THE FUTURE IS YOURS.
Barbara’s eyes filled.
“I should have understood that when they were born.”
I hugged her.
Not because the past disappeared.
Because sometimes people earn a new place in your life without recovering the old one.
Across the garden, Lucas held baby Thomas while Daniel stood beside him.
Three generations.
None of them carrying the Whitmore biological line Charles had obsessed over.
And yet they looked more like a family than the Whitmores ever had.
I walked over.
Daniel smiled.
“Thomas keeps grabbing my tie.”
“You deserve it.”
Lucas laughed.
“Dad says you’re the reason everyone stopped lying.”
I looked at Daniel.
“Dad?”
Daniel tried to look casual.
Lucas grinned.
“He earned it.”
Daniel’s eyes filled immediately.
He turned away.
I pretended not to notice.
Some moments belong to people privately even when you’re standing beside them.
Later that evening, Charles appeared.
I had not invited him.
