Dahlia finally pulled back, her hands lingering on Jaime’s cheeks, trembling slightly. Her eyes were red, glossy… but shining with something fierce and tender all at once.
“You… you definitely look like Julian,” she whispered, voice breaking, catching on each word. She took a shaky breath, as if trying to hold herself together. “Maya… she showed me your photo… but seeing you—here, in person—it’s… it’s something else.”
Her hands tightened just a fraction, and her gaze softened, searching his face as if memorizing every line. “And… you have your mother’s eyes.” Her voice faltered, then steadied again, quivering with raw emotion. “You’re a brave young man… braver than you know. Your parents… they would be so proud of you… both of you.”
She blinked rapidly, swallowed hard, and just for a mo
