Chapter 1: The Scent of Lavender and Copper
The bathroom door didn’t slam.
It clicked shut with a sound that felt as final as a gunshot.
Elena’s heart pounded against her ribs. She held Lily tightly against her chest, one hand cradling the back of her daughter’s damp hair. The sweet smell of strawberry bubble bath hung in the air, mixed with something far more unsettling—the sharp, medicinal scent of crushed pills scattered across the black-and-white tile floor.
Across the room, David’s shadow stretched along the wall beneath the harsh vanity light, making him look twice his size.
He didn’t move.
He simply stood there wearing that same calm smile—the one everyone trusted. The one that no longer reached his eyes.
“You’re overreacting, El,” he said softly.
His voice was smooth and familiar, the same voice that had once made her feel safe.
He took one slow step forward.
“Lily’s been having trouble sleeping. I was just trying to help her. That’s what a good father does.”
“Get out.”
The words barely escaped Elena’s throat.
“David... get away from her.”
He sighed, almost as if she were being unreasonable.
His eyes drifted to the orange prescription bottle rolling near his foot before lifting back to hers.
“After everything I’ve done to keep this family together,” he said quietly, “this is what I get?”
He extended his hand.
The same hand that had been offering an unexplained mix of medication to their six-year-old daughter only moments before.
Lily whimpered and buried her face deeper into Elena’s hoodie.
Something inside Elena snapped.
Keeping Lily behind her, she reached across the sink and grabbed the heavy ceramic soap dispenser.
“I said,” she repeated, her voice steady this time, “get out.”
For the first time all night, David’s smile disappeared.
The warmth drained from his face, leaving behind something cold...
Something empty.
“We’ll talk when you’ve calmed down,” he said.
Without another word, he backed out of the bathroom.
He never broke eye contact.
May you like
The door opened.
Then quietly clicked shut behind him.
