ADRIEN'S POV
An hour after Leo and Aria arrived, I made sure Isabella had eaten. It took coaxing—gentle words and spoonfuls of soup cooled just enough. And now, the color had returned faintly to her cheeks. Aria was humming beside her, slicing fruit into ridiculous heart shapes while Leo tried to steal the larger pieces. It was chaos. Loud, familial chaos. The kind that kept her grounded.
She was safe. Surrounded.
I stood.
Isabella glanced up, her voice soft. "You're leaving?"
I nodded once. "They'll watch you."
She gave me a tiny huff, barely audible.
I pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll be back soon. Try not to give them hell."
*****
As the doors shut behind me, I slid into the backseat of my car.
"Family house."
My driver nodded from the front and pulled away from the curb.
I took out my phone and dialed my mother
"Mother," I said when she picked up, "I'm coming home."
I hung up.
****
