Snow’s Point of View:

I woke up the next morning, still feeling the heaviness from the day before. The photograph of Mom lay on my nightstand, and I stared at it for a long time, letting the warmth of her smile bring me a tiny sliver of peace. It was strange—she felt like a stranger and family all at once.

After a while, I pushed myself out of bed, trying to shake off the lingering feelings. Maybe today, I thought, I’d get some answers. Maybe Dad and I could finally have the conversation we’d been avoiding.

But when I went downstairs, I felt the emptiness before I even saw it. The house was unusually quiet, a stillness settling over everything. I looked around, half expecting to see Dad in the kitchen or in his study, but he was nowhere to be found.

Dimitrios was sitting at the kitchen counter, scrolling through his phone, a half-eaten piece of toast on his plate. I walked over, frowning slightly. “Where’s Dad?”

He looked up, seeming surprised. “He left early this morning. Said he had a business trip or something.”

I blinked, trying to process the words. “A... business trip? And he didn’t tell me?”

Dimitrios shrugged, clearly unbothered. “I guess he figured you were still resting. You know how he is—he doesn’t exactly check in with everyone.”

My chest tightened with a mix of frustration and hurt.

After everything I’d just learned, he’d left without a word. Part of me had wanted to confront him, to demand an explanation for the years of secrets. And now he was gone, leaving me in a house that still felt more foreign than familiar.

I let out a small, bitter laugh. “Of course he did.”

Dimitrios glanced at me, sensing my frustration. “Look, Snow, it’s just how Dad is. He never thinks about how it affects the rest of us. He probably thought he was doing you a favor, giving you space or something.”

I rolled my eyes, biting back the urge to say exactly what I thought of Dad’s so-called “favor.” Instead, I forced myself to sit down across from him, trying to push away the bitter feeling in my chest.

“So... it’s just us? You, me, and the guys?” I asked, a hint of sarcasm slipping into my voice.

Dimitrios nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “And the friends. They’ll be here for the week.”

I groaned inwardly. My brothers’ friends were loud, wild, and always seemed to find a way to fill the house with chaos. I had hoped for some kind of peace or clarity, something to help me make sense of the mess that had become my life. But instead, it seemed I was stuck with a full house of people who barely knew me.

As if on cue, Karsten burst into the kitchen, his hair a mess and his eyes bright. He grinned when he saw me, clearly oblivious to the mood in the room.

“Good morning, Snow!” he greeted cheerfully. “You ready for the day?”

I forced a small smile. “Sure. Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

Karsten didn’t seem to notice the sarcasm, or if he did, he ignored it. “Great! We were thinking of hitting the pool later. You should join us.”

I looked down at my hands, feeling a strange mixture of emotions. Part of me wanted to say no, to lock myself away in my room and avoid the world. But another part, a smaller, quieter part, longed for the connection that had always felt just out of reach.

“Maybe,” I said, my voice soft.

Zino wandered in next, a playful grin on his face. “Oh, come on, Snow. We don’t bite. Besides, we’re all dying to get to know you better.”

I glanced at him, noticing the sincerity in his eyes. He and the others seemed so close, like they’d always had each other. I’d never had that, and the thought of being part of their circle, even if only for a little while, felt strange and unfamiliar.

“Alright,” I finally agreed, surprising myself. “I’ll hang out.”

Karsten let out a whoop of excitement, clapping his hands together. “That’s the spirit! We’ll have a good time, promise.”

Dimitrios shot me a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep it low-key. Just... enjoy yourself for once, alright?”

I nodded, feeling a spark of anticipation I hadn’t felt in a long time. Maybe being left behind wasn’t the worst thing. Maybe, just maybe, spending time with them would help me find a place in this family I barely knew.

As I headed upstairs to change, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something new—a cautious hope that, despite everything, this strange, chaotic household could be the home I’d been searching for all along.