Victoria brought her aunt home to her ce in Evermore City.


    Emily was still frail. She''d only just woken up and was far too weak to even get out of bed.


    Knowing Victoria had just given birth herself and needed all the rest and help she could get, Emily had initially refused to stay. But Victoria was insistent.


    "Aunt Emily, you and my brother are the only family I have left in this world. I want you here with me."


    Emily was touched. "Silly girl, you have three children now. Look at Gwyn-she''s grown into such a lovely girl-and the two little ones, too. And besides—"


    She nced out the window where McNeil was wrangling the kids. "He doesn''t seem like apletely lost cause, you know."


    Victoria''s expression didn''t change. "There''s nothing left between us. That''s what matters, Aunt Emily. He doesn''t love me."


    Emily asked gently, "And you? Are you sure you feel nothing for him anymore?" Victoria spoke quietly, her voice calm. "After years together, things just faded away-especially once my heart was broken for good."


    She had no intention of going back.


    Emily didn''t try to persuade her. "This is your life, sweetheart. I won''t interfere."


    Truthfully, Emily didn''t harbor any resentment toward McNeil. If anyone deserved the title of ''scoundrel,'' it was her so-called brother-inw-he''d been the real disappointment. It was a pity her sister and father had both died with so much


    regret.


    As the two women chatted, a child''s cry sounded from outside. Victoria reacted instinctively, rising to her feet.


    But as she reached the doorway, she saw Gwh Langford entertaining little Chris with a toy.


    McNeil had been trying to calm Chris, who was wailing so hard his tiny fists shook. He''d tried every trick he knew, his arms aching, but Chris only cried harder —until Gwh appeared with her toy.


    "Daddy, let me hold him—"


    Gwh reached for Chris and McNeil, nervous she might drop the baby,


    hovered over her, not daring to look away for a second.


    But Gwh was still so little herself; she couldn''t hold the baby for long. Carefully, she set Chris in the cradle instead.


    McNeil kept close, watching anxiously. Gwh, oblivious to his worry, was simply delighted to dote on her baby brother, chattering to him and waving her toy.


    Chris''s cries quieted. Gwh beamed at McNeil. "Daddy, look! He stopped crying!"


    Only then did McNeil rx, his heart finally unclenching. But then Celia Langford started to wail.


    From the bedroom, Victoria heard themotion and saw Gwh soothing her brother. She paused in the doorway.


    Emily, too, fell silent, listening to the voices outside.


    From her bed, she couldn''t see, but Gwh''s sweet, gentle words drifted in:


    "Don''t cry, Celia. I''lle cuddle you soon, so be good, okay?"


    Sure enough, once Chris settled, Gwh turned her attention to Celia, and— almost like magic-Celia calmed down too.


    McNeil let out a long breath and nced instinctively toward Victoria''s door, but she had already closed it softly.


    "Big sisters really are the best," Emily said with a faint smile.


    Victoria lowered her gaze, feeling a quiet warmth well up inside.


    Since arriving here, Gwh seemed to adore her younger siblings. She hadn''t mentioned Violet again, nor had Victoria seen


    her send a message or make a call


    to her.


    As a mother, it stung that Gwh could ever ce another woman on the same


    pedestal as her. That wound ran too deep for words.


    Of course, Victoria would never me or resent her daughter. Still, the ache lingered, buried deep in her heart-a wound she only dared


    homine in the dead of night.


    But time was the best medicine for all pain. With every new hurt, Victoria had grown a little stronger, her heart covered by one moreyer of armor.


    Now, nothing could break her-not anymore. At least, not when it came to love.