ETHAN'S POV
Morning came with the scent of citrus blossoms and damp earth after the light rain, the kind that polished the world a little cleaner.
Ava was still sleeping beside me, her hand lightly curled under her cheek, her breathing soft and rhythmic.
I couldn't resist watching her for a few extra seconds. In those small, vulnerable moments, she looked like peace personified.
But peace, I had learned, must be guarded.
I eased out of bed, trying not to wake her, and padded silently to my office.
The world outside was beginning to stir, but my mind had never truly rested. I had promised her safety. I had promised our child a future. And promises meant plans. Real ones.
The first file I opened on my encrypted laptop was labeled Fortress.
I had started this dossier the moment we learned she was pregnant. Within it: upgraded surveillance designs, a secondary escape protocol, secure medical contacts, private flight plans, new digital firewalls.
