Chapter 130The morning air in the house was still and cool, the kind that whispered of new beginnings yet carried the residue of yesterday's storms. Mia was up earlier than usual, drawn out of bed not by an alarm clock, but by guilt gnawing at her conscience. She hadn’t slept well. Her mind had run marathons through the night, replaying the argument with Andreas like a looped film reel she couldn’t turn off.The kitchen was dimly lit, the soft underglow of the stove's light casting golden hues across the granite counters. Mia moved quietly, careful not to wake anyone. She opened the fridge and retrieved eggs, butter, sugar, and cream. It had been a long time since she made Andreas’s favorite... the cream brûlée breakfast sandwich. She whipped the eggs with practiced hands, the vanilla scent rising up in soft waves, sweet and comforting. It wasn’t just breakfast. It was an apology.By the time the custard had set and the sandwich was caramelized to golden perfection, she heard the cre
Chapter 130The front door closed with a muted click, swallowed by the stillness of the evening. Andreas didn’t follow her in. Not yet. Maybe he shouldn't. This was obviously a misunderstanding and they needed to talk. But when they were both calm and level-headed. Mia watched the security light cast his silhouette on the pavement through the blinds, motionless except for the occasional rise and fall of his shoulders. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, his gaze tilted upward toward the moon as if waiting for it to give him answers.Mia sat down heavily on the edge of their bed, her legs trembling beneath the weight of too many emotions. Her chest burned. Her throat ached. She was still fuming, at Tania, at Andreas, at everything. The sheer audacity of Tania showing up at Lucas’s funeral. The terror on Sofia’s face. The officers’ justification. The way Andreas defended her, again.She took a deep breath, in and out, in and out, trying to still the thunder pounding behind her r
Chapter 129 What the hell do you think you guys are doing bringing her here?" The words ripped from Mia's throat like glass. They echoed across the once Serene and silent ceremony, sharp and unforgiving, cutting through the reverent hush that had settled over the mourners. A light breeze rustled the trees, lifting black veils and sending floral tributes gently shifting. Yet nothing moved Mia. Nothing except rage. Tania stood only a few feet away, flanked by two officers. Her hands were cuffed, but her expression wore an air of contrived humility, the kind Mia didn't believe. She thought it looked acted, rehearsed, weaponized. "I'm sorry, Mia... Please, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness..." Tania whispered. Mia's heart thundered. "Of course you don't. As a matter of fact, you don't deserve anything!" Andreas joined her at her side, tension radiating off him in waves. She barely glanced at him, her eyes remaining locked on the woman she now loathed. Tania turned her gaze t
Chapter 128April sat silently beside the hospital bed, the hum of machines and the distant echo of hurried footsteps providing the only soundtrack to her thoughts. The light in the hospital room was too bright. Almost painfully sterile. And yet, it felt like a spotlight shining on the impossible decision April had made.Her eyes were locked on the doctor standing in front of her, a composed, middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a heavy truth."You're a perfect match," the doctor announced softly.There was a brief, loaded pause.April's heart matched for the transplant for Brian. They found a donor. lGloom settled over the room like a descending curtain. No one moved. No one breathed.Then Mia crumbled. A guttural sob tore from her chest as she staggered toward April, arms outstretched. Her body trembled, overcome with a storm of relief and guilt."You don’t have to do this," Mia cried as she collapsed into April's arms. "Please. There has to be another way."April, already tearful
Chapter 127 That night, when everything unfolded. The Mediterranean moon cast a ghostly light over the Aegean waters, calm and deceptively serene. The resort glowed like a crown upon the island, basking in luxury and secrets. And within one of its most opulent suites, history was rewriting itself in the dark. Years ago. April stood on the private balcony of her penthouse suite at the Blue Serenity Hotel in Greece, the same hotel where Mia and Andreas were about to meet for the first time. It was fated to happen. April was there for work. The sea breeze tousled her thick, auburn hair, and the wine glass in her hand trembled slightly from the tightness of her grip. Below, lights sparkled across the poolside, and laughter echoed like cruel reminders of the joy she had lost. She had seen Andreas enter earlier. Being as influential as she was, she knew every celebrity by name. Especially a scandalous celebrity like Andreas. He was in the news a lot lately. She thought. Though
Chapter 126The next morning arrived cloaked in a strange quiet. It wasn't the peaceful kind, but rather the kind that lingered after a storm had passed, uncertain if it had truly ended. Somehow they thought the worst was over. How wrong they were. April's confession last night had put them all on their feet. The living room now buzzed with an uncomfortable tension as the family assembled. Andreas stood tall behind the couch, his hands resting gently on the shoulders of Mia and her mother, Mrs. Angela. Both women sat with straight backs, their hands clasped tightly on their laps. Across from them, April sat alone, her shoulders slightly hunched, as though the weight of what she was about to say had settled on her spine. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her blouse, knuckles white, as she summoned the courage to speak about everything. She wasn't leaving anything out anymore. No more lies. "First, Mia," April began, her voice soft, almost trembling. "I'd like to apologize to you