جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 123

Serafina POVI should have known peace was not going to last.The house had been quiet for days, almost too quiet, like it was holding its breath and waiting for something to go wrong.I had just started getting used to it.That strange kind of calm that didn’t make my chest tight or my ears strain for danger.The kind where you could actually sit down without thinking about who might walk in next with bad news.I shifted slightly on the couch, adjusting the baby in my arms while watching her face scrunch up for a second before relaxing again.“She’s dreaming,” I whispered softly, brushing my thumb lightly over her cheek.Matteo didn’t respond immediately, but I could feel his eyes on us from across the room.“About what?” he asked after a moment, his voice quieter than usual as he stepped closer.I looked up at him, a small smile forming.“Probably about how stressful her parents are,” I said.He gave me a look.“She’s been here for weeks,” he replied. “That’s not enough time to for

The sun wasn’t even fully awake yet, but I was. Somehow the baby had decided that dawn was the perfect time to start her day, and I was already halfway awake holding her against my chest.I shifted slightly in the bed, careful not to disturb her. Matteo was still sleeping on the chair beside us, head tilted slightly as if he had fallen into that deep, dreamless sleep only people who had carried the weight of the world could manage. I couldn’t help but watch him for a moment.His brow was relaxed, his jaw soft, and there was no hint of the tension that always seemed to shadow him. I smiled softly. For once, he didn’t look like a man who had to command everything around him to survive. He looked like a father.I shifted again, rocking the baby gently, and she let out a small coo. Her tiny hand found my finger and held on tight. I let out a soft breath.“Good morning, little troublemaker,” I whispered, brushing her fine hair away from her face. She didn’t respond, of course, but the move