Evalina’s heartbeat was still racing, like war drums pounding in her chest. Her hands trembled—even after holding her baby again, her body refused to calm. The nightmare still clung to her, lurking in every corner of the room, waiting for the right moment to resurface.

Hunter sat beside her in the cozy living room of the beach house. The ocean breeze slipped gently through a cracked-open window, carrying the salty, cold scent of the coastal night.

Evalina cradled her baby tightly in her arms, as if terrified he might be taken away from her again.

“Hey,” Hunter whispered gently, touching her shoulder. “You’re safe now. He’s safe.”

Evalina looked at...