Chapter 15: The Unbroken Thread**
On a crisp spring morning, the sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm golden hue over the breakfast counter. Leo sat swinging his legs, eating pancakes topped with fresh strawberries that Claire had made from scratch. He wore a simple blue cotton T-shirt and worn sneakers—ordinary, safe, and completely free.
Claire set a glass of fresh milk beside his plate and sat down next to him, smoothing down the messy hair at the back of his neck. Leo leaned his head affectionately against her arm, looking out the window where neighborhood kids were riding bicycles down the sidewalk. "Mom?" he asked softly, looking up into the hazel eyes that matched his own. "Yes, sweetheart?" Claire answered, resting her chin lightly on his head. "Are we staying here forever?" Claire smiled, feeling the unbroken peace that had cost her seven years of suffering and courage to reclaim. "Forever, Leo," she whispered, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "Nobody can ever take you away again."
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