All Chapters of Heartbreak And Wars: Chapter 141 - Chapter 150

Wakes's POVThe Second Chances Initiative launched on a cold November morning in Manhattan. I'd rented a conference space overlooking Central Park, invited journalists, legal experts, former prosecutors, and advocacy groups. Blake stood beside me at the podium, lending credibility to an organization that would have seemed hypocritical without his involvement."Three years ago, I went to prison for crimes I actually committed," I began, my prepared remarks feeling inadequate for the moment. "I deserved that punishment. But what I witnessed in prison and what I've learned since is that many people inside are serving time for crimes they didn't commit, or sentences that far exceed their actual offenses. The Second Chances Initiative exists to address those injustices."I outlined the foundation's mission: funding forensic analysis for defendants who couldn't afford it, supporting innocence projects nationwide, financing systemic reforms to prevent prosecutorial misconduct, and providing

Blake's POVThe email arrived on a Tuesday morning while I was preparing for a guest lecture at Lewis & Clark Law School. The subject line was simple: "Regarding Your Book - Legal Concerns."It was from Morrison's estate attorney.My stomach dropped. I forwarded it to Margaret immediately, then opened it with hands that had started shaking.*Mr. Matthew,**I represent the Estate of Senator Harrison Morrison. It has come to our attention that your recently published book, "Manufactured Justice," contains numerous defamatory statements about the deceased Senator Morrison. While we acknowledge the court dismissed charges against you, your book makes claims about Senator Morrison's intentions and actions that go beyond established facts.**We are requesting that you and your publisher cease distribution immediately and issue public retraction of statements accusing Senator Morrison of criminal conspiracy. Failure to comply will result in defamation lawsuit on behalf of the estate.**We ex

Aloe's POVI discovered I was pregnant on a random Thursday morning in March. Blake had left early for a guest lecture at University of Oregon, James was at preschool, and I was alone in the apartment when the test showed two pink lines.My first emotion was joy. My second was terror.I called Sofia before I even called Blake. "I'm pregnant. I don't know how to feel about this.""How do you want to feel about it?" Sofia asked practically."Happy? Scared? Both?" I stared at the test. "Blake and I haven't talked about having more kids. We're barely managing with James and Evelyn's shared custody. Adding another baby feels—""Like a blessing? Like perfect timing now that Blake's legal issues are resolved?" Sofia's optimism was characteristic. "Aloe, you're allowed to be happy about this."When Blake came home that evening, I'd spent hours oscillating between excitement and anxiety. I handed him the test without preamble."You're pregnant," he said, statement rather than question."I am.

Aloe's POVEvelyn arrived at the hospital the next morning with Wakes, clutching a stuffed elephant she'd bought with her allowance. She was nervous, I could see it in the way she held herself, the uncertainty in her expression."Come in," I said from my hospital bed, where I was attempting to master breastfeeding while simultaneously not looking like I'd just given birth. "Come meet your sister."Evelyn approached slowly, staring at Hope in Blake's arms. "She's so small. Smaller than I thought she'd be.""You were this small once," Wakes told her. "Even smaller, actually."Blake stood, carefully transferring Hope to Evelyn's waiting arms once she was seated. "Support her head. Just like that. Perfect."Evelyn stared at Hope with expression I couldn't quite read. Then, quietly: "Hi, Hope. I'm your big sister Evelyn. We have the same mom but different dads, which is confusing but okay. I'm going to teach you things when you're older. Important things, like how to do braids and how to t

Aloe's POVTwo years after Hope's birth, I stood in our new house actual house, not apartment watching Blake push our daughter on the backyard swing while James and Evelyn played basketball nearby. The scene was so normal, so peacefully domestic, that it felt almost unreal compared to where we'd been."Higher, daddy!" Hope shrieked, her curls bouncing with each swing."Any higher and you'll achieve orbit," Blake called back, but pushed harder anyway.We'd bought the house six months ago, after Blake's second book co-authored with Wakes became another bestseller. Four bedrooms meant everyone had their own space. The backyard meant kids could play outside. The location, halfway between downtown Portland and Wakes's place, meant Evelyn's transitions were easier.Sofia arrived for our weekly dinner, arms full of groceries for the meal she'd volunteered to cook. These dinners had become tradition Sofia, Marcus, Wes, sometimes Margaret, all gathering to celebrate family we'd built from unl