LOGINThe school was bustling when we arrived, the parking lot teeming with parents and kids, all hurrying toward the bright red doors at the front of the building. Alex’s grip on my hand tightened as we approached, his eyes wide as he took in the sea of unfamiliar faces.“It’s okay,” I whispered, crouchi
ElaraThe house was alive with the all-too-familiar chaos of a school morning. Somewhere down the hall, Ella was shouting at Zoe about taking too long in the bathroom, and Zoe’s shrill rebuttal wasn’t far behind. The smell of toast lingered in the air, mingling with the faint bite of fall that crept
ElaraThe air that night was quiet—quieter than it had been in weeks. The house had settled into the kind of stillness that only came with exhaustion, the last embers in the fireplace flickering softly behind the glass. Even the wind outside had gone still, barely rustling the edges of the curtains
ElaraThe lanterns flickered softly against the night sky, their warm glow swaying in time with the breeze that danced through the courtyard. Even from this distance, I could still hear the faint music from the reception, the low murmur of conversation punctuated by bursts of laughter.But out here,
ElaraThe music was soft and sweet, drifting lazily over the twinkling lights strung across the open-air pavilion. Everything felt golden—the warm glow of lanterns, the hum of conversation over glasses of bubbly champagne, the faint crackle of the bonfire flickering in the distance.But none of it c
“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice cracking ever so slightly. “Thank you for giving me this.”I ran my fingers through his hair, gently pushing it back from his forehead. “You don’t have to thank me for anything, Alaric. This baby… it’s part of both of us.”His hands remained on my stomach as he li
Both girls practically squealed with delight, rushing forward to hug him around the waist. He stiffened at first, but then his hands came to rest gently on their backs, his expression softening ever so slightly. “Thank you, Daddy!” Zoe chirped before letting go and dragging Ella back toward the ga
“Straighten your back,” Grace whispered the moment I sat down, low enough so only I could hear. “And don’t slouch like that, dear. You’ll embarrass yourself.” I pressed my lips together and obeyed, not wanting to start an argument before the meal even began. Zoe, sitting on Grace’s left, gave me a
With that, I let go of his shirt and stumbled back a step, my head spinning slightly. Alaric still hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word, and it only fueled my frustration. “You’re impossible,” I muttered. “You cold, detached, impossible man.” Gripping the edge of the counter for support, I looked up a
Elara “Aren’t you going to wash my stained trousers, cleaner?” My eyes widened at Asher’s words. It wasn’t even the request itself that bothered me—I would have happily done it had he asked nicely and sincerely—it was the blatant condescension in this tone. I knew exactly what this was: an att