Sabrina's POV
“But Mika laughed! So that means it’s funny, right?” he said proudly, making our table even more lively.Nicholas chuckled and patted my shoulder. “Our kid… future comedian in the making.”“Dad, when I grow up, can I work on TV?” Charlie asked seriously.“Of course. Just don’t end up on the crime news,” Nicholas quipped, sending another wave of laughter around the table.The food finally arrived: honey-roasted chicken, fried rice, corn soup, and fries for the kids. The delicious aroma instantly made everyone hungry.As the meal began, conversations flowed naturally. Mrs. Anya shared how her child had just learned to read three-letter words. Mr. Rendra mentioned their plans for a family picnic during the upcoming school break. Meanwhile, Charlie and Mika started a “guess the taste” game, covering their eyes and sampling vegetables one by one.“This is a carrot!” Mika shouted.“No, it’s corn!” Charlie corrected him.“But it’s oraHazel’s POV I walked to the corner of the room, settling beneath the bunk bed—one of the few quiet places, far enough from the chaos. My fingers grazed the rough wall behind me, where I found faint scratches, small tally marks etched by someone before me. Row after row of lines, perhaps counting the days that passed. I began carving one of my own—not with anything sharp, just my fingernail. But it was enough. Enough to make me feel like I still… existed.One more day. One more mark. It meant I was still here. Still breathing. Still alive.In the distance, I heard the clang of metal being slammed—maybe a guard opening another block. Then hurried footsteps. I turned slightly, but as usual, I didn’t expect anything. No one was looking for me. No letters. No news.I leaned my body back against the wall again. My thoughts strained to hold on. The small hope I clung to had started to feel like a burden, but I wasn’t ready to let it go. Even if no one came. Even if every d
Hazel’s POVThe walls of this prison are cold. Even when the sun scorches the world outside, the chill seeps into my bones. I sit in the corner of my cell, my body growing thinner by the day, leaning against the damp concrete wall. My breathing is slow—too slow, as if my body itself is beginning to give up. Food no longer holds any appeal. It tastes bland. Sometimes even revolting.I’ve lost count of how many days I’ve been in here. Time feels frozen between the sound of clanging bars, the footsteps of guards, and the metallic clang that signals meal times. Everything feels mechanical. Nothing feels warm. Nothing feels real. I just sit—breathing, thinking, then falling back into silence.One day, I tried to write. I tore a scrap from the food wrapper and hid it. But no words could truly express what I felt. Even writing Charlie’s name made my chest tighten. He’s too young to understand all this, and I’m too helpless to explain it.I miss him. More than anyone. His la
Nicholas’s POV Once they left, I sat back down. The room felt quiet, but my mind was loud. Memories swirled—of the day I was hit, Hazel’s testimony, and the look on Sabrina’s face when she found out I was still defending the woman who had once left her.But this wasn’t about the past. It was about the truth.Hazel might have left once. But she came back, trying to fix things. And now she was being destroyed by someone who claimed to love her.I wasn’t going to let this game continue.I was going to end it.The sound of my phone ringing cut through the late afternoon silence, slipping past the golden light falling through the office windows. The name on the screen made my stomach tighten.Andrian.It took me a few seconds before I answered. My voice was cold, sharp. “What do you want?”“Relax, Nicholas.” Andrian’s voice was almost too casual, like he was inviting me to dinner. “I just want to talk. One-on-one.”“I’m not interested,” I shot bac
Nicholas’s POV I gripped the steering wheel tightly, as if to make sure I stayed on course—literally and figuratively. My mind drifted back to yesterday’s meeting between Hazel and Sabrina. Two women who had once hurt each other, now united by the same child. It wasn’t easy. But it wasn’t impossible either. Sabrina had taken a massive step. And now, it was my turn to take the next.A slow song began playing on the car radio, but I barely heard it. My thoughts spiraled through all the possible scenarios that could unfold today. Our legal team was reworking Hazel’s defense. One of our investigators was re-examining the digital evidence—texts and transactions that seemed to come from Hazel, but which she had no explanation for. We suspected all of it had been fabricated.Andrian. His name crept back into my thoughts, like poison I couldn’t avoid. He had always been at the root of every fracture in my life. Even when I tried to leave the past behind, his shadow always found
Nicholas’s POV The sound of small footsteps coming down the stairs caught my attention. I knew that sound anywhere. Charlie. He was up earlier than usual. I quickly left the bedroom and found him in the kitchen, sitting sleepily in front of an untouched bowl of cereal.“Dad…” he mumbled softly.I smiled and gently ruffled his hair. “Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?”Charlie nodded. “I dreamed about Mom Hazel. She smiled and said she missed me.”My heart clenched. His words were simple, innocent, but they carried a weight only we truly understood. I leaned down, kissed his forehead, and said, “Mom Hazel surely misses you a lot too.”Charlie gave a small smile and went back to stirring his breakfast absentmindedly. But I could tell his mind was far away—maybe imagining a time when he could hug Hazel again, or just see her face without a glass wall and heavy security in between.A moment later, Sabrina entered the kitchen with two cups of tea.
Nicholas’s POV I woke up earlier than usual this morning. The air in the room was still cool, and the faint scent of tea lingering from the cup on the small table told me that Sabrina had stayed up late last night. Beside me, her body was still curled under the blanket. Her face looked peaceful, but I knew her mind hadn’t truly found peace in recent days. I gently brushed a strand of her hair, letting her stay asleep.Carefully, I rose from the bed, making sure not to make any noise. I walked toward the window, opened the curtains just slightly, and let the morning light seep into the room. The sky was a pale blue, and I could hear birds chirping faintly in the distance. For a moment, the world felt calm. But I knew today would be filled with difficult conversations, major decisions, and truths that could no longer be hidden.My thoughts drifted back to last night’s conversation. Sabrina’s words lingered—how she wanted Charlie to grow up knowing every part of his life,