The seasons had shifted quietly, as if time itself had tiptoed through their lives while they were busy learning how to breathe again.
Callie was turning one today.
Abigail could hardly believe how fast the year had gone. A year that began with broken pieces and ended with something fragile but whole, a peace she hadn’t dared to hope for.
The mansion was alive with soft laughter and the sound of balloons brushing against ceilings. The staff had been busy since dawn, decorating the grand hall in shades of ivory and rose. Banners fluttered across the walls, and sunlight poured through the tall windows, glinting off the delicate ribbons that draped from the chandeliers. Tables were prepared in the vast garden.
But amidst the cheerful bustle, Abigail found herself standing by the window of
