Then Lena spoke softly, smiling. “Be good today. Your dad is working hard. We’ll take care of him when he gets home.” The words hit Ethan harder than any boardroom blow. In that moment, he realized his children hadn’t been waiting for him. They had learned to survive without him.
When the floor creaked, Lena turned, startled. But the children stayed calm. Ethan stepped forward, and his youngest son looked up and asked, “Dad… are you staying for lunch?” Ethan nodded. “Yeah.” The boy smiled. “Because when you’re not here, Lena makes it feel like Mom still is.” Ethan sat down, tears burning. That day, he chose to stay. And slowly, the house became a home again.
