Chapter 19 - The Melody of Home|
I walked down the stone steps onto the lawn, dropping to my knees beside my children.
Grace immediately crawled into my lap, grabbing my thumb with her tiny fingers, while Liam and Noah tumbled over each other, reaching for Emma’s blue plush rabbit.
Rosa sat beside me, handing me a small, framed photograph she had pulled from her bag.
It was a picture of Claire, taken three years ago in this very garden. She was laughing, her dark hair glowing under the afternoon sun, her hand resting gently over her heart.
"She used to sit right here," Rosa murmured softly, a warm smile on her face. "She told me once that the greatest gift a parent can give their children isn't a safe room or a high wall. It’s a home filled with music and laughter."
I looked at the photograph, my chest swelling with a deep, peaceful warmth.
"We're opening up the estate, Rosa," I declared softly.
Rosa looked at me, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"No more isolation," I said, looking around at the vast, open gardens. "We're taking down the high stone walls. We're hiring proper nannies, opening the gates, and letting the world back in. My children are going to grow up running in the sunlight, not hiding behind bulletproof glass."
Emma looked up at me, her brown eyes bright. "Will there be music, Mr. Ethan?"
May you like
I laughed—a genuine, deep laugh that I hadn't felt since Claire passed away.
"Yes, Emma," I promised, pulling my triplets close against my chest. "There’s going to be a lot of music."
