The island had never felt so quiet.
Two days had passed since the boat incident, and the villa seemed to hold its breath. The staff moved like shadows silent, careful, avoiding eye contact. Reynolds was gone, confined somewhere I wasn’t allowed to know about. Even the ocean sounded farther away, as if nature itself understood that something had shifted.
I spent most of the day in the nursery, folding tiny clothes with trembling hands. My belly felt heavier now, a constant reminder of the life growing inside me a life created in this beautiful prison.
Daddy found me there again, as he always did.
He didn’t speak at first. He simply walked behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his chin on my shoulder. His presence was warm, solid, and overwhelming.
“You’re still thin
