Chapter 25 - THE QUESTION ETHAN NEVER EXPECTED
One evening, Lily asked Ethan:
“Are you going to get married?”
He nearly dropped his coffee.
“Why?”
“You were supposed to marry Sabrina.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“Do you want to marry someone else?”
Ethan looked toward the garden.
“I don't know.”
Lily smiled.
“You should.”
“Why?”
“Because you deserve to be happy.”
Ethan laughed.
“You're thirteen.”
“I know.”
“And you're giving me relationship advice?”
“Yes.”
Grace walked into the room.
“What did I miss?”
“Lily is planning my love life.”
Grace laughed.
Ethan looked at her.
For a second, neither spoke.
There had always been respect between them.
Trust.
Shared responsibility.
But now there was something quieter.
Something neither had named.
Lily looked between them.
Then smiled.
“I have homework.”
She left.
Grace stared after her.
“She did that on purpose.”
“Yes.”
They both laughed.
Neither of them rushed anything.
The family they had built had begun with protection.
May you like
Whatever came next would have to be built on the same foundation.
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