Chapter 15: The Open Window**
As twilight descended upon Highpoint Manor, the guests gradually departed, and the warm lights inside the house cast a welcoming glow across the green lawns.
Julian walked up the stairs to Ethan’s bedroom. The door was wide open, as it always was now.
Ethan was tucked under a warm quilt, a book of space exploration resting open beside him on the bedside table. His hazel eyes, once wide with terror in the dark, were calm, bright, and heavy with sleep.
Julian sat on the edge of the bed, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from his son's forehead. "Goodnight, my hero."
Ethan smiled drowsily, reaching out from under the blanket to grasp his father’s hand, his small fingers interlocking securely with Julian's.
"Daddy?" Ethan whispered.
"Yes, buddy?"
"I'm not scared of the dark anymore."
Julian felt a lump in his throat, his heart swelling with an overwhelming sense of peace and gratitude. He leaned down and kissed his son's forehead softly. "You never have to be scared again. We leave the windows open, and the light is always on."
"I love you, Daddy."
"I love you more than all the stars in the sky, Ethan."
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Julian stayed by his son’s side until Ethan’s breathing slowed into the deep, rhythmic slumber of a child who knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was safe, cherished, and home.
Julian walked out into the open hallway, looking up through the stained-glass ceiling at the quiet stars shining above. The walls were gone, the secrets were buried, and in their place remained an enduring, unbreakable love built on the courage of truth.
