Something is wrong.

Something is wrong.
Third Person’s POV
Dean sat at the kitchen table, his legs swinging slowly beneath the chair as he stared at the mug of hot chocolate in front of him. Grandma had made it just the way he liked it, with extra marshmallows floating on top, but he hadn’t touched it yet. Across from him, Daniella sat curled into herself, her hands wrapped tightly around her own mug, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular.
The house was warm, safe, and quiet. Too quiet.
Outside, snow continued to fall softly, covering the driveway and the garden as if nothing bad had ever happened. As if they hadn’t been dragged into a car only hours ago. As if they hadn’t fought grown adults, destroyed priceless paintings, and tied three people up just to get free.
Grandpa sat at the head of the table, watching them carefully. He didn’t push. He didn’t ask questions. He simply watched, the way he always did when he knew something was wrong.
“You kids sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Grandma asked gently as she placed a plate of freshly baked cookies on the table. “You’ve been very quiet.”
Dean glanced at Daniella. She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
“No,” Dean said finally. “We’re fine.”
Grandma frowned slightly but nodded. “All right. But remember, you can always talk to us.”
They both knew that wasn’t entirely true.
They could talk to their grandparents. What they couldn’t do was tell their parents.
Daniella swallowed hard and finally lifted her mug, taking a small sip before putting it back down. “Mom and Dad are happy,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “They’re finally happy.”
Dean nodded. “They’re alone together for the first time in forever.”
“They deserve it,” Daniella added. Her fingers tightened around the mug. “If we tell them… they’ll come running back.”
“And everything will be ruined,” Dean finished for her.
Grandpa leaned back in his chair, his face serious now. “You know,” he said carefully, “what happened to you was serious. Very serious.”
“We know,” Dean replied. “But we handled it.”
Grandpa raised an eyebrow. “You shouldn’t have had to.”
Dean’s jaw tightened. “But we did. And we’re okay.”
Daniella looked up then, her eyes shiny but determined. “If Mom knows Uncle Michael and Aunt Isabella kidnapped us, she’ll never sleep again. She’s already pregnant. She’s already stressed. And Dad…” Her voice broke slightly. “Dad would lose it.”
Grandma sighed and sat down beside her. “Sweetheart—”
“He would hurt them,” Daniella said quickly. “And then everything would get worse.”
Silence filled the room.
Grandpa and Grandma exchanged a long look.
Finally, Grandpa spoke. “If we agree to keep this from your parents, there are conditions.”
Dean straightened. “Like what?”
“You don’t go anywhere alone,” Grandpa said firmly. “Not school, not activities, nowhere. You tell us if you see any of them again. And if either of you start having nightmares, panic, or feel unsafe—this secret ends.”
Daniella nodded immediately. “Deal.”
Dean hesitated for only a second before nodding too. “Deal.”
Grandma reached out and pulled both children into a hug. “You are very brave,” she whispered. “But remember, being brave doesn’t mean being silent forever.”
Daniella closed her eyes and leaned into the hug. For the first time since everything had happened, she felt the tight knot in her chest loosen just a little.
That night, Dean lay awake in the guest room, staring at the ceiling. Daniella was asleep in the bed beside him, clutching her stuffed rabbit like a lifeline.
He replayed everything in his mind: the shouting, the broken glass, the moment his kick had sent Michael to the floor. He hadn’t been scared then. Not really.
But now?
Now the fear crept in quietly.
What if they come back?
What if Mom and Dad find out anyway?
What if keeping this secret is a mistake?
He turned onto his side, facing Daniella.
“We did the right thing,” he whispered, even though she couldn’t hear him. “We had to.”
Outside, the wind howled softly through the mountains, carrying secrets with it.
Miles away, in a beautiful cabin glowing with warmth and love, Cole and Elena slept peacefully, unaware that their children were carrying a burden far heavier than any child ever should.
And for now, that was exactly how the twins intended to keep it.