CHAPTER 383

Sophia’s POV

I breathed in slowly as Kayla and I made our way into the NICU. It was a world of tiny miracles, and right now, one of those miracles belonged to Emily. My heart pounded with a blend of anxiety and exhilaration. I couldn’t wait to see baby Jared, but I also worried about how Emily was holding up.

Kayla gave my arm a supporting squeeze as we approached Jared's incubator. “It's going to be okay, Soph,” she whispered, her eyes moving over to the clear enclosure where a tiny bundle of life lay surrounded by tubes and wires. “Emily's a tough cookie, and Jared... well, he's a fighter.”

I nodded, forcing a smile. We turned the corner, and there he was—Jared. My breath caught in my throat. He was so small, so fragile, but perfect in every way. His tiny little hands and feet, the soft flutter of his eyelashes... it was incredible.

Emily was already there, standing beside the incubator with a look of pure adoration on her face. The exhaustion was still visible in her eyes, but ther