Mag-log inCiara’s POV Alice arrived first, already cooing before she even fully stepped inside. Seraphine followed with a oversized tote bag that looked like it could supply a small daycare.“Hand her over,” Seraphine said, holding out both arms. “Auntie duty starts now. We’ve got bottles, the emergency contact list, and zero intention of texting you every five minutes even though I know you’re going to spiral.”I hesitated with Rose against my chest. The anxiety hit harder than I expected. A few hours. That was all. Still, the idea of walking out the door without her made my stomach twist.Cain’s hand settled on the back of my neck, warm and steady. “She’s in good hands. We can leave. We can come back early if you need. No pressure.”Alice gently took Rose. The baby blinked up at her and then settled like she’d been waiting for this exact pair of arms. Traitor.“Go,” Alice said softly. “We’ve got her. I promise.”Seraphine waved us toward the door. “Seriously. Leave. Drink something. Touch ea
Ciara’s POV Rose’s nose was running by morning. Nothing dramatic. A little congestion, a slightly warmer forehead, the kind of mild cold every baby seemed to catch once the weather shifted. I wiped her face for the tenth time and settled her against my chest while she fussed.Cain stood in the doorway like the floor might give out.“We’re taking her in,” he said.I looked up. “It’s a cold. The pediatrician’s nurse already said monitor it and keep her hydrated. We’ve done this.”“She’s three months old. Her immune system is still—” He stopped himself, jaw tight. “I’m not sitting around waiting for it to get worse.”“Cain.” I kept my voice steady. “Hovering won’t make the virus leave faster. You’re scaring yourself.”He didn’t answer. Just paced. Checked the thermostat. Re-checked the humidifier. Picked up his phone like he might call the after-hours line again even though we’d already spoken to them an hour ago.By midday the tension in the house felt thicker than the steam from the h
Ciara’s POV Mornings had a rhythm now. Feed Rose. Change her. Let Cain take the early stretch so I could shower without listening for every small sound. The house still smelled like baby lotion and coffee. It felt less like survival and more like a life we were choosing on purpose.I started walking in the mornings. Nothing intense. Just the loop around our neighborhood with the stroller while Cain handled a call or finished the overnight bottles. The first few days my body complained. Soft stomach. Tight hips. The lingering awareness that everything sat differently now. But the movement helped. Air in my lungs. Blood moving. A quiet reminder that I still lived in this body and it was still capable.Therapy was new. Video sessions twice a week from the spare room while Rose napped. The therapist had a calm voice and a way of asking questions that didn’t let me hide behind “I’m fine.” We talked about the years of shrinking myself. About duty dressed up as love. About the fear that pea
Ciara’s POV The mall was already busy by the time we got there. Strollers everywhere. Bright lights. Too many people. I kept one hand on the edge of Rose’s carrier like it might somehow anchor me.Cain parked us near the baby store first. “Supplies first. Then whatever you want. No rushing.”Alice met us outside the entrance with iced coffees and a grin. “I cleared my whole afternoon. We’re doing this properly.”Cain took Rose without being asked. He adjusted the carrier against his chest like he’d been doing it for years and nodded toward the clothing stores further down. “Go. I’ve got her. Text me when you need a second opinion… or a distraction.”Alice looped her arm through mine. “He’s disgustingly good at this. It’s annoying.”We started with baby things. Tiny socks. Extra onesies. A new pack of soft burp cloths because we somehow went through them like water. It felt strangely normal walking the aisles with my sister, arguing over which pacifier brand was worth the money. Norma
Ciara’s POV Rose was on the play mat kicking her legs like she had somewhere important to be. I sat cross-legged beside her, making the same ridiculous faces I’d been making for weeks with zero results. Cain was in the kitchen rinsing bottles, humming something off-key.Then it happened.Her mouth stretched wide. Not gas. Not a random twitch. A real smile. Eyes locked on mine, gums on full display, pure delighted baby joy.I froze. Then the tears came so fast I couldn’t stop them.“Cain,” I called, voice cracking. “Cain, come here. Hurry.”He appeared in the doorway, dish towel over his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”“She’s smiling. Look. She smiled at me.”He dropped to his knees beside us just as Rose did it again, this time for him. The sound that left his chest was half laugh, half something deeper. He reached out and traced her cheek with one rough finger.“Hey, pretty girl,” he murmured. “There you are.”I cried harder. Happy tears. Ugly, messy, can’t-catch-my-breath tears. Cain’s a
Ciara’s POV The table looked almost normal. Plates that matched. A simple salad. Pasta Cain had actually helped me finish without burning. Rose’s high chair sat at the end like it belonged there. I kept adjusting the napkins like the angle of the folds might decide whether the night felt safe or not.Cain came up behind me and rested his hands on my hips. “You’re overthinking the silverware again.”“I’m overthinking everything.” I leaned back against him for a second. “It feels strange. Having people over. Laughing on purpose. Like we’re pretending the past didn’t happen.”“We’re not pretending.” His mouth brushed my temple. “We’re living. There’s a difference.”The doorbell rang before I could answer. Alice came in first, arms full of dessert and a soft stuffed rabbit for Rose. Seraphine followed with wine and zero volume control.“Something smells edible,” Seraphine announced. “Miracle. Cain, did you supervise or just look pretty?”Cain took the wine from her. “I stirred. Twice. Be
CIARA'S POV Just when I'm still looking around the dark room and regretting my stupid impulse, he undoes his tie, tossing it aside together with his suit jacket. He strides towards me. He surprises me by sliding one rough palm up my bare thigh fingers trailing until his fingers reach the drench
CIARA'S POV I could tell it was my husband from the way he tilted his head and sharp blue eyes peeked out through the mask and stared intensely at me from across the crowded hall like he wanted to drag me into the nearest dark corner and fuck me against the wall until I forgot my own name. I
Cain's POV. Boris’s tensed voice crackles through the speakerphone. "Hyde family’s circling closer. They’re sniffing around the old accounts. If they find the file, we’re fucked." I pace the cafeteria inside the Bridge Hotel with my set jaw tightly. "How close?" "Close enough that someone ins
Ciara's POV I gulp. My legs are trembling. I'm breathing too fast. I can't look at him and not remember last night how I shamelessly came alive and gosh... My panties are sticky to my inner thighs. He puts his hands around my waist to settle me as he lowers his face to my chin, trailing his







