Chapter 107 A New Dawn

Lily's 20th birthday was approaching faster than I could have imagined. Despite the chaos that had consumed our lives over the past few months, I was determined to make this day special for her. She had been through so much—more than any young woman her age should ever have to endure—and I wanted to give her a day where she could forget about all the darkness and just be happy. As the days counted down, I found myself reflecting on how much Lily had grown. It seemed like only yesterday that she was a little girl, full of wonder and innocence. But now, at twenty, she was a young woman with a strength and resilience that amazed me every day. I was so proud of her, and I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them with the same courage she had shown throughout her life. Kai and I spent the week before her birthday planning a surprise party. It was the first time in a long while that we had something to look forward to, something that wasn’t shrouded in danger or uncerta