Chapter 14 Fifth Birthday Gift

• The soft glow of moonlight filters through the thin curtains of the room, casting silvery streaks across the floor. Lila sits by the window, her gaze unfocused as the events of the day replay in her mind. Adrian’s biting words, the sting of his accusation, and the guilt that briefly flickered in his eyes—they all weigh heavily on her. Her chest tightens, and before she knows it, another tear escapes, sliding down her cheek.
• Lost in thought, she doesn’t notice the gentle padding of small feet across the floor until a tiny hand brushes against her face.
• “Mommy, why are you crying?”