Ryan sat in his small, isolated home, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the room. Though the furnishings had been updated, the monotony of his life hadn’t changed. Selena and Charles had left him with this one mercy, but beyond it, his existence was unchanging—silent, detached, and utterly alone.

A faint sound drifted through the window—children laughing. It was lively, joyful, a stark contrast to his world of solitude.

Ryan moved his wheelchair closer to the window, watching the scene outside. Stella was in the garden, playing with a little girl. The child wore a bright dress, her face alight with pure, innocent joy as she chased a butterfly....