Chapter 12 - The Whispering Press
Within a week, the tabloid headlines began to surface. Low-tier gossip sites published articles questioning the "fairytale romance" of Ethan and Sarah Carter. Journalists began staking out Lily’s school, trying to snap photos of the little girl. The sudden intrusion shattered the peace they had fought so hard to achieve.
Sarah felt the familiar phantom of her old anxiety creeping back. She remembered the days when the world felt hostile and unsafe. "What if they take her, Ethan?" she cried one evening in their bedroom. "What if they find a loophole in the paperwork?"
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Ethan held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. "I won't let them. Every piece of paper we signed was legal, Sarah. I didn't marry you for an image. I married you because you and Lily are my entire world. We will fight this together."
To protect Lily, they decided to temporarily pull her from school, hiring a private tutor. Lily, sensitive to the shifting atmosphere, noticed the tension. "Dad? Are the bad people mad at us?" she asked, clutching her stuffed reindeer. Ethan knelt to her eye level, promising her that no matter what, they would always be a family.
