Chapter 144The walls of Martha’s living room held an uncanny warmth, the kind only found in homes stitched together by shared grief and fragile hope. The morning sunlight slanted through the lace curtains, casting faint golden patterns on the carpet. It was peaceful, too peaceful, considering the storm that still raged inside Martin's chest.He sat on the edge of the plush beige couch, one leg bouncing restlessly, a weary sigh slipping past his lips. His body slouched with the weight of everything he had bottled up for days. The scent of fresh coffee wafted into the room just as Martha returned, carefully balancing a steaming cup in her hand."Here," she said softly, placing the cup in his hand with sisterly care.Martin muttered a quiet, "Thank you," before taking a tentative sip. It was strong, slightly sweet, just the way he liked it. He held onto the warmth of the mug as though it could soothe the cold ache in his soul.Martha lowered herself into the armchair opposite him, foldi
Chapter 143The engine ticked softly as Martin sat in the motionless car, staring blankly through the cracked windshield. The dark, broken bridge stretched out in front of him like a skeletal path to nowhere, a ghostly monument to things lost and unrecoverable. His fingers trembled as he loosened them from the steering wheel, his knuckles pale from how tightly he'd gripped it moments before. His breath came out in ragged huffs, and his heart thundered so loudly it echoed in his ears. When he stepped out of the vehicle, the cool night air slapped against his skin, but nothing could shake the chill crawling up his spine. He staggered forward, his boots scraping over gravel and shattered glass, until the splintered edge of the bridge came into full view. One more foot... just one more push... and he would’ve been gone. "No way," Martin whispered, his voice hoarse and cracked. A bitter laugh escaped his throat, dry and humorless. He wasn’t surprised by how close he’d come. But what stru
Chapter 142The corridor leading to Brian's recovery ward was quieter now, but the stillness did little to ease the heaviness in Mia’s chest. The weight of the day, of all they had endured, settled into her shoulders like soaked wool. Yet here she was, leaning into the joy of a new life inside her while still reeling from the loss of another. Her palm rested protectively on her stomach, the soft curve of it still barely visible, but already anchoring her to hope.Andreas was just ahead, pushing the door open for the next wave of visitors. Mrs. Angela, Susan came in, and Brian beamed with joy as soon as he saw them.They rounded the child, hugging and kissing him while Mia and Andreas waited outside, arm in arm as they fawned over each other like a newlywed couple.A few minutes later, Sofia and Nick arrived at the hospital, accompanied by Andreas' mom. They were brought by the driver. “Hi, mum” Sofia greeted. “Hi, Mrs Leonardo. Hi, Sir” Nick followed suit as they replied sweetly. Mia
Chapter 141The joy in the hospital room felt like the rising sun after a long night. The kind of warmth that crept slowly but steadily into everyone’s chest, chasing away the chill of sorrow and fear. Mia and Andreas stood in the center of it all, eyes still glistening, as the words hung in the air: “We’re having a baby.”Mrs. Angela's hand instinctively went to her chest. Her face contorted in joy as she stepped forward first, her hand trembling slightly as it cupped Mia’s face. “Congratulations. You deserve this, my child,” she said with a heartfelt smile. Her voice was thick with emotion, eyes misted over. “This child is proof of the love you and Andreas share.”Mia, overwhelmed, leaned into her mother’s embrace.Susan was next. She practically leapt onto the bed beside Mia, throwing her arms around her in a tight hug, her eyes damp. “I’m so happy for you, girl,” she whispered, her voice quivering with laughter and tears.Still holding Mia’s hand, Susan looked down at her belly. “
Chapter 140 The hallway smelled of antiseptic and stale coffee, the kind of sterile scent that clung to the skin and told stories of sleepless nights, broken hearts, and last-minute miracles. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, and distant echoes of rolling carts and muffled conversations danced between sterile walls. But in the heart of the surgical waiting room, a different energy pulsed, soft gasps of relief, shaky laughter, tears of gratitude. It was the kind of joy that came only after immense suffering. After too many days spent in doubt. Andreas stood frozen in the center of it all, his arms suddenly full of Susan’s tearful embrace, his shoulders patted by Shawn and Mrs. Angela as they surrounded him with quiet celebration. Doctor Fred’s words rang again in his head like a hymn: “The surgery was a success.” He could still hear the cadence of it, feel the weight of what it meant, the heaviness lifting off his chest for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Brian was
Chapter 139 The hospital waiting area was cloaked in a silence so heavy that even the faint hum of fluorescent lights felt intrusive. Time itself seemed to hold its breath. The cold, sterile air carried the faint scent of disinfectant, but beneath it lingered a darker, intangible heaviness the kind that only grief could bring. Mia sat slumped on a hard, cold hospital bench, her hand trembling faintly as it clasped Susan’s. Their eyes were swollen, rimmed with the evidence of tears long spent, but their hearts still ached as if the sobbing hadn’t ended. Next to them, Mrs. Angela sat in rigid silence, her knuckles white as she clutched her handkerchief. Andreas stood slightly apart, leaning against the wall, his shoulders tense and jaw clenched as he tried to carry everyone’s pain on his back. He had to be strong, for Mia, for Susan, for Mrs. Angela, and for Brian, who lay in surgery. The loss of April was like an open wound, raw and relentless. The quiet was broken by the soft, hur