The metallic click of the smartwatch’s speaker echoed off the high, vaulted ceilings of the dining room like a gunshot.

Six months later, spring had arrived. The dark, cold shadows that once hung over the Vance estate had completely vanished, replaced by the warm yellow glow of sunshine and blooming roses in the courtyard.

The old mahogany dining table where the tragedy had begun had been removed and replaced with a light oak family table surrounded by bright windows. The dark hardwood floors were carpeted with soft, colorful rugs, and laughter echoed through the halls once more.

Hadrian stepped out onto the sunlit back patio holding two glasses of fresh lemonade. In the garden, Sorrel was running through the grass, playing fetch with a golden retriever puppy Hadrian had adopted for her birthday. Her limp was entirely gone, replaced by light, joyful steps.

She kicked the ball, and the puppy chased it tumbling into the flowers. Sorrel burst into pure, musical laughter—a sound that filled Hadrian’s heart with a warmth he hadn't felt in years.

He walked down the stone steps and sat on the wooden bench, handing her a glass as she ran over, panting and laughing, the puppy yapping happily at her heels.

"Look how fast Barnaby is, Daddy!" Sorrel exclaimed, her cheeks rosy and bright with health. "He almost beat me!"

"You're getting too fast for both of us," Hadrian smiled, wiping a speck of dirt from her nose with his thumb.

Sorrel sat down next to him, sipping her lemonade, leaning her head comfortably against his arm. She looked down at her wrist, where a brand-new, bright pink smartwatch sat—this one set only to call her dad whenever she wanted to say hello.

"Daddy?" she asked quietly, looking out over the garden.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do bad memories ever go away completely?"

Hadrian put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against his side. "Sometimes they stay like faint scars, Sorrel. But scars just remind us that we were stronger than whatever tried to hurt us. And as long as we keep filling our lives with good memories, the old ones don't have any room left to speak."

Sorrel smiled, leaning deeper into his side, feeling the steady, strong beat of her father’s heart.