Chapter 84: A Family Forever

I could still feel the warmth of their arms around me. Mama's hands, soft and gentle, cupped my cheeks like I was something fragile—something precious. My sisters held me tightly, their embrace filled with so much love that I thought my tiny heart might burst from the feeling. And Papa… he was looking at me like I was his entire world, like I was the most important thing in his life.

I had said it.

I had told them I loved them.

And instead of fear, instead of hesitation… all I felt was warmth. A warmth so deep it reached the parts of me I had once thought were too broken to heal.

Mama wiped the lingering tears from my cheeks, her touch featherlight, as if she was afraid I'd disappear if she wasn't careful. "My love," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Are you happy?"

Happy?

The word settled inside me, and I thought about it for a moment.

Was I happy?

I looked around at my family—the people who had showered me with love, the ones who had held me through my fears and never let me go. I saw the way their eyes sparkled with unshed tears, the way their smiles held so much love it almost hurt.

For the first time in so long, I wasn't afraid of the answer.

I nodded. "Yes."

A choked sound escaped Mama's lips as she pulled me into another hug, her arms trembling. I felt her tears fall onto my hair, warm and real, and I knew she was crying not out of sadness—but out of relief.

She pressed her lips against my forehead, holding me like she never wanted to let go. "You are everything to me, my love," she whispered. "You always will be."

Sophia, who had been wiping away her own tears, suddenly clapped her hands together, a dazzling smile spreading across her face. "Well then, I think we all know what this calls for."

Emily adjusted her glasses, her eyes still slightly red. "A grand celebration. We need to mark this occasion properly."

Olivia gasped, dramatically flipping her hair over her shoulder. "A party! A huge one! We'll go all out—balloons, lights, music, everything!"

Charlotte's eyes gleamed with inspiration. "And matching outfits! Noah, I'll make something custom just for you. You'll be the most handsome little prince in the world."

Mia clapped her hands excitedly. "And I'll sing! I'll write a song just for this moment, just for you!"

Lily chuckled softly. "We'll make sure this is a day Noah will always remember."

Their excitement was overwhelming, but instead of making me feel small, it made my heart swell.

For the first time, I wasn't looking at them from a distance.

For the first time, I wasn't afraid of being left behind.

I was a part of this family.

Papa had been silent, watching everything with misty eyes, but then he stepped forward, his voice unsteady. "Before anything else…" He took a deep breath, as if gathering all his courage. "Noah… I know it's not enough just to say it, but I want you to know that from now on, I will always be here. Not just as your father, but as someone who loves you, who will protect you, and who will never, ever leave you again."

His voice cracked, and I saw the years of regret, the pain of his mistakes, weighing on him. He had lost me once. He had made choices that had hurt me, and I knew it was something he would never forgive himself for.

But…

I looked at him—the way his hands trembled at his sides, the way he was barely holding back tears.

He wasn't the same man who had left me behind.

He had changed.

And for the first time, I didn't feel the need to push him away.

Hesitantly, I reached forward, my small hand brushing against his. It was such a tiny movement, but it felt as if the entire world had shifted.

"I… I know, Papa," I whispered.

His breath caught, and in that single moment, I saw something break inside him.

Not in a painful way, but in a way that let the light in.

Tears spilled from his eyes, but this time, they weren't filled with sorrow.

They were filled with hope.

Mama smiled through her own tears, pressing her forehead gently against mine. "Our family is complete now," she whispered.

I let those words settle deep in my heart.

Yes.

I finally had a family.

And no matter what happened from now on…

I knew I would never be alone again.