The night was thick as ink, wrapping the city in a close, inky embrace.


    Charles stepped out of the vi, holding Charlie snug in his arms as he climbed into the car. He just couldn''t bring himself to let her go, so he kept her close, shifting her gently to make sure she wasfortable as she slept.


    The car glided quietly through the city streets.


    Staring down at his daughter-lost, and now found-Charles was overwhelmed. Relief, gratitude, guilt, and joy all tangled up inside him.


    Thank God. Charlie was alive.


    They headed straight for the hotel where Evelyn was waiting.


    Evelyn had already been woken by someone Charles sent. She knew Charlie would being back, so she waited anxiously at the hotel entrance, eyes fixed on the road.


    The moment she spotted Charles''s car pulling up, she rushed forward.


    The door opened. There was Charlie-really, truly back. In that instant, all of Evelyn''s bravado crumbled. Silent tears spilled down her cheeks as she stared in disbelief.


    Her hands shook as she reached to touch her daughter''s face, but she held back, afraid to disturb her sleep. In the end, she only dared to gently squeeze Charlie''s small hand.


    Charles carried Charlie up to his suite, settling her on the soft, wide bed.


    Evelyn sat at the bedside, greedily drinking in every detail of Charlie''s sleeping face-a face so much like her own.


    Charles stood to the side, watching the two of them. Mother and daughter, so close yet separated by everything that had happened. The ache in his chest was almost too much to bear.


    He didn''t hide anything. In a low, steady voice, he told Evelyn the truth: Luna had used Dahlia''s heart.


    Evelyn''s whole body went cold as she listened, her gaze on Charlie growing heavy with dread and fierce worry.


    "Eve, as long as I''m here, nothing will happen to Charlie," Charles promised, wrapping an arm around her trembling shoulders. His voice was low and sure. "I''ll get more people to guard this ce. Try to rest-you''ve got the semifinals tomorrow..."


    Evelyn shook her head, never looking away from Charlie. "I''m staying right here with her."


    Charles didn''t argue. He sat quietly at her side. Together, under the dim glow of themp, they kept silent watch over the precious child they had almost lost-time itself seemed to pause for them.


    By midnight, Evelyn couldn''t fight her exhaustion anymore and fell asleep, slumped over the edge of the bed.


    Charles moved carefully, lifting her onto the bed without waking her. Hey down


    next to Charlie, tucking the nkets around both mother and daughter.


    He sat beside them, watching over them both through the long, silent night.


    ***


    The next morning, Evelyn had to leave for the semifinals.


    Charlie, still lost in her dreams—maybe haunted by nightmares-hadn''t woken up yet.


    It was going to be a week-long, closed-doorpetition. Evelyn could hardly bear to leave.


    Charles rested his broad hand on her shoulder. "Eve, go. Focus on yourpetition. I''ll take care of Charlie. I promise, I won''t leto anything happen to her."


    Even though it hurt, Evelyn knew she couldn''t let Professor Taylor down.


    She stood, leaned over, and pressed kiss after kiss to Charlie''s forehead.


    She lingered as long as she could before finally, reluctantly, leaving.


    Charles offered to see her off, but she shook her head.


    "Just take care of Charlie. That''s all I ask."


    For this week, she couldn''t be there for Charlie herself.


    Charles was the only one she trusted.


    Evelyn wasn''t ready to forgive him, but she knew his guilt over their daughter was real.


    Now that he had her back, Charles would never make the same mistake again.


    He couldn''t rx, either. After sending two female bodyguards to apany Evelyn, he watched her step into the elevator, then returned to the suite to keep watch over Charlie.


    ***


    Luna woke up in a cold, damp cell.


    She had no idea where she was.


    The wet, suffocating air made her stomach turn.


    She struggled against her restraints, shouting, "Get Charles over here! If you


    , he''ll regret it!" Coment


    s to  swi


    The guards outside didn''t even look her way.


    Luna''s eyes went cold.


    Fine. Ignore her, would they?


    They''d see soon enough.


    Charles would be begging her before long.