112. Threads of Betrayal

|| Lilac’s POV || The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the living room. I sat on the couch, my legs tucked beneath me, a blanket draped over my shoulders. My body still ached from the attack, but the pain was dull now, a constant reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything. Ezra sat beside me, his usual goofy grin plastered across his face as he tried to wrestle the remote control from my hands. “Come on, it’s my turn! The game is on!” he argued, his voice rising in mock indignation. “Shut up, let me see the news,” I shot back, holding the remote out of his reach. I flipped through the channels, my fingers pausing as I caught a glimpse of my father on the screen. My heart skipped a beat. “What’s going on?” Mom asked, her voice tinged with concern as she stepped into the room, a tray of snacks in her hands. “I don’t know,” I murmured, my eyes glued to the television. I turned up the volume, my stomach churning as I listened to the reporter’