Adam's mood had shifted completely. From a lonely, withdrawn soul, he was now back to the man he once was: a CEO with purpose. Dressed sharply in a suit and tie, he walked downstairs, confidence in every step.
"Whoa! Who are you and what did you do with Adam?" Daphne teased, a smile tugging at her lips.
Adam chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to work, Mom."
"Really? Are you sure?" Daphne asked, half-shocked, half-proud.
"Shouldn't I?" he replied playfully.
"I'm just saying…I got everything under control," Daphne said proudly, patting her chest.
Adam raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Should I go back to wallowing in misery then?"
"Nah. You can't even if you tried and it's all thanks to Dawn," Daphne said, laughing.
"I disagree," Adam said lightly, a small smile lingering. "See you later. I love you."
He left, and Daphne stayed at the door for a moment, chest swelling. She hadn't seen him like this in years. Dawn had given him a reason to live again.
* * * * * *
Meanwhile, Dawn hadn't confronted Alex at the pizzeria. She'd handed her phone back and gone home with Leslie. But the silence felt heavy, pressing in.
"Can you at least give me a hint about what's wrong?" Leslie asked, worry in her voice.
Dawn sat on the couch, chin in her hand. Her chest felt tight. "She was like family…" she whispered.
"Who? Alex? What happened?" Leslie asked.
"She was working with Peige all along. She must have been the one who gave her the fake DNA samples," Dawn said bitterly.
Leslie froze. "Alex? No. She's not capable of that. She's family."
"She was family," Dawn said coldly, standing and walking to her room, leaving Leslie pacing in the living room, confusion written all over her face.
* * * * * *
Across town, Tara stormed into Peige's house, fists clenched, cheeks flushed with fury.
"Why are you still trying to ruin Dawn's life? Haven't you done enough?" she demanded.
"What are you talking about?" Peige asked, confused.
"Cut it out, Mom. I know you're the one behind the anonymous message and framing her friend."
"I don't even know her friends," Peige snapped.
"Stay away from Dawn and her siblings. I mean it." Tara's voice cracked before she stormed out, leaving Peige muttering to herself, unsettled and quietly shaken
* * * * * *
Later that evening, Alex showed up at Dawn's house.
"Dawn, please, I need to explain."
"You don't need to say anything. Leave." Dawn's voice was flat, eyes burning.
"I deserve to defend myself. I can't believe you'd think I'd betray you," Alex said, voice breaking.
"Defend yourself with more lies?" Dawn shot back.
"I've only ever cared about you. I just wanted to know what was going on so I could help."
"Or to feed Peige details of my life," Dawn interrupted.
"That's not true!" Alex's tears spilled over. "I don't know how that message got on my phone. The only person who touched it was Tara. she borrowed it when her phone was dead. You have to believe me."
But Dawn shook her head, anger boiling over. "So now you're pinning this on Tara? How low can you get?"
"Why would I deny it if I did it? What's in it for me?" Alex begged.
"Maybe you wanted to ruin me from the inside out. Keep your enemies close, right?" Dawn said. Alex's heart cracked.
"We've been friends for some time now. Why can't you see I'd never do this?" Alex pleaded.
Dawn's face hardened. "Alex Carter, I don't want to see you again. Stay away from me and my family, or I'll press charges."
Alex's world shattered. Trembling, she nodded and walked away, tears blurring her vision. Dawn collapsed onto the floor, crying silently. She had lost her friend, or maybe she had never truly known her. But one thing was certain: no one was going to destroy her life again. She wasn't alone anymore. She had her siblings, Daphne, and Adam.
* * * * * *
Months passed, and life slowly returned to normal. Alex stayed at the pizzeria, a ghost from Dawn's past. Dawn's bond with Tara grew stronger, her siblings found their joy again, and Adam…Adam was different. He was part of their lives now.
On Dawn's birthday, laughter filled the house.
"Happy birthday to our favorite sister! Coming from your favorite," Leslie said smugly.
"Thanks, sweetie. But you're not my favorite," Dawn teased.
"Traitor!" Leslie sputtered, and they both laughed.
"Happy birthday, big sis," Amy said, wrapping her arms around Dawn.
"Thanks, sweetheart."
Jason followed, giving her a warm hug. "You've been the best sister. I wouldn't trade you for anything."
"Aww, thanks, bro."
"Dude, that was cheesy," Leslie teased.
"Like you can talk," Jason shot back.
Dawn's phone buzzed: a message from Alex. Happy Birthday. Without hesitation, she deleted it and smiled at her siblings. "Let's go. Adam and Daphne are waiting."
* * * * * *
At Adam's house, Daphne was on the phone, apologetic and guilty. "Dawn, I'm so sorry, I won't be able to make it. Thanks for understanding."
When she hung up, Adam was already coming downstairs, perfectly dressed.
"You look handsome," Daphne said warmly.
"Thanks. You're not ready?" he asked.
"I had to cancel. Something came up." She sighed, sadness flickering in her eyes.
"Is something wrong?" Adam asked.
"No. Nothing you need to worry about." She forced a smile.
"Alright. I'll head out then," Adam said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. But when he opened the door, Tara was standing there.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I came to wish you luck. And…to warn you. Be careful."
"Careful about what?"
"Isn't it obvious? Dawn is trying to replace Ava."
Adam froze, his expression hardening, chest tightening, jaw set. "No one can ever replace Ava. She's irreplaceable." His voice was sharp, and he walked past her without another word.
* * * * * *
At the restaurant, Dawn and her siblings waited. Dawn fiddled with her napkin, heart pounding, stomach fluttering. Every laugh, every glance at the door made her jump a little.
"Relax, sis. You're tense," Leslie said, noticing the way Dawn kept moving her fingers nervously.
"I'm not nervous," Dawn said, though her lips trembled.
Adam soon arrived, smiling faintly, eyes scanning the table. Dawn's chest skipped, heart racing faster with every step he took.
They ordered, chatted, and laughed, but Dawn could barely focus. She swallowed hard.
Finally, she said, "I… I have something to tell you."
Adam leaned in. "I'm listening."
Dawn's eyes met his, unwavering despite the storm of nerves inside her.. "I'm in love with you."
The words hung there, alive, sharp. Everything else seemed to fade away.