ELI'S POV
When I walked through the front door that evening, the last thing I expected was to see Pa sitting at the dinner table. But there he was, all smiles, alongside my stepmother Laurine, who greeted me with her usual saccharine warmth. My sister Salome was already at the table, barely glancing up from her phone, while Senator Liam and his daughter Autumn sat across from them, both stiff and composed like they were waiting for something important.
I forced a smile as I took my seat, trying to push back the uneasy feeling creeping into my chest. Something was off, and I could feel it. Pa was far too composed, a rare occurrence that usually meant he had some grand plan brewing in the back of his mind. I should've known better than to think this dinner would be normal.
