The sound of laughter drifted down the hall, light and unguarded. Isabelle paused in the doorway, watching as Amelia and Elliott sat cross-legged on the living room rug, eagerly unwrapping the gifts Marcus had given them.
Amelia let out a delighted gasp, lifting a plush unicorn from the box, its lavender mane soft beneath her fingers. “Look what Marcus got me, Mommy!” she beamed, hugging it to her chest.
Elliott was equally enthralled, lining up his new set of racing cars, their sleek metallic bodies glinting under the chandelier light. “I’m gonna build the biggest track for these,” he announced, already lost in his plans.
A quiet chuckle came from the other side of the room. Marcus leaned back against the couch, his usual easy confidence in place. “Told you they’d love them,” he said,
