Six months ago, James had a simple life.
Stable. Predictable.
At twenty-five, he was building his career as a structural engineer, planning his wedding, and thinking about the kind of future most people hope for—nothing extravagant, just… peaceful.
Then everything changed.
His mother died.
Suddenly. Unexpectedly.
And just like that, his ten-year-old twin sisters, Lily and Maya, had no one else.
There was no time to think. No time to prepare.
James stepped in.
Not just as their older brother—
But as everything they needed.
Guardian. Provider. Comfort.
Home.
Grief changed all of them.
The house felt different. Quieter. Heavier.
James moved back into his childhood home, trying to hold everything together while learning things no one had ever taught him—how to manage a household, how to comfort two grieving children, how to stay strong when he didn’t feel strong at all.
His fiancée, Jenna, stepped in too.
At first, she felt like a blessing.
She helped with homework.
Packed lunches.
Sat with the girls when they couldn’t sleep.
