Layla sat down next to Jane on the couch, the tension still palpable in the room. Karl was staring out of the window again, his shoulders stiff as if bracing for another inevitable storm.
"He's been doing everything to keep us safe," Layla said softly, breaking the silence between her and Jane. "But how much longer can we live like this? Watching him exhaust himself every day just to keep this fragile peace intact."
Jane looked down at her hands, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her sleeve. "He's strong, but he's only human. If this keeps up…" Her voice trailed off, the unspoken thought too heavy to put into words.
Layla glanced at Karl, who was still lost in thought by the window. "Do you think he feels lonely?" she asked quietly.
Jane hesitated, then nodded. "He doesn't talk about it, but I see it in his eyes. He carries so much, yet he never asks for help. It's like he's forgotten he's allowed to lean on someone else."