Semua Bab 7 Nights With My Step Brother's Rival : Bab 131 - Bab 140

Dante looked at his daughter. Twelve years old. Requesting training. Wanting strength. Capability. Self-reliance.Part of him wanted to refuse. To keep her innocent. Protected. Never needing to know violence. Never needing skills he'd used for survival.But another part. The realistic part. The father who'd survived everything. That part understood. The world was dangerous. Unpredictable. Skills mattered. Strength mattered. Preparation mattered."Why do you want this?" he asked. Not refusing. Just understanding. "Really. Honestly. What's driving this?""Kenya. The coup. Seeing you prepare to fight. To defend us. Seeing Mama's fear. Knowing we were helpless. Dependent. Unable to protect ourselves or each other. I don't want to be helpless. Ever. I want to be capable. Strong. Able to fight if necessary.""Fighting isn't strength. Often it's weakness. Failure to find better solutions.""I know. But sometimes. Sometimes fighting is necessary. You taught me that. Through your life. Your ch

"Absolutely not." Sienna's voice was firm. Final. "You're fourteen. You don't know what you're saying. The military means war. Violence. Death. I won't allow it.""You won't have a choice," Arthur replied. Calm. Determined. "When I'm eighteen. I'm an adult. I can enlist without permission. I'm telling you now. Out of respect. Not asking permission. Just informing you of my decision.""Arthur..." Dante's voice carried warning. "Don't speak to your mother that way. Show respect.""I am showing respect. By being honest. By telling you my plans. By not hiding or lying. But this is my life. My choice. My future. And I'm choosing military service."That night. After kids were in bed. Dante and Sienna fought. Properly fought. For the first time in years."You need to stop him," Sienna demanded. "Talk him out of this insanity. He's our son. Our baby. I won't let him go to war. Won't let him risk his life for. For what? Abstract concepts? Nationalism? Somebody else's political agenda?""He wan

Gabriel sat in his room. Crying. Quietly. Trying to hide. Trying not to let anyone see.But Dante heard. Opened the door. Found his youngest son. Nine years old. Devastated. Broken."Hey. What's wrong? Talk to me.""I'm stupid. I'm broken. I can't read like everyone else. Can't write. Can't do school. I'm. I'm the dumb one. The one who can't keep up. The failure."Dante's heart shattered. His son. Believing he was less. Believing he was broken. Believing a learning difference meant deficiency."No. Stop. You're not stupid. You're not broken. You're not a failure. You have dyslexia. That's not stupidity. That's just. Different wiring. Different processing. Different learning. Not less. Just different.""But everyone else can read. Can write. Can do the work. I can't. I try. I try so hard. But the letters. They move. They swap. They won't stay still. And I can't. I just can't.""Then we find different ways. Different tools. Different approaches. You're not going to learn like your sibli

"Her name is Lila," Catarina said. Nervous. Protective. "She's fifteen. She's been through. A lot. More than anyone her age should endure. Abuse. Neglect. Seven different foster homes. She's angry. Defensive. Doesn't trust easily. Doesn't believe in family. In love. In safety. Because she's never experienced any of that. Not really. Not consistently.""But she deserves it. Deserves a chance. Deserves people who won't give up. Won't abandon. Won't hurt. That's what Sofia and I are offering. That's what we're committed to. Regardless of how hard it gets. Regardless of how long it takes. We're her family now. Permanent. Forever.""When do we meet her?" Sienna asked. Already invested. Already caring. Already ready to welcome."Tomorrow. She's. She's nervous. Terrified actually. Meeting all of you. This big extended family. People who claim to care about strangers. She doesn't understand that. Doesn't believe it. But. I want her to see. To experience. To know what family can be. What love

The Maldives. Overwater bungalow. Private. Secluded. Perfect.Crystal water. White sand. Endless sky. Just them. Finally. After fifteen years. Just them."This is incredible," Sienna breathed. Standing on the deck. Ocean surrounding. Paradise real. Tangible. Theirs. "How did you even. When did you plan this?""Months ago. With help. Lots of help. Leo managing kids. Lucia handling foundation. Catarina coordinating. Everyone conspiring to give us this. Time. Space. Us.""I can't remember the last time we were alone. Really alone. For more than a few hours. Years probably. Since Gabriel was born? Since the twins? Since. I don't know. Forever.""Exactly. Which is why we need this. To remember. To reconnect. To be Dante and Sienna. Not just parents. Not just partners. Not just co-leaders. But. Us. The people who chose each other. Who built this. Who love each other. Beyond everything else. Underneath everything else. Just. Us."Days blurred beautifully. Sleeping late. Breakfast on the deck