Chapter 27
Lena.
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the quiet house. Lena had barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the blank expressions on Helene’s and Julian’s faces when they had looked at her in the hospital. Seven months. That was how long they had been a family.
Seven months of shared dinners, awkward first holidays, and slow-building trust. Now those months had been erased from their minds.
After washing her face, Lena headed downstairs. The house felt too quiet. She found Oliver already in the kitchen, carefully pouring orange juice with one hand while the other stayed supported by his sling. The bruises on his face were fading, but the exhaustion in his eyes remained.
“You should still be resting,” Lena said.
