms, their movements sluggish and hesitant, as if something unseen weighed heavily on them. Their father came last, his figure looming large as he took his place at the head of the table, watching silently as his wife distributed the plates. They all began to eat in silence, the only sound in the room the clinking of utensils and the soft rustling of clothes.