Chapter 40: The Fear of Losing Him

Lani walked into the house, dropping her keys on the console table near the door. She was exhausted from work, but her mind was focused on one thing—Elias.

As she walked into the living room, she found Lily and Luca sitting on the couch, their eyes fixed on the TV, though neither of them looked particularly entertained.

"Where's your dad?" she asked, glancing around.

Lily turned to her with a small frown. "He was outside a while ago."

Luca added, "But now he's gone."

Lani's stomach dropped.

"What do you mean gone?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

Luca shrugged. "We don't know. He didn't say anything."

Panic surged through Lani as she immediately turned toward the door. She had just come in from outside—she would have seen him if he was there.

Her heart pounded as she stepped out onto the porch, scanning the area. "Elias?" she called out, but there was no answer.

A cold chill ran down her spine.

Lily and Luca must have sensed her worry because they rushed out behind her, their small faces filled with confusion and unease.

"Where did he go?" Lily whispered, her voice trembling.

Lani clenched her jaw, trying to stay calm. Elias wasn't the type to leave without saying anything. Right?

They searched the house, checking every room, but there was no sign of him.

That's when the sadness settled in.

Lily sat down on the couch, her lower lip trembling. "Did he leave us?" she asked in a broken whisper.

Luca stayed silent, but his hands curled into fists.

Lani swallowed hard. She refused to believe Elias would just disappear without a reason.

And then—her phone buzzed.

Her fingers fumbled to unlock it, and when she saw the message, her breath hitched.

Elias: I went to check on my mom. I'll be back.

Lani exhaled a deep breath, pressing a hand to her chest. The relief was overwhelming, but it was quickly replaced by frustration.

"Seriously, Elias?" she muttered under her breath.

Lily noticed the change in Lani's expression and perked up. "Mommy? Did Daddy send a message?"

Lani nodded, kneeling down in front of her daughter. "He went to visit his mother. He's okay."

Lily let out a small sigh of relief, but then she pouted. "Why didn't he tell us?"

Luca, still frowning, crossed his arms. "He should have said something."

Lani ruffled his hair. "I know. And trust me, when he gets back, I'll be making sure he never does this again."

Luca didn't say anything, but Lily nodded with a determined look. "Me too! He has to tell us everything from now on!"

Lani chuckled softly. "That's right."

But deep inside, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

Because Elias didn't just leave like that.

Something was wrong.

Even though Elias had sent a message, something didn't sit right with Lani. She knew him well enough to sense when he was hiding something.

She tried to shake the uneasy feeling as she prepared dinner, but every time she glanced at the empty seat at the table, her stomach twisted.

Lily, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "Mommy, when is Daddy coming back?"

Lani forced a small smile. "Soon, sweetheart. He just went to see his mom."

Luca, however, wasn't convinced. "Then why didn't he just tell us before leaving?" He stared at Lani with those sharp, observant eyes of his. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

Lani sighed. "I don't know, Luca. I just… I hope not."

The night dragged on, but Elias didn't return.

Lily eventually fell asleep on the couch, her little fingers curled around her stuffed bunny, while Luca sat with his arms crossed, watching the door like he was expecting Elias to walk in at any moment.

Lani, on the other hand, couldn't sit still.

Her phone was clutched tightly in her hand as she paced the living room, debating whether to call him. She didn't want to seem like she was overreacting, but something deep inside her told her that she needed to hear his voice.

So she dialed.

The phone rang once. Twice.

No answer.

Her heart pounded.

She tried again.

Still nothing.

That's when fear started creeping in.

Just as she was about to try a third time, a new message popped up on her screen.

Elias: Don't worry about me. I'll be back soon.

That was it.

No explanation. No reassurance.

Lani stared at the message, her grip tightening on the phone.

"Mom?"

She turned to see Luca watching her, his face unreadable.

"Did he answer?" he asked.

She hesitated before nodding. "He said he'll be back soon."

Luca frowned but didn't say anything. Instead, he glanced at his sleeping sister before quietly heading upstairs to his room.

Lani sat on the couch next to Lily, running her fingers through her daughter's soft hair as she stared at the message again.

She didn't know what Elias was hiding.

But she was going to find out.

To be continued…