Page 17 of Shattering

Eila, who had been standing in the doorway, immediately stepped forward. "Come here, love," she murmured, pulling him into a warm embrace. "How about we go inside and bake some cookies? Just you and me."

Tomos sniffled and nodded, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

Cadi turned to Callum. "I'm sorry. He—he shouldn't have acted like that."

Callum gave her a small, understanding smile. "It's alright, Cadi. But you need to talk to him."

She nodded, but her stomach twisted.

Later that night, after Tomos had gone to bed, Eila placed a cup of tea in front of Cadi and sat beside her at the kitchen table. The house was quiet, the only sound the distant hum of the refrigerator.

"Now," Eila said gently, "tell me everything. What's going on with Gray? You both... seem different."

Cadi let out a shuddering breath, the weight of the last few weeks crashing down on her. And then, she broke.

Sobs wracked her body as she told her mother everything—Gray's distance, the extra shifts, the way he had stopped coming home, the moment she had seen him with Vanessa. Every fear,every insecurity, every ache in her chest spilled out into the space between them.

Eila listened in silence, her expression unreadable, until Cadi had nothing left to say.

Then, she reached for her daughter's hand and squeezed. "Oh, love."

Cadi wiped at her swollen eyes. "What do I do, Mam? He won't talk to me. He barely looks at me. I don't even know if we're—if we're okay anymore."

Eila exhaled slowly. "You need to talk to him, properly. No more avoiding it. No more waiting for him to come around. You need to lay it all out."

Cadi swallowed, her throat raw. "And if he doesn't listen?"

Eila's eyes softened. "Then you make him. You are my daughter. What happened to that temper?"

Cadi nodded, though fear coiled tight in her stomach.

Eila reached for her tea, her voice quieter now. "Derrik is going to be discharged tomorrow. I'll be heading home soon, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. No matter what."

Cadi blinked back fresh tears and nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

Eila cupped her cheek, brushing away a stray tear. "You're stronger than you think, Cadi. And whatever happens, you won't be alone."

Cadi closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. But even as she took comfort in her mother's words, the uncertainty of what lay ahead loomed over her.

Chapter 14

Gray came home the next morning, exhausted, but his body still thrummed with tension. He didn't know what to expect—whether Cadi would be there, whether she would have already left.

As soon as he stepped inside, he heard the familiar clinking of dishes, the faint scent of tea in the air.

His gut twisted.

He should have been relieved that she was still here, but all he felt was dread. With the way he had behaved in front of Tomos,he was ashamed. But Gray just couldn't look at him anymore. Not with what he knew.

He walked toward the kitchen and stopped at the doorway.

Cadi stood by the kitchen island, her auburn hair catching in the golden morning light streaming through the windows. It glowed like fire, shifting with her movements as she wiped her hands on a towel. She looked soft, almost fragile, as if she had barely slept.

She was pouring herself a cup of tea, her shoulders slightly hunched, her movements hesitant. And then, as if sensing him, she lifted her head.

The moment their eyes met, Gray went stiff. His body locked up, tension knotting in his muscles like a vice. His face hardened instinctively, like a shield snapping into place.

Cadi, however, looked vulnerable.

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