Chapter 1 : The Weight of Silence
Chapter 1: The Weight of SilenceThe rain beat against the apartment windows with a lulling regularity, resembling the ticking of a clock that could no longer be stopped. Sitting at the kitchen table, Anter rubbed his calloused hands against his jeans. The day had been harsh, filled with dust, heavy lifting, and overtime stretching out to exhaustion. In his thirties, he felt as though his body retained the memory of every gram of fatigue in the world.Yet, the fatigue always vanished the moment he heard Victoria's laugh.The little girl was sleeping soundly in her room, snuggled under her starry duvet. Anter walked in noiselessly, peered through the half-open door, and watched her breathe. Victoria had a restless sleep, her tiny fingers clenched around the edge of her pillow. Seeing her like this, a familiar tightness clutched his chest. He often wondered if he was making the right choices. Was he a good father? Was he living well enough to give her the future she deserved? The bills piling up on the hallway sideboard were there to remind him of harsh reality. But that evening, a single detail was going to change everything.
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