I had no idea that peaceful moment would become the dividing line between my previous life and everything that waited afterward.
Part 2: The House Fell Silent While They Neglected My Wife
Throughout the work trip, I called home constantly because every instinct inside me kept warning me that something was wrong.
I called each morning, during lunch breaks, after meetings, and before bed, but nearly every conversation went through my mother first.
She carefully controlled the phone, allowing me to see Emily only briefly before taking the screen away again.
Whenever I asked if Emily was eating enough or drinking sufficient water, Mom assured me everything was perfectly fine.
Ashley remained somewhere in the background, making sarcastic remarks about newborn babies crying constantly and telling me to calm down because I was behaving like an overly protective first-time father.