The rain had started to fall softly by the time Ethan's car pulled up to the gates of the Anderson Mansion. The estate stood regal and quiet, tucked away from the city's noise but not from the storm that now lived within its walls.
Ethan stepped out of the car first, the weight of exhaustion in every step. In the backseat, Lucy cradled baby Andrew, her smugness now softened into silence. She wasn't sure what this place would bring, but she knew one thing Mara's world had finally opened even if it wasn't to her.
The guards opened the door before Ethan knocked. Valerie stood waiting, her arms folded, her gaze sharp.
"You're not seriously bringing her here," she said.
Ethan didn't flinch. "It's not for her. It's for the baby. He's an Anderson...and your nephew. He deserves protection and peace."
