Chapter 87 The recovery.

The days that followed Claudia's confession were a mix of intense relief and lingering dread. Although the danger had seemingly passed, the shadow of what had transpired still loomed large over our lives. Kai remained in the hospital, slowly regaining his strength, and the sight of him lying there, pale and weakened, was a stark reminder of how close we had come to losing him. Every morning, I would wake up and immediately head to the hospital, my heart pounding until I could see Kai's face, hear his voice, and know that he was still with us. Lily and Michael, too, felt the strain of their father’s absence. Lily, now a teenager with a budding sense of independence, tried to put on a brave face, but I could see the worry in her eyes. Michael, still so young, didn’t fully understand what was happening, but he knew something was wrong. His constant questions about when Daddy would come home tugged at my heart. One afternoon, as I sat beside Kai's bed, flipping through a magazine but not