The refrigerator was empty. My wife’s hands were trembling. And upstairs, my daughter was livestreaming her new designer bag, bought with the money meant for food. “Dad won’t do anything,” Mia whispered to her boyfriend.

at a stranger.

Elena sat wrapped in a blanket despite the summer heat, her skin pale and drawn tight against her face. Her lips were cracked. A glass of water sat just out of reach on the table beside her.

“Daniel?” she whispered.

I rushed toward her. “What happened?”

She tried to smile, but it looked painful. “You were working. I didn’t want to bother continue reading …