Caroline's Point of View
The museum buzzes with anticipation, an undercurrent of energy that I can feel thrumming in my bones. Voices blend into a low hum, whispers rippling through the crowd as people shift, adjusting their positions for a better view of the stage. Some reporters are already clutching their notepads and adjusting their cameras, eager to capture the final moments of the competition.
But my focus isn’t on them.
Because across the room, in the farthest corner, stands Adrian.
And he’s holding Liam’s hand.
My breath catches in my throat.
Liam, small and fidgeting with barely contained excitement, is tugging slightly at Adrian’s arm, his little mouth moving quickly—probably asking questions about what’s happening. Adrian listens, nodding in that calm, patient way of his, but his eyes flick up.
To me.
Then, as if making a silent decision, Adrian bends down and effortlessly lifts Liam onto his shoulders.
I inhale sharply, my fingers curling slightly against my dress.
It’s su
