*Lexie’s POV*

The front door creaks open, breaking the silence that has enveloped the house for hours. I sit up on the couch, my heart pounding in my chest as anticipation and tension fill the room. Noland steps inside, his imposing figure a dark silhouette against the pale moonlit hallway. Relief washes over me as Natasha rushes to greet him, her face etched with worry.

"Where have you been, Dad? We've been so worried about you," she says, her voice quivering ...