Valeria’s POV
The car had barely come to a stop before I opened the door.
I didn't even remember unbuckling my seatbelt. One moment I was sitting there, heart hammering, bracing myself for the reality of home. The next, I was standing on the gravel driveway of the Daelmont mansion, my feet barely touching the ground.
“Mommy!”
The sound hit me first. That voice. Clear, bright and unmistakably his.
I turned just in time to see Elliot sprinting toward me at full speed, his little legs pumping with everything he had. His jacket flapped behind him, his shoes barely keeping up as if his body could not move fast enough to match his relief.
My heart leapt painfully in my chest.
“Elliot,” I breathed.
I dropped to my knees just as he collided with me. The impact nearly knocked the air from m
