Ava's POV
The warmth of the morning had lingered on my skin like a blessing.
The laughter, the cocoa, the scent of bread and wildflowers… for a while, I believed we were safe inside a little moment of peace. Jack’s color had returned, Liam was eating, even Dad had looked relaxed for the first time in days. I had done something good. I had taken care of them.
And for a second, just a fragile second, I thought maybe I was part of this family. Not just the outsider they tolerated. Not just the girl with messy hair and quiet habits who somehow slipped through the cracks and ended up in their lives. But someone who belonged.
We’d all started to leave—Dad, Mom, even Jack had dozed off again with cocoa still on his breath. I had gathered the empty cups and foil wrappers, humming softly under
