Chapter 42 In Her Eyes — Home

• When darkness had fully fallen outside and a gentle, cozy stillness settled over the house, Amelia stepped out of her room, guided by a vague sense of unease. The warmth radiating from the fireplace in the hall spilled softly into the corridor, soothing her, beckoning her—as if the house itself knew she needed this moment. This closeness. This truth.
• She stopped at the slightly open door and froze when she heard familiar voices. Her father. And Damien. Amelia hadn’t meant to eavesdrop—it just happened. But the words that reached her ears washed over her like a tidal wave.
• “You’ve become more than a friend to us… you’ve become a son,” Brad said.