Chapter 112

Lila’s POV

By the time morning had stretched into noon, the house had become quiet. Just me and my wandering thoughts.

Dad and Mom had both left together, heading into town for errands. They did not say anything, but the way they lingered before stepping out and the subtle glances they shared, told me everything, which is that they were worried about me. They had not asked, had not pressed, but I saw it written in their faces. That quiet concern only parents could wear.

My dad probably told my mom about the little interaction we had that morning but I still did not know if I should tell them that Drew had reached out. Me not telling them was not because I did not trust them, it just felt like I have placed so much on their shoulders within this short time I have been around so I did not want to bother them again.

I waved them off with a small smile I did not really feel, promising to rest and to take it easy. The truth was, I was not sure how to rest anymore. My mind was always awake, always circling the same questions I could not answer.

I had just settled on the same couch I was on yesterday with a book in hand like some sort of ritual but I had not turned a single page. This couch has become my haven for me to think and process things as I look outside and watch the world unfold.

I was still seated when a gentle knock sounded at the door.

I blinked, surprised because I was not expecting anyone. Then a smaller knock followed immediately after, lighter and playful and immediately I knew who was at the door.

Smiling faintly, I set the book aside and went to answer.

There stood Daniel, holding a plate covered with a piece of cloth in one hand, and little Ethan by his side, his grin so wide it almost swallowed his face.

“Surprise,” Daniel said, his voice warm but calm. “Ethan insisted we stop by. He said he had something important he wanted to give you.”

Ethan tugged at his dad’s sleeve and piped up, “We made cookies! Well… Dad made them, but I helped with sprinkling bits of chocolates on top and I told him we had to bring some for my new friend, Aunty Lila.”

My heart softened instantly. I crouched down to his height. “A new friend, huh? That is a big honor, Ethan. Thank you for thinking of me.”

He beamed and held the box out with both hands. “They taste amazing and are still good, I promise. We did not eat all of them although that was a huge struggle.”

I laughed and accepted the plate, the buttery scent of cookies wafting up as soon as I lifted the cloth covering it. “These look delicious. Why don’t you both come in? We can have them with some milk.”

Ethan’s eyes lit up at the mention of milk, and Daniel smiled, giving me a small nod as they stepped inside.

A few minutes later, the three of us were gathered around the coffee table and I set out plates with cookies and glasses of milk. Ethan munched happily, his little toy car beside his plate, while Daniel and I exchanged a polite quietness across the table.

It was Daniel who broke it first.

“You know…” He leaned back slightly, his voice measured. “I never got the chance to finish our last conversation.”

I looked up, curious.

“The one we were having before your parents came in,” he clarified. “I had asked about your work and you mentioned the Sinclair hotel launch. Which is very impressive, Lila. You were clearly doing well in the city and that makes me wonder, why come back? What happened?”

The question landed heavier than his tone suggested. His gaze was not sharp, but steady, almost searching.

I hesitated, fiddling with the edge of my napkin. The last thing I wanted was to drag him into the mess of my past. But he pressed on gently.

“Well I know you might be skeptical about sharing your story with me but I'm sure you know mine already.” He said it with a smirk on his face and I could tell he was bringing it up to help me feel relaxed around him.

“From what you already know about me,” he continued, his voice quiet, “I have been through my share of problems. I lost my wife during childbirth and a year later I lost my mother. Everything felt like it was crumbling. I came back here because I had nowhere else to go, and because Ethan needed me… even if I was not sure I knew how to be enough for him. Now, I’m just living for him.”

His eyes dropped briefly to where Ethan sat, happily dunking a cookie into his milk. Daniel’s expression softened, tender in a way that made my chest ache.

Then his gaze came back to me. “As difficult as it was I was able to pull through because I had a community to rely on. On days when I was devastated, your mom would step up and help me look after Ethan. So this place has become some sort of refuge and one way to ease the burden is to allow others help you carry them.”

“Seeing as you left everything that looks perfect and you are here, and I can’t help but feel like you are carrying something too. You seem… lonely. And I don’t say that to pry. I just…” He paused, searching for the right words. “I just think maybe you need a friend. And even though we were not all that close as kids, I do not mind being that for you now. If you will let me.”

His words settled over me like a blanket I was not sure I wanted to wear.

A friend.

It sounded simple enough, harmless. And yet, the thought of opening that door again, of letting someone in, no matter how kind, sent unease crawling up my spine. I was not sure if I could trust myself to lean on someone new without breaking all over again.

Ethan’s laughter filled the space, light and unbothered, the toy car zooming across the table as though life were that simple, to just play and just trust without fear. But when you have been hurt as much as I have it becomes scary to trust anyone no matter how genuine they look.

I glanced at Daniel, his eyes steady, waiting for me to answer.

And inside, a storm swirled.

Could I trust him? Could I risk letting someone stand close again, knowing how much it hurt when people walked away or betrayed that trust?

The words hovered on my lips, but I could not speak them.

Not yet.