#Chapter 278: Abandoned

Ella’s POV “What the fuck?” My mother and I stood in the empty living room, staring at the space that had once been full of life, chatter, and the warmth of a crackling fire. Now, it was dark and cold and completely devoid of the man who had once called this place home. “Where did everything go?” my mother whispered. I shook my head, scanning the bare walls. There were lighter patches where picture frames had once hung, rectangles of clean paint surrounded by dust. The floorboards were scratched in places where furniture had been dragged across them. Something told me that this wasn’t just a typical move. This felt like an evacuation, or worse—a coverup. “Something’s wrong.” I moved toward the hallway. “We should look around. See if we can find any clues.” My mother followed close behind. We checked each room systematically, but found nothing but emptiness. The bedrooms were stripped bare, the bathroom cabinets hung open and hollow. Even the ki