Chapter 201

Kelly POV

There’s a certain kind of chaos that only happens in a house full of people you love. It’s loud, imperfect but fun, and stitched together with the scent of grilling meat, laughter from every corner, and the odd scream of “Watch the cake!” from somewhere inside the kitchen. That was the soundtrack of Harper’s sixteenth birthday.

I stood by the sliding glass door, coffee cooling in my hand, watching the backyard swell with people, balloons bumping against tree trunks, Olivia stringing flower garlands along the fence line with that impossibly focused frown of hers. Adrian was by the grill, commanding a row of sizzling skewers like a man preparing for battle. Aiden, taller than ever, was holding up the twinkle lights while Lucian climbed a stepladder, laughing at something Ava whispered up to him from below.

For a moment, everything felt… complete.

“Mom, where’s the hairbrush that doesn’t yank my soul out?” Harper teased, her voice cutting the mo