Chapter 50

Christiana’s POV

I sat on the edge of the hotel bed, the soft comforter beneath me offering little relief from the heaviness in my heart. The room was spacious, elegant even, but it wasn’t home. The kids were playing quietly in the corner, but there was a sadness in their movements, a stiffness that hadn’t been there before. They hadn’t been the same since the fire.

“Mommy, when can we go back home?” Emma’s small voice broke the silence, her wide eyes searching mine with confusion and fear. Ethan stood beside her, holding onto her hand like it was the only thing grounding him to reality.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile that I hoped would reassure them. “Soon, sweetheart,” I said, my voice soft, as I leaned forward to brush a strand of hair out of her face. “But for now, we’re going to stay here, where it’s safe. We’ll make this our little adventure, okay?”

“But what if the bad people come back?” Ethan asked, his voice trembling. His eyes were filled with the kind of fear that ΠΟ child should ever have to know. My heart broke seeing it, and I wanted to say something that would make it all go away, but the truth was, I didn’t have all the answers.

I reached out, pulling them both into a tight hug. “No one is going to hurt us,” I promised, holding them close. “I’m here, and I’m going to protect you with everything I have. And we have the best people watching over us. We’re safe now.”

They clung to me, their small bodies shaking with the remnants of their fear. I could feel Emma’s tears soaking into my shirt, and I stroked her back gently, whispering soothing words, even as my own heart ached.

“We’re strong, aren’t we?” I whispered, leaning back to look at them, my hands cupping their faces. “We’ve been through so much, but we’re still standing. That’s because we’re a team, and as long as we stick together, nothing can break us. Do you hear

me?”

Emma nodded slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Ethan took a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face, though the fear still lingered in his eyes.

“I know it’s hard right now,” I continued, my voice as steady as I could make it. “But we’re going to get through this. And when this is all over, we’ll have a new place to call home, and it’ll be even better than before. But for now, I need you both to be strong for me, okay? Can you do that?”

uncertain. I kissed the tops of their heads, savoring the

special for

faces brightened at that, and for the first time in days, I saw a spark of excitement in

voice more animated. “And

hair. “Pizza and

order, their giggles filling the room. For a

still–healing ankle, the weight of everything came crashing back. The fire had destroyed more than just our home–it had shattered the sense of security I had worked so

be replaced. But I still had them. My children were safe, and that was all

somewhere even safer, where I could watch over them, where

me from my thoughts. She

Chapter 50

I could muster. “Just thinking about how lucky I am to

two.”

smiled back, the worry fading from her face. “We’re lucky to have you

to breathe.

myself. We would get through this. We were stronger than anything that tried to tear us apart. And no matter what came next, I would make sure they were safe. I would rebuild, not just a home, but a life for us all A life

at the small table in the hotel suite, their plates of pizza nearly empty and ice cream melting slowly in their bowls, a surprising silence fell over the room. I watched them, my heart

started, his voice steady and serious for a child his age. “We need to see

handling things right now.” I tried to sound casual,

“No, I mean, we need to see him. He wasn’t happy when he came to the hospital. It could

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