Sophia POV
Sophia entered the manor that had been her home for the last nineteen years, yet as she stepped through the grand doorway, she felt like a stranger. Everything was as it had been—warm, familiar, unchanged. And yet, she was different.
Her chest tightened, a hollow ache settling inside her. She knew exactly who she was longing for.
“Sophia!”
A blur of blonde nearly knocked her off her feet. Madeline—now thirteen—wrapped her arms around Sophia in a fierce hug.
“I missed you so much!” her little sister squealed. Sophia let out a small chuckle, hugging her back.
Before she could even respond, Nico pulled her into his arms. At fourteen, he was already taller than her, and he squeezed her in an almost bone-crushing grip.
“Okay, okay, don’t break my ribs,” she laughed, pushing at
