The morning sun poured through the tall windows of Black Manor.
For the first time in years…
A child’s laughter echoed through the halls.
Noah chased a toy airplane across the marble floor while Amelia watched from the living room, smiling despite everything they had been through.
Ethan stood quietly at the top of the staircase.
He had attended billion-dollar meetings without feeling nervous.
Yet watching a little boy laugh made his chest tighten.
Not because he feared Noah.
Because he felt responsible for him.
“Good morning, Uncle Ethan!”
Noah waved enthusiastically.
Ethan looked surprised.
“Good morning.”
The little boy ran over, holding up his toy plane.
“Can you fix it?”
The wing had fallen off.
Ethan carefully knelt beside him.
“I’ll try.”
Within seconds, he snapped
