Once school let out each day, Jade would always greet her with, “You did great today,” wrapping Alessia in a warm, loving hug. And Jade–always Jade–would add a soft kiss to Alessia’s forehead, a gesture <i>so </i>constant that, in time, Alessia grew used to that kind of closeness, but only from Jade.


    Things had changed, not just in rtionships but in Alessia’s whole world. Ever since the Whitleys moved into the neighborhood, her days had grown fuller, richer, and even her once–reserved nature began to shift in ways <i>no </i><i>one </i>could quite put a finger on.


    She found herself invited to the Whitleys‘ table for dinners more and more often. Sometimes, she even spent the night at their house, where everything felt weing and alive.


    Parrish, ever the understated caretaker, kept his words measured but let his actions speak for him. Quietly, he cleared out a spare room just for her, drew up ns, started the renovations, and then–subtle as ever–fished for Alessia’s praise, hoping she’d notice the effort.


    With Parrish and Jade and the other adults, Alessia was the picture of polite, well–mannered childhood. But around Cole, her boundaries rxed–she let herself y harmless pranks, herughter ringing out in a way it never did at home.


    Maybe it was because Cole had grown up enveloped in such obvious love and security that <i>he </i>never minded. Even when Alessia’s tricks were obvious, he’d walk right into them, grinning at her with a lopsided, goofy smile. When Parrish finished her room, Cole dragged his dad out to win a mountain of stuffed animals for her, arranging them along her new bed with the pride of a little brother.


    It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the Whitleys felt more like family to Alessia than her own parents ever had. Their house, bustling and warm, became the home she’d always imagined. But that only made the empty quiet of the Tate’s mansion feel colder every time she returned.


    Jade and the others understood the sensitivity beneath Alessia’s quietness. They never spoke of it directly. Instead, they tried to fill the empty spaces with more love–though they all knew, deep down, that some corners of her heart would always remain out of reach.


    <i>On </i>weekends and holidays, Jade would lead her on wild adventures–climbing trees<i>, </i>catching minnows in the creek. For all her motherly wisdom, Jade still lived with the spirit of a free–spirited child, utterly unrestrained. She’d exin to Alessia


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    that teaching her manners wasn’t about putting her in a box, it was so she could move through the world with confidence, knowing how things worked without letting herself be changed by them.


    At first, seeing Parrish care for Jade and lecture Cole had made Alessia ache with envy–a longing she never let show. But over time, that feeling faded. She started to feel like she really belonged with the Whitleys, part of the family. When she made mistakes, she was gently corrected, and when she did well, she was praised and rewarded.


    The tenderness and attention she’d never known at home, she found with the Whitleys. The photo albums that didn’t exist at the Tates‘ mansion filled shelf after shelf here, capturing every moment of her life since she turned five.


    As Alessia grew, Parrish made a point of bringing her and Cole along when he visited friends–broadening their horizons, letting them see more of the world. He never shut them out of his work, sometimes even asking for their opinions and inviting them to take part, making them feel needed.


    Jade took Alessia aside for private talks about growing up, filling the empty spaces left by Yvonne Sullivan’s indifference–sharing the kind of advice every girl deserves when she stands at the edge of adolescence.


    Jade even hired an etiquette tutor for Alessia, so she’d never feel out of ce at formal events. Eventually, Alessia took charge herself, asking the housekeeper to arrange lessons when she needed them.


    Her own parents, the Tates, might not have paid much attention, but as long as her requests were reasonable, they always agreed.


    Cole hadn’t changed much–still golden–hearted, still fiercely protective of Alessia. But now he taught her how to stand up for herself, dragging her to boxing, karate, and self–defense sses, determined she’d never be helpless.


    Everyone had their own way of helping Alessia be her best self.


    As Jade once told her, “Whatever the Tates didn’t teach you, we will.”