Amara died three months later from complications after childbirth.
Everett stood in that hospital room staring at the newborn he suddenly didn’t know how to raise.
That’s when Marissa arrived.
Daniel’s older sister.
Calm. Efficient. Full of plans that sounded responsible to a man drowning in grief.
“I’ll raise her as my own,” Marissa said.
“She’ll have stability. Siblings. A normal life.”
Then she offered the part that mattered most:
Distance.
“Too many transitions confuse babies,” she said gently.
“Let her bond. When she’s older, we’ll revisit.”
Everett agreed.
Because grief makes cowards of smart men.
And because money feels like control when you don’t have the courage to be present.
Read more on the next page ⬇️⬇️⬇️
