It had been months since you’d heard from Tom and Mattheo. Your father’s orders had cut you off from them, and while you missed both, it was the absence of Mattheo that stung the most. Every day, the silence grew heavier, the distance between you and your brothers more unbearable.

One night, there’s a knock on your door. You freeze, your heart racing as you open it to find Mattheo standing on the other side. His familiar face, one you hadn’t seen in so long, makes your breath catch in your throat.

“What are you doing here?” you ask, the concern in your voice evident. “If Tom finds out that you’re here—”

Mattheo cuts you off, his expression serious but soft. “I don’t care what Tom says, okay?” His voice is firm, but you can hear the emotion beneath it. “You will always be my little sister.”

Tears well up in your eyes at his words, the months of loneliness and hurt finally catching up to you. You hadn’t realized how much you needed to hear that from him until this very moment.

Mattheo steps closer, his eyes full of regret. “I know I screwed up,” he admits, his voice breaking slightly. “But you’re the only one in this family who I truly care about.”

The dam finally breaks, and tears begin streaming down your face. Without hesitation, Mattheo pulls you into a tight hug, holding you as if he’s afraid to let go again.

“So if it’s me and you against all of them,” he whispers into your hair, his voice full of determination, “then so be it, kid.”

The weight of his words sinks in as you cling to him, realizing that no matter what your father or Tom decides, you and Mattheo will always have each other.