A week had passed since Jamie arrived at the Denovan estate, and already, the rhythm of life had begun to change. The once quiet mornings were now filled with children’s laughter, footsteps running across the hallway, and the occasional sound of Mrs. Denovan calling out, “No running in the house!”

For Maya, it felt both strange and beautiful to have two children under one roof, to wake up to their giggles, and to see her home alive in ways it hadn’t been before.

That morning, sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the breakfast room. Anika and Jamie sat side by side, arguing playfully over who got the last pancake....