“My sweet little babies, please come to me safely,” I whispered.
I never shared my fears with Alistair.
Because—fuck me—he was already crazy enough about us without me lighting a match under his firm, obsessive ass.
As for my parents, they were getting a divorce.
Francine was beside herself, but Martin had made up his mind.
Being pregnant with my girls had done more than shift my body; it helped me face and finally overcome the emotional trauma I’d been dragging around like chains.
Alistair was my rock through every second of it.
The man could read me like a book.
It was borderline creepy how he always knew what I needed—sometimes before I did.
Gianna and Nicholas welcomed me like one of their own.
They were warm, nurturing, and real—no pretence, no performance.
At first, I’d kept my guard up. But it didn’t take long to understand how Sophie and Alistair had turned out so… balanced, grounded and loved.
I wanted to grow old with Alistair, just like Gianna and Nicholas.
At twenty-two, the future looked brighter than ever. I couldn’t wait to share our love with our children.
The hollow past still flickered at the edges—ghosts of dysfunction, of so-called protectors who tore down instead of building up.
But that was all behind me now.
I smiled when I heard his footsteps coming down the hall…
Wondering how I might disrupt my husband’s day.
Epilogue
Alistair
Two Years Later
The giggling behind me made me smile as I flipped the French toast.
I didn’t know if it was because Callie ate so much of it during the pregnancy or if it had somehow embedded itself in their DNA—but Mia and Gia were hooked.
I plated the bananas and blueberries, glancing back toward the family room.
They were sprawled across the rug, giggling, tangling in each other’s limbs. Chaos and joy, but it was just the way I liked it.
We’d rented out our house and moved to the coast. I wanted peace for them—my girls.
The beach was a ten-minute walk. The community was small and safe. The kind of place where you didn’t need to lock your door.
Mia and Gia thrived in the salt air and sun. Always active, smiling and outdoors.
And Callie?
The love of my life was the centre of my world.
