The next morning came far too quickly. Eve felt exhausted as if she hadn't slept for ages. The last few days had robbed her of an infinite amount of strength, and although the storm had passed, no hopeful ray of sunshine penetrated the dense cloud cover. Instead, dull, gray clouds hung in the sky and reflected the dreary mood in the cottage.

Evelyn crept quietly out of the room and listened for a moment with each creak of the floorboards to see if she had woken anyone in the house. But it remained quiet for the time being. Barefoot, she crossed the living room and was thinking about what to make for breakfast when her eyes fell on the box that was still on the kitchen counter. The yellow looked strangely out of place on the polished wood and didn't match the oppressive feeling it triggered in her. Everything suddenly seemed to make sense - and yet it didn't.

The flowers that kept reappearing, the boxes with strange contents. Yes, she certainly believed Dylan was capable of all that. When they argued, and sometimes she was already packing her suitcase, he always came with presents—flowers, chocolates, a new piece of jewelry, a family outing—and lots of apologies and empty promises. But money and presents couldn't make up for or straighten out everything.

"What the hell are you thinking, Dylan?" she wondered aloud before stepping up to the counter and scowling at the package as if she could pierce the box with it. Part of her wanted to throw the stupid box in the trash unopened. What would be worse? Not knowing what was inside, asking all the time, and never getting an answer? Or opening the thing? Eve knew it would annoy her no matter what was inside. So, open it or throw it away?

Sighing, she finally pulled on the ribbon, untied the knot, and placed her fingers on the lid. Then she paused. Even she didn't know exactly why. It felt strange, made her pulse race, and suddenly, she heard the chirping of the early birds outside the windows louder than before.

She thought of the package from the porch—the red box with the skeleton key and the 'HOME' sign that wouldn't fit into any lock. That was ridiculous. What was he trying to achieve?

Eve shook her head as if she could banish the aimless thoughts - and pulled the lid off the cardboard box. Shortly afterward, yellow tissue paper rustled between her fingers as she unfolded it. The young mother stared momentarily while her forehead creased in incomprehension.

In the box, wrapped in saffron-yellow tissue paper, was an item of clothing. She reached for it and pulled it up by the straps. Thin, soft, mint green fabric tickled her fingers and showed large sunflowers printed on the fabric. The garment was longer than she had expected, so it slipped over the edge of the box and finally revealed itself to her... "...a dress?" Eve asked into the silence as if someone could give her an answer.

At first, she wondered if it was one of the things she had left behind or that Dylan had once given her. She thought hard - but the summer dress didn't look familiar. It wasn't her style in general; if she wasn't mistaken, it was perhaps even a little too tight by eye.
But why else would Dylan send it to her?
Was it an attempt at reconciliation? To give her a nice present, hoping she would forgive him? Hah, then he shouldn't have thrown it on the table in the middle of the night like a psychopath and broken in here! He probably thought it was a romantic gesture in his twisted world, too. Had he completely lost his mind? Snorting, she threw the dress back into the box - and then she saw the letters on the lid: 'Come home.'

Anger rose inside her, and Eve pursed her lips. "No way," she hissed icily, grabbing all the crap and carrying it into the garbage can with a little more momentum than necessary. As the lid clattered shut, she immediately felt better.

The sound of a door clicking, followed by the patter of small feet on the steps and floorboards, drew their attention away. There was no mistaking the sound of Liam hurrying down the stairs, followed by Ryker asking the boy to slow down, and Eve had to smile.

"Good morning, my sleepyheads," Eve greeted them both, crouching down as Liam approached her. He stretched out his arms and wrapped them around her neck, and she hugged him gently. Liam hugged her tighter than usual, and Eve knew why.

"It's all right, sweetheart," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. "He didn't hurt me," she assured her boy and hugged him tighter. "No one will hurt us anymore, my darling. I won't let that happen again. Never again," she promised softly and hugged her son tightly. No, she would never make that mistake again.

Eve had known Dylan since high school. Teenagers who had married too soon and made many wrong decisions in life. But now that she could taste happiness on her tongue again, she would never give it up.

Liam laughed, playing in the grass and with Chief. And when he was well enough to cope with the move and the change of location, she would take him to Cedar Hollow to school, where he would surely make new friends. He would have the life he deserved: happy. Peaceful. And most importantly, in a home he could return to at any time without fear.

"I love you, Mommy," Liam murmured next to her, and Eve laughed softly before kissing him, then another. "I love you too, little rascal," she said, stroking his hair. A strange tingling sensation prickled in her stomach. It was that feeling when you realized you were being watched. When she looked up, she saw Ryker's warm eyes. But this time, it wasn't uncomfortable or made her nervous. Hot sparks were exploding like small fireworks instead of prickly lumps of snow on the back of her neck.

Ryker stood at the kitchen doorway, dressed in jeans and a dark gray shirt. He just leaned there, watching her and Liam ... and smiled. But that was enough. His look and attitude said it all: he was grateful to be here and would protect her. Evelyn didn't know why, but she ... was willing to believe.

While Liam broke away from her embrace to feed Chief, Ryker crossed the distance between them. He put his arm around her, pulled her to his chest, and breathed a growling good morning kiss on her forehead.

"You don't have to sneak out of bed like an affair ... or always do everything on your own," Ray said, yawning heartily and shuffling to the coffee machine. "I'll make us some coffee, all right?"

Eve looked at him, puzzled, and Ryker had no idea what he was doing with those little words and how much they meant to her. Yes... Ryker was very different from Dylan. Eve had learned to cope on her own over many years. She couldn't just call her husband at work; he couldn't come home and help her, whether with a burst pipe or putting Liam to bed. No matter how exhausted, ill, or desperate she was for rest or time to herself, duties came first. First, the housework had to be done, Liam had to be looked after, and she had to think ahead and - plan.

She constantly argued with Dylan about this. When he was at home, he just wanted to relax. He wanted breakfast, lunch, dinner, beer, field hockey, and football—nothing else. He didn't want to hear about work or complain. Everything had to be peaceful, calm, and perfect.

But now the coffee machine rattled, and Ray held out a cup to her shortly afterward. And this gesture, which was meant for HER, was so completely natural that it took her breath away. He expected nothing in return. No bottomless gratitude or anything like that. He just wanted to do something good for her. Rings made of gold or diamonds couldn't have been more valuable to her. Eve swallowed harder and took the cup from his hand.

"MAMA!"

Liam's sudden scream made her and Ryker flinch. Eve set the cup aside with a jerk and haste that the coffee spilled over the edge onto the countertop. Ryker was a former soldier, so he should have been quicker than her. But nothing was stronger than a mother's instinct.

"'MOM!"

Liam's voice was full of panic. Eve could hear the tears distorting the otherwise carefree sound.

She ran outside so fast that she couldn't feel the sting of the stones and twigs or hear the soft splash as her feet flew over soaked earth and small puddles. A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind.

Had Dylan come back?

Was it a psychopath like him, one of the Seals perhaps?

Had something happened to her son?

Had Dylan come back to take Liam away from her?

Would he be so ruthless as to kidnap him simply?

She didn't have far to run before Liam approached her, and Eve felt relief and renewed tension. "Liam!" Eve held out her hands and immediately reached for her son. "Honey, what's wrong? What's happened? Are you all right?" The questions poured out of her.

She pulled him into her arms, then Eve put half an arm's length between herself and him again and felt him. His cheeks, his neck, his shoulders. Her gaze flew over him, searching beneath the wild throbbing in her chest for wounds, injuries... and found none. What she did see were his wide eyes staring back at her.

Liam's hands gripped her clothes, and tears ran down his cheeks, which looked unhealthily pale... "Mum!" Liam cried breathlessly as if he had run many miles, and the boy sobbed pitifully. "Chief! Chief is missing!"