Chapter 9 Separation

• Breakfast passed in a warm, almost homely atmosphere. The large oak table in the royal guest quarters was filled with laughter, the clinking of cutlery, and the comforting hum of voices. The Cole family sat close together, sharing jokes and cherished memories. Even Anthony, always so composed and distant, allowed himself to smile. Mira, Amelia’s adoptive mother, kept reaching out to touch her daughter’s hand, as if still unsure that she was really there — safe, alive, with them.
• Amelia felt wrapped in warmth, as if the walls of the cold palace had softened just for them. For a brief moment, she forgot about the weight that hung over her heart. She laughed, she listened, and for the first time in days, she allowed herself to breathe.
• But when dessert was served, Brad Cole stood up, his face suddenly serious, and the air shifted.