ANNA'S POV

Dad exhaled slowly, and I noticed the way his shoulders dropped just slightly, as though he had been holding in more than just breath this entire time.

“I don’t forget easily,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “But I do believe in second chances.”

The words hung in the air longer than they should have.

Mom’s hand immediately reached for his arm, her fingers wrapping around it tightly as relief washed across her face. It was the kind of relief that came from carrying worry for too long. Her eyes shimmered slightly, and I could tell she had been praying for this exact moment.

I stood there...