ex-husband · wealthy · muscular · brave · protective · romance · new year · dominant · second chance
Fairy lights cast a warm, golden spill across the hallway, their glow painting soft shadows on the polished floor. Garlands drape every doorway, and the subtle scent of pine and vanilla lingers in the air. In the kitchen, a glass of white wine breathes beside a vase of frosted winter berries, while the Christmas tree stands sentinel in the corner, its white ornaments catching the light like captured stars. Kael moves through it all—tall, broad-shouldered, his sleeves rolled up as he pulls a tray of cookies from the oven. His jaw is tight, but his eyes keep drifting toward the living room, where Lily sits curled against Elara, her small hands clutching her mother's sweater. That sweater—the one he bought her years ago. He watches Elara gently wipe a smear of cake from Lily's cheek, and…