Lahat ng Kabanata ng Off Limits: My Brother's Best Friend : Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

The adoption process moved forward with surprising speed, thanks to Damien’s lawyers and Victoria’s quiet but powerful influence in the background. Papers were signed, court dates were set, and the final hearing was scheduled for the following month. But for Elena, the real change wasn’t in the legal documents, it was in the everyday moments that now felt permanent.Mornings in the new house had become her favorite time.She would wake to the sound of Leo’s footsteps padding down the hallway, followed by Damien’s low, sleepy voice trying to coax their son back into bed for “five more minutes.” Most days, the negotiation failed, and Leo would launch himself onto their bed like a tiny missile, giggling as Damien pretended to be defeated and tickled him mercilessly.On this particular morning, sunlight streamed through the large windows of the master bedroom, painting everything in warm gold. Elena lay on her side, watching her two favorite people wrestle playfully on the mattress. Leo’s

The new house had started to feel like home in the best and most terrifying ways.Leo’s laughter filled the hallways. Damien’s clothes hung beside Elena’s in the closet. Family dinners happened every night at the big wooden table, and weekends were spent building forts in the backyard or exploring the neighborhood park. For the first time in years, Elena felt like she could breathe without constantly looking over her shoulder.But peace, she was learning, was fragile.It happened on a quiet Wednesday evening.Leo had been unusually subdued after daycare. He ate his dinner slowly, pushing vegetables around his plate, and barely touched his favorite chocolate pudding. When Damien asked if he wanted to build towers after dinner, Leo shook his head.“I don’t feel like it,” he mumbled.Elena exchanged a worried glance with Damien. They let him watch cartoons for a while, but when it was bedtime, Leo climbed into his bed without his usual energy. Elena sat on the edge of the mattress, strok

The adoption celebration was small but heartfelt.Victoria had insisted on hosting a garden party at her home the following weekend. The backyard was decorated with soft string lights, colorful balloons, and a large banner that read “Welcome Officially, Leo Vale!” Leo ran around in his favorite dinosaur shirt, showing off his new “official son” certificate to anyone who would listen.Elena watched from the patio with a glass of sparkling cider in her hand, a soft smile playing on her lips. Damien stood beside her, his arm loosely around her waist, thumb tracing gentle circles on her hip. Every few minutes, Leo would run back to them, proudly displaying another crayon drawing or a new sticker Victoria had given him.“Look, Mama! Dad! Grandma gave me a crown because I’m a real prince now!” Leo exclaimed, spinning so the paper crown sat crooked on his dark hair.Damien laughed,that deep, warm sound that had become one of Elena’s favorite things, and scooped Leo up, settling him on his sh

The weeks after the adoption hearing should have felt like pure victory.Leo proudly showed his new “official papers” to everyone who visited. He practiced writing “Leo Vale” in big, wobbly letters on every drawing and notebook he could find. The house filled with more laughter, more late-night stories, and more quiet moments where Elena caught herself thinking, "This is real. This is ours."But the shadow of Lila’s latest attack refused to disappear completely.One Thursday evening, while Elena was cooking dinner, her phone buzzed with a message from an old mutual friend back home:"Hey… I don’t want to get involved, but Lila’s been posting on social media again. She’s claiming Damien abandoned her and their son too. It’s getting a lot of attention in our old circle. Just thought you should know."Elena’s stomach dropped. She opened the link the friend sent. Sure enough, Lila had posted a carefully worded “heartbroken mother” update with a photo of a young boy who did, unsettlingly,

The weeks following the adoption hearing passed in a gentle, steady rhythm that Elena had once believed was impossible for them.Mornings in the new house had become sacred. She would wake to the smell of coffee brewing and the low murmur of Damien’s voice as he helped Leo get ready for the day. Leo, now fully embracing his new reality, had taken to calling Damien “Dad” with such natural ease that it no longer startled her. The little boy’s laughter echoed through the halls as he raced from room to room, proudly showing off his growing collection of building blocks and the “official family pictures” they had framed on the walls.One crisp autumn morning, Elena stood at the kitchen island chopping fruit for breakfast while Damien stood behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder. His large hands rested gently on her stomach, fingers tracing idle patterns over the fabric of her shirt. The simple domesticity of it all still sometimes felt like a dream she was