As I crouched beside Leo, I couldn’t help but think back to the moments leading up to this. The signs I had missed, the growing distance between my wife and me that I had attributed to the daily grind of life. Steve had always been a presence, a reliable brother, or so I thought. The revelation of their betrayal was a slow crystallization of horror and clarity.

“Dad,” Leo’s voice pulled me back, soft and hesitant. “What are we going to do?”

I looked into his eyes, so much like my own, and for a moment, I was overwhelmed with the need to protect him, to shield him from the ugliness of the world. “We’re going to make sure you’re okay first,” I said. “That’s the most important thing.”