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"Mommy, why are you sad?" Rover asked, gazing up at me through his long lashes as we walked near the playground of his boarding school. The war between Giovanni’s past and our present might have quieted down, but the battle inside me hadn’t ceased. Despite everything, the idea of pulling Rover out of this school never crossed my mind. It was his sanctuary as much as it was my place to find fleeting peace.

I forced a smile, crouching down to meet his eye level. "I'm just thinking about some grown-up stuff, buddy. Don't worry about it." The innocence in his eyes made me wish I could shield him from the complexities of adult burdens forever.

He seemed to consider my words, his small hand reaching out to touch my cheek, a gesture filled with more empathy than one would expect from a seven-year-old. "Is it about Daddy?" he whispered, his voice barely a breeze but heavy with intuition.

The question took me aback, but I masked my surprise with a nod. "A little bit, yes. But everything's goin