The Child in the Shadows
The morning light barely touched the edges of the sky when Anna jolted awake. Her dreams were fragmented—flashes of a little girl laughing, reaching out, then vanishing into darkness.
Beside her, Noah sat up, already dressed. He was staring out the window, deep in thought.
“You didn’t sleep,” Anna said quietly.
“No,” he replied, his voice hollow. “I kept thinking about her. Our daughter.”
Anna’s heart squeezed at the words. “What do we know so far?”
Noah turned to her. “The orphanage Juliet used shut down years ago. But I’ve got an old friend who might help. We’ll have to move fast—Juliet had backup plans, always.”
Before Anna could respond, Daniel barged in, his eyes bloodshot and jaw clenched.
“She’s gone,” he growled.
“What do you mean gone?” Noah snapp
