“They’re beautiful,” Ashley assured me, squeezing my hand. “Two healthy little souls. A boy and a girl.”

Relief washed over me, mingled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. For a moment, the fear and pain receded, replaced by a profound sense of love. My babies were here, perfect and precious.

But reality was never far behind. Derek’s threats loomed large, a shadow in the corners of this new chapter. I knew I couldn’t go back to that life, not with my children’s safety at stake. It was time to reclaim my strength, to protect these new lives entrusted to me.