เข้าสู่ระบบThat night, as we lay in bed, Damian held me from behind. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck. Daniel was already fast asleep in his room, and the house felt quiet in a peaceful way."I'm glad you're back at work. I can see your eyes shining again."I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. "I'm glad too. I feel like I've found a part of myself that was lost."He kissed my shoulder softly. "I'll never stop supporting you. Whatever you need, I'm here."I turned my body to face him, looking into his eyes in the dim light. "You know, Damian, our lives aren't perfect. Louis still hasn't fully come home. Your parents still hate you. But I've never been this happy."He smiled, his hand stroking my cheek. "Me neither. I never imagined I could feel this kind of peace. Even when everything feels heavy, you and Daniel make everything feel meaningful."I kissed his lips softly. "We'll be fine, Damian. We've been through the worst.""You
Three months had passed since that rainy night. Three months since Daniel started laughing with a loud, clear voice that made the whole room feel more alive. Three months since Damian won the court case, not the victory he had hoped for, because he lost his inheritance rights, but he gained something far more valuable: the certainty that he was no longer bound to a family name that had rejected him.And today, for the first time after a long leave, I returned to the hospital.I stood in front of the bedroom mirror, putting on the white coat I hadn't worn in a long time. Damian stood behind me, Daniel in his arms, starting to get restless seeing me getting ready to leave. The baby whimpered, reaching toward me with his tiny hands."Are you sure you're ready?" Damian asked, his voice soft.I looked at my own reflection. My face was a little more tired than before. The dark circles under my eyes were still visible, even though I had covered them with concealer. But there was something di
I stood at that doorway longer than I should have. The night light from the window illuminated Damian's slightly hunched back. The song he was singing was barely audible, just a low vibration in his throat, fragmented words because of exhaustion. Daniel had calmed down in his arms, his tiny fingers gripping his father's shirt collar as if afraid of being left behind even in sleep.He placed Daniel back into the crib with practiced movements, covering the small body with a thin blanket, then stood up straight as if holding something far heavier than a baby weighing only a few kilograms.We left the nursery without many words. In the living room, the lights were dim. The coffee cup left earlier was still on the table, its contents cold.I made tea. Damian's hands trembled slightly as he received the cup. He sat on the sofa, staring ahead without focus."Today I almost couldn't take it. When Louis said 'enough,' it felt like all these months of effort were crushed in a second. I know he
After such a long embrace, I finally let Louis go. My hand still lingered on his back, as if afraid he would disappear again. Daniel was still sleeping in the stroller, his breathing steady, as if the world around him wasn't cracking. Louis rubbed his face roughly with his sleeve, trying to hide the remaining tears still wet on his cheeks."Sit down first, Mom," he said softly. His voice was hoarse, like someone who hadn't spoken much in a long time. He pulled out a chair in the messy living room. Thick books were scattered on the table, some on the floor, and empty coffee cups were piled up in the corner. I sat down, pushing the stroller a little closer so Daniel would stay within my sight.Louis sat across from me. He looked at Daniel for a moment, then looked down, his fingers clasping tightly together."Medical school is so hard, Mom. I thought that if I got into medicine, I could focus. I could forget everything. But it's actually worse. Every day there's something that makes me
Daniel grew quickly. Every day there was something new that amazed us, his first smile, his unintelligible babbles, the way his tiny fingers tightly gripped mine.The Leon family, Damian's father and mother, and his siblings, none of them ever asked about us. They had truly cut ties with Damian. I knew Damian was hurt, even though he never said it. He would just fall silent every time his phone rang and it wasn't them. He would only smile faintly whenever I asked if he had spoken to his parents."I'm used to it," he said one night, while holding a fussy Daniel. "They chose their path, I chose mine. I can't force them to accept my decision."But I knew it wasn't that easy. I had seen him standing silently on the balcony late at night, staring at the sky, with his shoulders trembling slightly. Damian might be a tough man on the outside, but inside he was still a boy longing for his parents' approval.Meanwhile, Daniel became the reason we held on. Every morning I woke up to his tiny cri
Three months had passed since Louis left. Three months since Damian began to change himself, since I saw real change in him. Three months since we started rebuilding something that was almost destroyed.And today, I woke up with pain shooting through my back."Sweetheart, the time has come," I said softly, reaching for his hand as he held the morning newspaper.Damian turned quickly, his eyes widening."Now?"I nodded, enduring the pain that came and went. "We need to go to the hospital. Now."He didn't waste any time. Within minutes, Damian had packed the bag we had prepared a month ago, carefully helped me stand, and led me to the car. His hands trembled as he fastened my seatbelt."Are you okay?" he asked, his voice hoarse.I smiled despite the piercing pain."I'm fine. It's just that this baby can't wait to come out."Damian drove carefully but quickly. He occasionally glanced at me, his eyes full of worry. During the drive, I saw him gripping the steering wheel so tightly that hi







