#Chapter 362: A Missed Appointment

Olivia The house felt different without Edward’s presence; there was a stillness, a reclaimed sense of privacy that I was sorely missing. It was quiet—too quiet—and the absence of the subtle unease that had followed Edward like a shadow was both a relief and a cause for contemplation. I stood in the nursery, rocking back and forth, soothing Elliot who was being particularly fussy. Aurora, on the other hand, was staring at the mobile above her crib, her little hands reaching out towards the dancing figures. The amulet around my neck was still now, its previous vibrations a distant but nagging concern at the back of my mind. Just as I was considering whether to call Layla about the amulet’s strange behavior again, the twins’ whimpers escalated into full-blown cries. “Okay, okay,” I murmured, trying to divide my attention equally as I picked up Aurora, balancing Elliot on my hip. “Mommy’s here.” The twins’ cries were demanding, bouncing off the walls of the nursery and filling the s