LOGINSix MonthsSix months.Sometimes it felt like time had slowed down on purpose, letting us savor every single day. Other times it felt like the days were slipping through my fingers no matter how tightly I tried to hold on. The doctors had given my mother three months at most. She had already beaten that prediction, but we all knew the extra time was borrowed.The house had changed completely. It was no longer the cold, silent mansion it used to be. Now it was filled with life — Loise’s constant chatter, Fletcher’s low laughter, the soft hum of Eliana’s favorite old music playing from her room. For the first time in years, this place actually felt like a home.I spent most of my mornings in the east wing with Eliana. She was noticeably weaker now. Her movements were slower, her voice softer, but her eyes were still as sharp as ever. That fire
The Harringtons in CustodyI sat across from the lawyer in his sleek downtown office, the city stretching out behind him through floor-to-ceiling windows. My hands rested calmly in my lap. No shaking. No racing heart. Just a cold, steady resolve I didn’t even know I had until this moment.“They’ve been formally charged,” Mr. Reynolds said, sliding a thick folder toward me. “Multiple counts — fraud, conspiracy, attempted murder, child endangerment. The evidence your husband’s team put together was… overwhelming. Rachel and her mother are already in custody. Your step-brother is next.”I nodded slowly, flipping through the documents. Photos. Bank records. Communication logs. Everything that proved just how far they were willing to go to keep what they thought was theirs.“Good,” I said quietly. “
Dr. Sandra's EndingI read the article in the quiet of the living room while Loise napped and Eliana rested.Fletcher had sent the link to my phone without any message. He didn’t need to explain. The headline was enough: Disgraced Pediatrician Loses All Medical Licenses, Faces Multiple Investigations.They had stripped her of everything. Every license, every certificate, every hospital that once welcomed her with open arms. Her connections on the medical board had been dragged into the light too — bribes, favors, quiet deals that went back years. The Harringtons had paid her well, but not well enough to stay hidden once Fletcher’s people started digging.I scrolled down slowly.There was one final interview. Sandra had given it from some undisclosed locatio
Fletcher and NicoleWe were not even close to being perfect, but we had each other.Some days were easier than others. There were still moments when I caught Fletcher watching me like he was scared I might vanish again. And there were nights when the nightmares dragged me under, making me wake up shaking and covered in sweat.Like tonight.I jerked awake, heart pounding, the taste of fear still thick in my throat. Before I could even sit up, Fletcher was already there. He pulled me into his chest without saying a word, his big hand rubbing slow circles on my back. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t try to fix it. He just held me until my breathing slowed down and my body stopped trembling.“I’ve got you,” he whispered against my hair.That was all he ever said. And somehow, it was always enoug
The Days That CountSix weeks had passed since Eliana moved in, and our house — once cold and echoing — had become something entirely different.It was loud now. Beautifully, chaotically loud.Loise’s laughter rang through the halls every morning as she dragged Eliana’s wheelchair to the garden for “butterfly patrol.” Fletcher no longer disappeared into his study the moment he got home. He lingered. He laughed. He let himself be needed. The man who used to command silence now sat on the floor helping Loise build Lego castles while Eliana watched with a knowing smile.I stood at the kitchen window one golden afternoon, watching them. Fletcher had rolled up his sleeves, his injured shoulder finally free of the sling. Loise was explaining something very seriously about why the princess tower needed to be taller. Eliana sat under the
LoiseHaving a grandmother is very different from having a mommy or a daddy.Mommy and Daddy are loud and warm and always there. A grandmother is quieter. Like a secret you’re not sure you’re allowed to keep yet.At first, I was careful.I stood at the door of the east wing room every morning for three whole days, peeking in with one eye. Grandma Eliana looked soft and tired in the big reading chair, sunlight making her hair look like silver threads. She smiled when she saw me, but I didn’t go in right away. I needed to watch. To make sure she was real.On the fourth day, I brought my best drawing.It was a picture of all of us — me, Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma — standing in the garden with butterflies everywhere. I had drawn Grandma with strong colors so she wouldn’t look sick. I held it
The background stories are introduced. In her 3rd year of college she tooka two year break from school, she doesn’t rmmeber anything that happened and her memory was pretty much fragmented before that tiem. But when she came back, everyone told her that shed changed. The accident is all she reme
Xavier's POVThe risky choice was the only way out.Inefficient secretaries had me too desperate to care about what Honey might say if Nicole resumes work again.But I would take responsibility to protect her, because in Honey's eyes, she was now the mother of my child. I can't risk Loise getting ki
Nicole’s POVIt’s been two days since the meeting at Loise’s school, and she’s been chattier than ever. My coming to her school seemed to heal something in her, because now she always had fun things to tell me about her days.Jake was still a nuisance, but I was able to ignore him better.However, I
Nicole's POV"Please pass the salt.""Not you! Loise Darling, could you please pass the salt?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I pushed the sprinkler towards Loise so she could pick it up easily.Acting like this since he got home and I didn't know whether to scold him for being childish or a







