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Caleb's POV
The morning hums softly through the dining room. Forks scrape gently against porcelain, muffled conversations float around the table, but Caleb is tuned out. The smell of brownies and eggs wafts in the air, and the seat beside him is empty—Blair just left to take Cassie her tray.
Caleb stares blankly at the untouched food on his plate.
"James would've burned the world down if that happened to Jazmine. So why didn't I? Why wasn't I there?"
He feels the weight of regret settle in his chest. It wasn't just what happened last night—it was everything leading up to it. The late-night calls from Cassie he ignored, the eye-rolls when she got emotional, the way he always assumed she'd bounce back without him.
"I'm her big brother, dammit. And I let her walk through hell thinking she was alone."
He glances across the table. James sits with arms folded, alert, tense—like a storm still waiting to crash down. "He protects Jazmine like she's his world. And me? I keep Cassie at arm's length like a coward."
The Shift to Maddie:
His eyes move unconsciously—almost instinctively—to Maddie, sitting diagonally across. She's twirling a fork into scrambled eggs, lips pressed together, eyes quiet. She's here, present, but somehow far away.
"She looks the same. Still wears her emotions on her face. Still tucks her hair behind her ear when she's thinking. Still eats like breakfast is sacred."
He lets out a slow breath, remembering—
Flashback: A sun-drenched memory of Maddie in a white sundress, laughing with windblown curls as they shared waffles on the beach. Her bare feet covered in sand, feeding him with her fingers and teasing him about his messy hair.
She had looked at him like he was the only man in the world.
"She used to look at me like that."
Back to Present:
Caleb's jaw tightens. He's suddenly too aware of the space between them. Too aware that the last time he touched her was when she was crying and he chose to pull away.
"She cut off Cassie after the breakup. That's why it shocks me—how she's here now. Helping. Holding her. Being gentle. Still Maddie."
He swallows, eyes dipping to his plate again.
"I still love her. I never stopped. But loving her scared me. Losing her would break something in me I'm not sure I could rebuild."
He watches the corner of her lips lift as someone—maybe Jazmine—makes a quiet joke. That soft smile. The one that used to be his.
He almost reaches for his fork. Then stops.
"I didn't let her go because I stopped loving her. I let her go because I loved her too much to risk it. I thought I was protecting myself… but maybe I was just being a coward again."
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As Maddie gets up to refill her juice, Caleb's eyes follow her.
"I need to change. For Cassie. For Maddie. For myself."
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Victor and Lily's Conversation
Victor closed the bedroom door and sank onto the edge of the bed, still in his tux jacket from breakfast. The soft morning light sifted through the curtains, and he let out a slow breath.
Lily perched on the vanity bench, smoothing the silk of her robe. "I keep thinking about last night," she said quietly. "How Blair and Cassie just… saved us."
He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't even consider threatening Miranda back. I was too busy reeling. But those girls—without a second thought—they handled it."
Lily's eyes softened. "I know. And Cassie looked so broken afterward."
Victor's jaw tightened. "She didn't even know that boy recorded her. Dustin was always a problem—I've hated that kid since day one."
Lily laughed, a gentle sound. "Blair , she dealt with something similar back in Canada. That must be why she never complained about our marriage or moving here. Her life with her dad… it was complicated."
"I tried to ask her about Amanda," Lily continued, "and her old boyfriend, but she wouldn't say a word. She didn't look happy."
Victor sat up straighter. "She had a boyfriend?"
"At home," Lily nodded. "Amanda is her best friend—last I checked—and Blair's first love was a guy named Cole. They dated for years." She sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I feel guilty. She hasn't asked once about missing them."
Victor reached for her hand. "She's quiet about her past because it hurts. But she's here now. She's one of us." He paused, an idea forming. "Why don't we invite Amanda and Cole next weekend? Make it a surprise for Blair. Caleb and James are both coming home—it'd be perfect."
Lily's face brightened. "Really?" She grinned, eyes tearing up a little. "Oh my baby, that would mean the world to her."
Victor kissed her hand. "Anything for you—and for her."
Lily stood and slipped her arm through his. "First, I want to go see Cassie. Make sure she's all right."
He rose beside her. "Then let's do it—family first."