Chapter52: Chapter 52

Chapter 52 CELESTE But this Xenois asked about homework and made animal-shaped pancakes and worried about missing school conferences. This Xenois wanted to be involved, wanted to be present, wanted to be the kind of husband and father that the old version had never been. And I was going to lose him. Eventually, his memories would return, and he'd go back to being the man who prioritized business over family, who showed love through material gifts rather than time and attention. The thought made my chest tight with grief for something that hadn't happened yet but felt inevitable. After we dropped the boys off at school, the car fell into an uncomfortable silence. I could feel Xenois's eyes on me as he navigated the morning traffic, and I knew this conversation was coming whether I was ready for it or not. "How dangerous is your job?" he asked finally, his voice deceptively calm. I had been dreading this question since last night, knowing that my evasiveness had only made him more suspic