Chapter 211

When Beckett got home, Madeleine had already finished making dinner. She wore an apron and had casually tied up her hair. As she set the dishes on the table, she flashed him a gentle smile. "Go wash your hands. Dinner's ready." Beckett paused for a second, then crouched to set Chris down. Madeleine stood there, quietly radiating the warmth of a real home—something Beckett never thought he'd crave. Growing up in a cold household with emotionally distant parents had always made him wary of the idea of marriage and family. But now... this felt different. Cozy. Like he'd been drifting in the wind for years and finally found a place to land. "Mom," Chris said after washing his tiny hands, sitting nicely at the table. "Terrell didn't come to school today." Madeleine looked at Beckett in surprise. "Terrell didn't go to school?" Beckett nodded. Didn't want to pry. Maybe the kid was sick? Madeleine didn't dig into it either. Danna always acted like she doted on her son anyway—probably not a big