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54: Between Two Worlds
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2025-04-21 08:00:45Chapter 54
The air was cool, heavy with the earthy scent of night blooming jasmine that curled around the edges of Miaâs elegant home like a whispered lullaby. Crickets played their song somewhere in the distance as Andreas stood by the side of the house, surrounded by glass and stillness, peering through the transparent walls into a home that he now felt comfortable in. Inside, warm amber light spilled over the polished wooden floors, catching the reflection of Sofiaâs toys scattered near the couch and the empty wine glasses from dinner. The echo of laughter still danced in his ears, soft, innocent, and untainted. For the first time in what felt like forever, his chest wasnât tight with anxiety or guilt. His pulse had slowed. His breath moved easy. This was what peace tasted like. He was still smiling when he heard the soft pad of bare feet approaching. Mia stepped out onto the stone pathway, her silhouette glow
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FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 55: Fatherhood's Edge
Chapter 55 The fluorescent lights of Health Wise General Hospital stretched in an endless grid overhead, humming like a swarm of bees trapped behind a glass ceiling. Andreas burst through the revolving doors, his pulse thrumming so loudly he feared the echoes might give him away. Every polished tile underfoot gleamed with sterility and antiseptic scents that clashed with the knot of dread tightening in his gut. He scanned the reception desk. A weary nurse looked up, blinking at the late hour. He spoke first, âI'm here for a Brian Costa..â He said guessing the child's last name to be the same as Tania's. âBrian Costa?â The nurse asked as she browsed through the computer in front of her, taking longer than usual. Andreas then, cut straight to the point, voice rough with urgency. âWhere is he?â The nurse pointed down a corridor lined with pediatric wards. âRoom 312âĶâ Her eyes, sympat
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-21FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 56: Not Welcome Here
Chapter 56 Mia woke to the shrill ring of her phone before the sun had even risen, pale light filtering through her bedroom curtains. Her heart thudded in her chest when she saw Andreasâs name on the screen. âIâĶ wanted to let you know,â his voice was gentle but strained, âBrianâs stable. Heâs out of the ICU. Theyâre moving him to a regular pediatric ward this morning.â Mia exhaled, relief and guilt twinning in her throat. âThank God,â she whispered. She'd been concerned since he told her last night about the child's condition. She was going to go to him, but it was already late in the night. âDo you want me to come?â she asked. Silence lengthened on the other end. Then he said, âYes. PleaseâĶâ âOkayâĶâ Mia replied. âSofiaâs coming too,â she added before they ended the call. A few minutes later, Mia roused Sofia with sleepy kisses. âCome on, Sofia. W
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-22FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 57: A Taste of Something Missing
Chapter 57The late afternoon sun bled gold through the gauzy curtains of Susanâs living room, casting soft patterns on the cream carpet beneath Miaâs feet. She stood by the large window, cradling her own silence as she watched the world outside it. Susanâs home. The smell of fresh coffee drifted from the open kitchen, blending with the faint scent of lavender from a nearby diffuser.Her eyes wandered to the lush, perfectly mowed lawn that stretched like a soft green painting outside the glass. On it, laughter danced freely. Shawn, Susanâs husband, barefoot and grinning, was tossing a worn-out soccer ball between Sofia and Nick, both children squealing with joy as they ran after it, arms flailing, giggles unrestrained. The kind of joy that belonged to a life untainted.âSusan!â Shawn called, turning slightly as the ball skidded past him. âMake that two cups, will you?ââI already am, you clown!â came Susanâs voice from the kitchen,
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-22FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 58: Midnight Bloom
Chapter 58The moonlight draped the streets in silver shadows as Mia pulled into her driveway, the quiet hum of the engine the only sound breaking the stillness of the night. She turned off the ignition and glanced at the passenger seat where Sofia, bundled in her favorite pink hoodie, dozed with her head tilted against the window. A soft smile curled on Miaâs lips. The day had been long, filled with laughter, running feet, spilled juice, and the warmth of old friendship. But it had also left a familiar ache in her chest. One she couldn't shake.Inside the house, she carried Sofia upstairs, her daughterâs weight warm and limp in her arms. She laid her gently on the bed, pulling the soccer field-patterned blanket up to her chin and brushing a curl from her forehead. The little girl murmured in her sleep, turning slightly, and Mia kissed her on the temple. âGoodnight, my love,â she whispered.The night air hung heavy with the scent of jas
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-23FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 59: Lyrics of Us
Chapter 59 Mia's night had shifted. It was no longer a hollow echo of Andreas's silence, but now something alive, something burning. The moment she ran into his arms, her body responded before her mind could catch up. His warmth swallowed her, strong arms lifting her as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the side of her neck, his hands firm beneath her thighs. "Shh... quiet," she whispered against his ear, her voice low and teasing. "Sofia's asleep." "Then I guess we better keep our voices down," he murmured, his grin pressed against her skin. He carried her inside like she weighed nothing, and Mia giggled softly, burying her face in his shoulder. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing their world off from everything outside. He set her down in the living room, but Mia didnât let go of his hand. She held it tightly, eyes sparkling with intention.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-23FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 60: Last Strand
Chapter 60The late afternoon sun bled golden streaks across the sky, casting long shadows over the city park. Laughter rang in the air with children squealing in delight, parents chatting, and the occasional bark of a dog as it chased after a ball. To any outsider, it looked like a perfect family outing. But for Tania, every cheerful note in the air grated against her nerves. As her eyes landed on Andreas, she noticed the tension emanating from his body and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. She watched from the bench as Andreas stood by the side of the play area, his hands in the pockets of his charcoal hoodie, eyes fixed on the small boy laughing inside the ball pit. Brianâs curls bounced as he flailed through the rainbow-colored plastic, his face lit up in wonder and glee. Occasionally, heâd look up, searching for his mother or Andreas. Whenever his gaze landed on Andreas, heâd wave shyly. And Andreas, sweetly and patiently, would
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-24FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 61: Where Loyalty Lies
Chapter 61The words settled like a rock in Mia's chest."I'm fighting to get full custody of my son, Brian" Andreas whispered into the quiet of her room, his breath still warm against her collarbone.Mia stiffened in his arms, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. The air between them crackled but not with the heat from moments before, but with the weight of something heavier, denser. Her lips parted, but the question came out as barely more than a breath."What?"Andreasâs hands slid to her waist, grounding her, steadying her as though he could sense the shift happening inside her. He didnât repeat himself. He didnât have to.The room felt suddenly colder, shadows stretching longer against the walls, and the humming silence that followed was almost unbearable.Mia stepped back, folding her arms over her chest as if she could shield herself from the storm that was gathering within. "You want to take him away f
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-24FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 62: Where it Hurts.
Chapter 62The door slammed shut behind her like a final verdict.Taniaâs heels clicked with frantic rhythm on the battered laminate floor as she stormed into the apartment, a raging storm of anger bubbling in her very being. She barely registered her environment as arms tightened around Brian, who was starting to squirm, and with a huff of frustration, she dropped him onto the lumpy old couch.He fussed immediately, whimpering, kicking, and rubbing his eyes with tiny balled fists, but she was already pacing, clawed hands dragging through her sweat-damp blonde hair. Her skin prickled. Her teeth ground together. Her ears buzzed with the echo of Andreasâs voice, still rattling around her skull like shrapnel.âFull custody,â she spat, venom thick on her tongue. âHe said he wants full custody. He's crazy if he thinks, even for one second that I'll agree to give up my child without a fight!âBrianâs cries grew louder as he heard Tania's a
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-25
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FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 67: What Love Costs
Chapter 67 Mia's point of view. The days passed like ghostly shadows crawling across the walls, slow, heavy, and heart-wrenching. I watched my daughter shrink more and more every day as she returned from school. And I couldnât breathe under the weight of it. The guilt, the shame, the ache, it all folded itself around my lungs like vines, choking every bit of air from me. Iâd brought Sofia back home from my mother's house. Tried to pretend like we were okay, like we could move past this. But that illusion shattered the moment she came to me that morning, fully dressed in her school uniform. Slowly, she walked to me, her tiny hands clutching my shirt, her tear-stained eyes pleading. âPlease, Mommy,â she whispered. âI donât want to go back to school. Donât make me go back there. Please.â I froze, scared that I might know what her answer âWhy, baby? What happened?â Her lip quivered. âThey make fun of me at school. They said... they said you and I stole Brian's daddy. That Iâm the r
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 66: Clicking into Chaos
Chapter 66Miaâs hands wouldnât stop shaking.She paced the length of Susanâs living room which had become her final place of comfort over the years. Mia felt like a storm trapped in a teacup, each breath sharp and tight in her chest. Her voice came out in tremors, barely containing the panic clawing at her throat. âHeâs back, Susan. And heâs going to take her away from me.âSusan, calm as always, lifted her head from where she sat curled on the couch, her face lined with concern. âMiaâĶ we donât know that itâs Lucas. What if someone else was behind those messages? You said it was anonymous.âBut Miaâs senses had already recognized the handwriting in the venom of those words. âItâs him,â she said firmly, her eyes gleaming with equal parts fear and rage. âI know it in my gut.âNo amount of calm reasoning could reach her now. After receiving the message, Mia grabbed Sofia and drove her straight to her motherâs house without a second thought. She needed her safe. Out of reach. Far from t
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 65: DaÃąger in the Air
Chapter 65The weight of Sofia's words hung in the air, suffocating Mia as if the walls themselves had shifted closer."What do you mean, baby..." Mia asked in shock as if she didn't already know what the child meant."I want to see my real daddy, Not Andreas" Sofia had said, her voice sharp and foreign to Mia's ears."But baby, you know Andreas loves you right? He..." Mia paused, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Her hand hovered awkwardly mid-air, the fingers that had been poised to smooth Sofia's hair now stiff and useless. She blinked rapidly, trying to anchor herself to the moment, trying to steady the eruption she felt boiling just beneath her skin. She couldn't lash out. She wouldn't.Drawing in a slow breath, Mia crouched down, lowering herself to Sofia's eye level again, masking her spiraling emotions behind a soft, placating smile. "Sofia, baby..." she said carefully, feeling her heart pound against her ribs, "I understand you miss your daddy. But baby, the thing
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 64: Cracks in the Silence
Chapter 64 Mia arrived at Sofia's school just five minutes behind schedule. And the first thing Mia noticed was the absence of a smile. Sofia didnât come running toward her as she usually did, arms outstretched, curls bouncing with every hurried step, face split into the bright grin that had always been Miaâs anchor after long, hard days. Today, her daughter only walked toward her, shoulders slumped, backpack hanging awkwardly off one arm. She climbed into the backseat of the car without a word, buckled herself in, and muttered a flat, "Hi, Mom," staring out the window. Mia blinked, momentarily immobilized behind the wheel. Something twisted sharply inside her chest, but she quickly smoothed her expression before turning in her seat to face her daughter. "Hey, my love," she said in a bright, coaxing voice. "How was school?" A sharp, dismissive tut was Sofiaâs only answer. She didnât even look at Mia, she just sank deeper into the seat, arms crossed tight across her chest like a
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 63: The Perfect Scene
Chapter 63If the devil wore perfume, she imagined it would smell like hers, the notes of oud and amber coiling through the air like subtle poison. Tania checked her reflection in the rearview mirror one final time, admiring the silk blouse cinched at her waist, the designer sunglasses that veiled the madness behind her eyes, and the dark lipstick she applied like war paint. No one would question her intentions today. She didnât look like the type who came bearing vengeance. She looked just like an influential mother who'd just come to enroll her three-year-old son. Brian sat quietly in the back seat of the car she'd borrowed from her doctor buddy Luke. He sat in his booster behind her, clutching a juice box, his legs swinging gently. He had no idea what the day meant. What it cost.âReady, baby?â she asked sweetly, stepping out of the car and rounding it with practiced elegance. The click of her heels was confident and precise as she unbuckled him and took his tiny hand in hers.The
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 62: Where it Hurts.
Chapter 62The door slammed shut behind her like a final verdict.Taniaâs heels clicked with frantic rhythm on the battered laminate floor as she stormed into the apartment, a raging storm of anger bubbling in her very being. She barely registered her environment as arms tightened around Brian, who was starting to squirm, and with a huff of frustration, she dropped him onto the lumpy old couch.He fussed immediately, whimpering, kicking, and rubbing his eyes with tiny balled fists, but she was already pacing, clawed hands dragging through her sweat-damp blonde hair. Her skin prickled. Her teeth ground together. Her ears buzzed with the echo of Andreasâs voice, still rattling around her skull like shrapnel.âFull custody,â she spat, venom thick on her tongue. âHe said he wants full custody. He's crazy if he thinks, even for one second that I'll agree to give up my child without a fight!âBrianâs cries grew louder as he heard Tania's a
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 61: Where Loyalty Lies
Chapter 61The words settled like a rock in Mia's chest."I'm fighting to get full custody of my son, Brian" Andreas whispered into the quiet of her room, his breath still warm against her collarbone.Mia stiffened in his arms, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. The air between them crackled but not with the heat from moments before, but with the weight of something heavier, denser. Her lips parted, but the question came out as barely more than a breath."What?"Andreasâs hands slid to her waist, grounding her, steadying her as though he could sense the shift happening inside her. He didnât repeat himself. He didnât have to.The room felt suddenly colder, shadows stretching longer against the walls, and the humming silence that followed was almost unbearable.Mia stepped back, folding her arms over her chest as if she could shield herself from the storm that was gathering within. "You want to take him away f
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 60: Last Strand
Chapter 60The late afternoon sun bled golden streaks across the sky, casting long shadows over the city park. Laughter rang in the air with children squealing in delight, parents chatting, and the occasional bark of a dog as it chased after a ball. To any outsider, it looked like a perfect family outing. But for Tania, every cheerful note in the air grated against her nerves. As her eyes landed on Andreas, she noticed the tension emanating from his body and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. She watched from the bench as Andreas stood by the side of the play area, his hands in the pockets of his charcoal hoodie, eyes fixed on the small boy laughing inside the ball pit. Brianâs curls bounced as he flailed through the rainbow-colored plastic, his face lit up in wonder and glee. Occasionally, heâd look up, searching for his mother or Andreas. Whenever his gaze landed on Andreas, heâd wave shyly. And Andreas, sweetly and patiently, would
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR Â Â Â 59: Lyrics of Us
Chapter 59 Mia's night had shifted. It was no longer a hollow echo of Andreas's silence, but now something alive, something burning. The moment she ran into his arms, her body responded before her mind could catch up. His warmth swallowed her, strong arms lifting her as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the side of her neck, his hands firm beneath her thighs. "Shh... quiet," she whispered against his ear, her voice low and teasing. "Sofia's asleep." "Then I guess we better keep our voices down," he murmured, his grin pressed against her skin. He carried her inside like she weighed nothing, and Mia giggled softly, burying her face in his shoulder. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing their world off from everything outside. He set her down in the living room, but Mia didnât let go of his hand. She held it tightly, eyes sparkling with intention.
