The day Evan was born had been the happiest yet the most terrifying moment of Claire's life. She felt an overwhelming rush of love as she held her son for the first time, his tiny hands curling around her finger. Yet even as his newborn cry filled her with joy, a strange sense of unease lingered beneath the surface. As he grew, that feeling only deepened.
In the early days, Claire convinced herself that it was just her new mother's anxiety, yet something felt off. Evan was quiet, his gaze often distant, even as a toddler. As he grew older, Claire noticed he rarely sought comfort from her, instead drifting towards the Mithal family, particularly drawn to an elder who took a strong interest in him. Watching him, Claire felt a sharp pang of longing she couldn't quite explain. She loved him dearly, yet a strange detachment had taken root—a feeling she couldn't shake as if the child in her arms somehow didn't belong to her.
