Chapter 158

Chapter 158
Dante's POV

The coffee had barely finished brewing when I heard footsteps upstairs.

Morning light spilled through the kitchen windows, painting long shadows across the dining table I'd already set.

Four plates, four mugs. Bella's favourite purple cup sat exactly where she'd left it yesterday.

I stepped back and looked over everything with quiet satisfaction.

It felt good to contribute, even if it was something small.

The back door creaked open behind me. Mrs. Peters walked in carrying a basket of fresh herbs from the garden.

She stopped when she saw the table. "Oh."

I smiled. "I thought I'd get breakfast started."

Her expression softened. "You didn't have to, sir."

"I wanted to."

She set the basket down and walked over to the stove. When she lifted the lid off the pan, she laughed gently.

"The eggs are perfect."

"I wasn't sure if Bella would like cheese in hers."

"She does."

I nodded, relieved. For a brief moment, I thought that would be enough, then Mrs. Peters reached for the apron hanging beside the refrigerator.

"I'll finish up from here."

I hesitated. "I can help."

"I know you can."

She smiled kindly as she tied the apron around her waist. "But after all these years, I think I'd miss making breakfast if you stole my job."

Her words weren't harsh. If anything, they were affectionate. Still…I found myself taking a small step backward.

"Of course."

She noticed. "I didn't mean—"

"I know."

And I did. She wasn't pushing me away, she was simply continuing a routine she'd kept alive while I was gone.

Bella's voice echoed from upstairs before either of us spoke again.

"Mama!"

"I hungry!"

Mrs. Peters chuckled. "There's our little alarm clock.”

Breakfast was as lively as ever. Bella climbed into her chair and immediately reached for the pancakes.

"No syrup until you've eaten some fruit," Elena reminded her.

Bella sighed dramatically. "Mama always say fruit."

"Because fruit is good for you."

Bella turned to me. "Daddy...You say fruit?"

I smiled. "I think Mommy's right."

Her shoulders slumped. "You both same."

Adam laughed into his coffee. "Get used to it, Princess."

She narrowed her eyes at all three of us before taking a bite of strawberry with exaggerated disappointment.

"I eating."

"We noticed," Elena said, smiling.

I watched them talk over one another. Bella telling three stories at once, Mrs. Peters reminding Adam to buy more flour, Elena checking tomorrow's fitting schedule on her tablet between bites.

It was noisy but comfortable. It was exactly the kind of family morning I'd imagined during countless sleepless nights.

Yet...I found myself listening more than participating, not because they excluded me but because everyone already knew where they fit.

The conversations flowed around routines built over two years.

Sometimes I joined in and at other times, I simply smiled and listened.

After breakfast, Elena carried her tablet toward the studio. "I've got two client calls this morning."

She kissed Bella's forehead. "And one very demanding bride."

Bella giggled. "I not demanding."

"You never are."

She kissed my cheek as she passed. "I shouldn't be too long."

"I'll keep Bella entertained."

"I know you will."

Before she'd even disappeared into the studio, the front door opened. Grace stepped inside carrying two garment bags and a stack of folders.

"Morning!"

"Morning," everyone answered almost in unison.

She greeted me warmly before looking toward Adam.

"I've brought the supplier contracts."

Adam nodded. "I'll look through them before Mrs. Carter's meeting."

"And the fabric samples?"

"Conference table. I've already cleared the space."

Grace disappeared into the studio while Adam followed with the folders tucked beneath his arm.

Curious, I wandered after them.

Inside, the room had transformed into something closer to a design office than the little workspace I remembered.

Bolts of fabric lined one wall, sketches covered another and two dress forms stood near the windows.

Grace unzipped the garment bags while Elena discussed alterations with a client over video call.

Adam quietly arranged invoices into neat piles before handing Elena the correct folder without her needing to ask.

"Thanks," she said absently, still focused on the screen.

He simply nodded. Clearly, this wasn't unusual.

I watched for another minute before speaking. "Anything I can do?"

Three pairs of eyes turned toward me. Adam smiled first. "We've got it, Boss."

Grace nodded in agreement. "Just routine paperwork."

Elena looked genuinely apologetic. "I'll be free in an hour."

"It's okay, I was only asking."

No one had meant to make me feel unnecessary, I knew that. They were simply working the way they'd learned to over the past two years.

I smiled. "Carry on."

Leaving the studio, I quietly closed the door behind me.

The muffled sounds of conversation started again almost immediately.

I stood alone in the hallway for a moment before looking toward the living room, where Bella was carefully building another tower from brightly coloured blocks.

Maybe she needed me more than the business did.

With that thought warming my heart, I walked toward her. "Need a construction partner, Princess?"

She looked up, her face lighting instantly. "Yes!"

Relief settled quietly inside me. At least here, I knew exactly where to start.

Bella carefully placed the last block on top of the tower and leaned back to admire her work.

"We did it."

I nodded with equal seriousness. "We did."

The tower stood for exactly three seconds before wobbling. Then it collapsed into a colourful pile across the rug.

Bella burst into laughter and I laughed with her.

"Again!"

She had more energy than I thought possible.

For the next hour we built castles, raced toy cars across the floor and read the same storybook twice because, according to Bella, I hadn't made the dragon's voice "scary enough" the first time.

"Like this," she instructed, puffing out her cheeks.

"Grrrr."

I copied her. "Grrrr."

She shook her head. "No. Scarier."

I tried again, this time she clapped happily.

"That's Daddy!"

Hearing that made something warm settle inside my chest.

Maybe I wasn't doing so badly after all.

Bella eventually disappeared into the kitchen after hearing Mrs. Peters call her name.

I wandered into the garden. The swing creaked softly in the breeze, a toolbox lay open beneath it.

Adam was tightening one of the chains with a wrench.

"You fixing it?"

He glanced up and smiled. "It started squeaking yesterday."

I walked over. "You need another pair of hands?"

"I'm almost done."

He gave the bolt one final turn before climbing down. "There."

I tested the swing gently. It was solid. 

"You've taken good care of this place."

Adam looked toward the house. "I only tried to keep things running."

"You did more than that."

He shrugged. "It needed doing."

For a moment neither of us spoke, then I said quietly, "Thank you."

He frowned. "For what sir?"

"For being here."

"For Elena."

"For Bella."

"For all of it."

He looked almost uncomfortable. "You don't have to thank me, Boss."

"I do. If you hadn't..." I couldn't finish the sentence.

Adam understood anyway. He rested both hands on the handle of the wrench.

"I never replaced you."

"I know."

"I was only keeping your place warm until you came home."

The words landed heavily. I didn’t doubt him, I believed him completely. He had never tried to become me, he had simply carried responsibilities that someone had to carry.

"I'll always owe you."

"You don't owe me anything." He smiled. "You gave me a life years ago, I was only protecting it."

His smile widened. "And I was only protecting yours."

Later that evening, the house settled into its usual rhythm.

Mrs. Peters prepared dinner. Bella insisted on helping set the table, placing every fork in the wrong place before proudly announcing she was finished.

Elena laughed and quietly fixed them while Bella wasn't looking.

No one noticed me standing in the hallway watching…..maybe it was their routine at dinners. 

After dinner, Elena disappeared into her studio again.

"Just one last fitting," she said with an apologetic smile. "It shouldn't take long."

"Take your time. I'll put Bella to bed."

Her face brightened. "Thank you."

Bella reached for my hand immediately. "Daddy story?"

"Of course."

She climbed into bed with Teddy tucked beneath one arm. Halfway through the story she interrupted me.

"Uncle Adam makes funny voices."

I smiled. "I've heard."

"You learning."

"I hope so."

She yawned. "I like your dragon now."

"I'll consider that a victory."

Within minutes she was asleep. I pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and quietly left the room.

The lights in Elena's studio were still on. Voices drifted through the half-open door.

Grace had already gone home, only Elena and Adam remained.

"...if we move that delivery to Thursday, we'll have enough time," Adam was saying.

"You're right," Elena replied.

"I'll call the client first thing tomorrow."

"I've already drafted the message."

"Perfect."

I watched them for a second. They worked together with the ease that only comes from doing something hundreds of times.

I smiled despite the ache in my chest. I was proud of her, proud of both of them.

Then, quietly, I walked away before either of them noticed I had been there.

Outside, the night air was cool. I sat alone on the back steps, listening to the faint sounds of laughter coming from inside the house.

Everything I had prayed for was finally here.

Elena was safe, Bella was happy, the business was thriving and the house was full of life.

So why...

Why did I feel like I was standing just outside it all?

No one had pushed me away. No one had made me feel unwelcome.

If anything, they had done everything they could to make me feel at home.

The problem wasn't them, it was me.

I rested my elbows on my knees and stared into the darkness beyond the garden.

For two years, I had dreamed about walking back through that front door. I thought coming home would make everything whole again.

Instead, I was beginning to understand something I had never considered.

Coming home had been the easy part. Learning how to belong here again...that was the part I didn't know how to do.