I nodded. “I did. We’ll work through this, Kate,” I promised. “Your room is yours. Nobody has the right to take that from you.”

Kate nodded, and for the first time in weeks, I saw a hint of a smile. It was small, tentative, but it was there. I knew we had a long road ahead, but it felt like a step in the right direction—a step toward healing and understanding.

As the days went on, the tension in the house began to thaw, slowly. There were awkward silences and hesitant conversations, but also small gestures of goodwill. I encouraged Kate to spend more time with Mia and Sophie, to find common ground. Meanwhile, Anna and I worked on rebuilding our own trust, finding a balance between our blended family.