Chapter 173

Sofia. The house was finally silent. Not the kind of quiet where you can hear the fridge hum or the occasional creak of the floorboards, but a deep, sacred hush that presses against your chest and lets your lungs stretch, lets your body sink into the world, lets your mind finally exhale. The kids were gone, lost in dreams, tangled in blankets and soft sighs. Jade lay sprawled across his bed, one arm flung over his face, legs sprawled at impossible angles, limbs akimbo, triumphant in sleep, as though he had conquered some tiny, secret battle. Lorelai was curled beside him, small fists tucked under her cheeks, chest rising and falling with soft, even breaths, tiny sighs escaping lips curved in blissful sleep. I lingered at their doorway, pressing soft kisses to each forehead, memorizing the rise and fall of their chests, letting the rhythm of their breathing anchor me, reminding me why we fought, why we all fought, why this night could finally belong to us. By the time I stepped into the