The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 198

Chapter 178: One Year Later

Bella POV

On a Tuesday, Grace took her first steps. She walked from the coffee table toward Caleb’s waiting hands. Tom cheered so loud that she sat down in shock, giving him a look just like Caleb’s-as if she were trying to process why he was being so dramatis

She stood back up and tried again.

“Grace.” Tom knelt down like a personal trainer. “You can do it. Look at Dad’s hands. Walk to Dad’s hands.”

Grace looked at him, then at Caleb’s hands, then back at Tom. She looked like she was deciding if his advice was actually worth it.”

“She’s thinking about it,” Tom said.

“Give her a second,” Caleb told him.

“I’m encouraging her.”

“You’re overwhelming her.”

Tom looked at the baby. “Am I overwhelming you?”

Grace grabbed the coffee table and pulled herself up, finished with the conversation. She stood there and looked at the distance to Caleb’s hands with a calculating look she had clearly inherited from me-though I’d never admit it.

“She’s calculating,” Caleb whispered, smiling.

“She gets that from you,” I said.

“She absolutely does not.”

Grace took four steps, sat down on purpose, and looked around to make sure everyone had noticed.

“FOUR STEPS-” Tom shouted.

“Tom,” Caleb and I said at the same time.

He tried to be quiet, but his whisper was still loud. “Four steps. She’s a genius.”

“She walked four steps,” I said.

“Four whole steps,” he said.

Caleb picked Grace up, and she grabbed his collar with both hands. He looked at me with that rare, open smile that still makes my heart skip, even after a year of this life. “She’s advanced,” he joked.

Grace grabbed a fistful of Caleb’s hair and pulled. She had recently learned this caused an interesting reaction. Caleb winced and carefully uncurled her fingers one by one while she watched him with scientific interest.

Chapter 12-he Year i ater

“She does that on purpose,” he said.

“She absolutely does,” I agreed.

Tom was already on the sofa with his snack, narrating Grace’s success to the room. “Four steps on her first try. I only did three when started walking. Mummy told me.”

“I didn’t tell you that,” I said.

“Maya told me,” he said, unbothered. “She said fell on my face the first two times.”

“Maya tells you too much.”

“Maya tells me the truth,” he said, completely calm.

Claim

Caleb sat next to me with Grace in his lap. She immediately tried to climb his chest to get to his face, and he let her. I watched them and felt a specific warmth in my chest.

“Good day,” Caleb said quietly.

“Good day,” I agreed.

I took a moment to look at where we are now. Not because I was worried, but because I’ve learned never to take a good thing for granted.

The business was finally a real partnership; Caleb and I worked as equals. Tom was thriving in school-his teacher even called him a “joy,” which brought me to tears. Grace was walking now, a perfect mix of Tom’s energy and Caleb’s quiet focus.

Even Diana had changed. She started her own business and became a regular at our Sunday dinners. She and Maya had become close friends, two people who finally knew how to show up for each other.

As for Caleb and me, we were solid. We still argued sometimes because we’re both stubborn, but we didn’t hide from each other anymore. We were happy, and for the first time, I wasn’t afraid of that feeling.

Then, at 3:15 PM, the school called.

It wasn’t Tom’s teacher. It was the main office. I knew immediately that something was wrong.

“Mrs. Black?” The voice was too calm. “This is the office at Silverton Primary. We need to let you know that Tom didn’t board the afternoon bus.”

I stood up immediately. “What?”

“He was there at registration at 2:45, but when the bus monitor checked attendance, he wasn’t”

“Did anyone see him leave?” I interrupted.

“We’re checking the cameras now. We’ve notified”

“Notified who?” I said. “Who have you notified?”

There was a pause as the voice on the other end tried to stay calm. “The head teacher has been informed, and staff are sweeping the building”

Chapter 123-ne Year Later

“Has anyone checked the toilets? The library? The after-school rooms?”

“We’re in the process of

“How long?” I interrupted. How long between 2:45 registration and the bus check?”

“Approximately twenty minutes

“Twenty minutes.” I was moving toward the door now. “Who was the last staff member to actually see him?”

“That’s what we’re trying to establish”

“Get me the head teacher,” I said. “Right now. Not the office. The head teacher.”

“Mrs. Black, I understand you’re concerned”

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