Their son’s laughter cut through the tension like a knife, a reminder of normalcy in a world that suddenly felt perilous. Della closed her eyes momentarily, allowing the joy to wash over her before reality resurfaced. She opened her eyes, focusing on Michael’s face, now softening as he allowed himself brief moments of hope.

“Felix doesn’t deserve to suffer for our mistakes, Michael,” she said, trying to pull him back from the brink of denial. “The longer we keep these secrets, the worse it could be for him. We must teach him how to handle fear instead of shielding him from it.”

Michael took a deep breath, his frustration mingling...