The Ledger

The weight of Claire's father's words hung heavy in the air, the tension wrapping itself around everyone at the table like a vice. Mia could see Claire searching her father's face, desperately seeking some hint of what he was about to reveal, while the rest of the group leaned in, their breath collectively held.

"There is one thing…" Claire's father said again, his voice strained, as if the words were being dragged out of him. He glanced at his wife, who sat silent and pale beside him, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes, before looking back at Claire. His face was lined with years of stress and decisions that had clearly been weighing on him for too long. "I didn't want it to come to this."