The beginning

**"There are moments when life seems to break, shattering everything you’ve held dear, leaving you grasping at fragments, trying to piece together what’s left."**

I’d been on edge for days, the threatening messages still haunting me, no matter how hard I tried to push them out of my mind. But today, I told myself, would be different. I was picking up the kids from school, and we would have a normal afternoon—no fear, no anxiety, just us. I clung to that thought like a lifeline as I drove to the school, trying to drown out the nagging voice in my head that kept whispering warnings.

Lucas and Lucy were waiting at the front gate, their faces lighting up when they saw me. It was a small moment, but one that made my heart swell. They ran to the car, their backpacks bouncing as they climbed in.

“Mom, guess what?” Lucas was already chattering as he buckled up. “I got a gold star on my science project!”

“And I made a new friend today!” Lucy added, her excitement contagious.

I smiled, trying t