Page 210 of Broken Destiny

My mother had reassured me repeatedly that her husband and children were perfectly fine with me coming over with Caleb and the children, yet a knot still tightened in my belly.

Things had not always worked out well for me in the past.

Experience had taught me that lesson again and again.

Cole had warned me the very first time I met my mother—Guard your heart. Don’t expect too much.

So I reminded myself of the plan I had made long ago.

No expectations. Just go with the flow.

Before I could knock, the front door swung open.

“Welcome,” Karena said warmly, her face lighting up as she stepped forward.

“Hi, Mom.”

She wrapped her arms around me in a gentle hug and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. “Come inside.”

“Nan-nan!” the children squeaked, rushing past me.

Karena laughed softly before bending down to hug them both.

“That’s very kind of you,” she said after taking the gift basket from my hands.

Caleb’s fingers slipped around mine gently, the steady pressure grounding me instantly.

As we walked toward the family room, my heart began to pound again.

That was when I saw them.

My half-brother and half-sister.

For the first time in my life.

A young woman with short brown hair and bright green eyes stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace.

“Hi,” she said with an easy smile. “I’m Mirella. I’m twenty-one, and I am your sister.”

Emotion caught me off-guard.

“I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she added softly.

Before I could even process the moment, the young man beside her stepped forward and hugged me.

“I’m Cody, and I’m eighteen,” he said politely. “Lovely to meet you.”

This was not how I had imagined this moment at all.

Slowly, the knot in my belly began to loosen.

Taking a steady breath, I turned slightly and gestured toward Caleb, Geeta and the children.

“This is Caleb, and these are our children, Lucas and Emma. And this is Geeta. She’s family to us too.”

Caleb gave them a polite nod, his hand still resting protectively at the small of my back. That simple gesture filled me with quiet reassurance.

Geeta folded her hands together in a small namaste and greeted them with a warm smile.