Elias's face darkened slightly as he continued. "After the mayor was killed and his wife died while being violated and tortured and all these happened in front of these children, mind you—the kids were completely traumatized and wouldn't speak, wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep properly for days."
His voice was heavy with the memory. "It was Amira who sat with them, took care of them, and helped them through it. At some point, they just… started calling her 'mom.' And she didn't correct them. Instead, she decided to take responsibility and raise them herself."
Aiden, however, remained quiet. His eyes were still on Amira as she gently guided the children toward the dining area, talking to the middle-aged woman who had been watching over them.
"She didn't have to do that," he murmured.
Elias nodded. "No, she didn't. But that's who she is. She didn't just build this place to be a stronghold—she built it to be a home. For them, for everyone here."
