The days that followed were icy, to say the least. Meals were quiet affairs, punctuated only by the clinking of cutlery and the occasional forced bit of small talk. I caught Anna shooting glances at Kate and me, her frustration evident, but she held her tongue. I knew she was stewing over the incident, but I hoped she would eventually see my side.

Kate, on the other hand, seemed lighter, as if the weight of the world had slightly lifted off her shoulders. The lock gave her a sense of security she desperately needed. She began spending more time in her room, but I knew it was because she finally felt safe there, her sanctuary restored to her.

One evening, I found myself in the living room with Sophie and Mia while Anna was out. It was awkward at first, the silence heavy. But Sophie broke it. “Dad, we didn’t mean to upset Kate. We just… didn’t think it was a big deal. We thought we were just being sisters.”