Dorothy carefully prepared dinner, excitement warming her heart. She had waited weeks for this evening, hoping to see Miley and Ryan again. The table was set, candles flickered, and the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen. But as minutes turned to hours, her hope dimmed.

The sharp ring of the doorbell startled her. Rushing to answer, she expected her children. Instead, a courier handed her a box. Inside was a cake with a chilling message: “We Know What You Did.”

Her hands trembled as old fears clawed their way back. Desperate, she drove to Miley’s house, pounding on the door. Silence. A neighbor, Sharon, appeared, mentioning that Miley and Ryan had gone to the lake from their childhood.

Dorothy’s heart pounded as she arrived. There, in the gazebo by the water, sat Robert. His face was older, eyes filled with regret. “The children called me,” he admitted.

Miley and Ryan appeared, their faces full of betrayal. “You lied,” Ryan accused. “You took us from our father.”

Tears welled in Dorothy’s eyes. “I was protecting you.”

“No more lies!” Miley cried. But Robert intervened. “It was me. I left. Your mother shielded you from the truth.”

Silence hung thick before understanding softened Miley and Ryan’s expressions. Dorothy embraced them tightly. “We can’t change the past, but we can start again.”

Ryan hesitated. “Can you forgive us?”

Dorothy smiled, tears glistening. “Always.”

Robert exhaled, hopeful. “Maybe we can rebuild, together.”

Under the soft glow of the setting sun, healing began.