"Why are you dressed like that?" His voice was sharp, edged with something he couldn’t quite name.

Ava’s eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion as she studied me, her lips twitching as if suppressing a reaction.

Jasper, however, frowned impatiently. "It’s already late. Why haven’t you made dinner yet? I’m starving."

I met his gaze without a trace of emotion, my voice steady.

"I'm not eating at home tonight. You don’t have to wait for me."

The air in the room shifted. Hugo and Jasper stiffened at my words.

Jasper’s face darkened. "If you don’t cook, what are we supposed to eat?"

Ava let out a light chuckle, her voice dripping with amusement. "Audrey dressed up so beautifully; she must be meeting someone special. We shouldn’t disturb them. As for dinner, I can cook. After all, someone like me doesn’t have anyone to ask me out anyway."

She deliberately emphasized the word "date," her tone soaked in suggestion. As expected, Hugo’s expression darkened instantly.

"It’s late. Dressed like that, who are you going to see?"

I met his gaze, utterly indifferent. "No one. If you don’t believe me, feel free to follow."

With that, I turned and walked out. Behind me, the sharp slam of a cup against the table echoed through the room, but I didn’t so much as flinch.

For once, the evening was mine.

I decided to go shopping.

In the past, whenever I shopped for clothes, I would head straight to the men’s section, first for my husband and then for my son. By the time I was done, the day had already slipped away.

Sometimes, I would spot a dress I liked, but I never had the luxury to stop. There was always something more pressing, always a reason to hurry home and cook for them.

But tonight, they weren’t here.

Tonight, my time belonged to me.

I wandered through the stores, my fingers grazing delicate fabrics, my eyes lingering on dresses I would have once dismissed without a second thought.

I hesitated. It felt unnecessary.

I was leaving soon; I couldn’t take them with me. Buying them only to wear them for a few days felt meaningless.

As I mulled over the thought, I idly scrolled through my phone. A new post caught my eye.

Ava’s latest update.

[Yay! Such a loving little family!]

The picture showed her sitting beside Hugo and Jasper at the dinner table, a warm, intimate glow cast over the elaborate spread before them. Red wine. Scattered rose petals. The perfect scene of a happy home.