Nicholas’s POV
Seeing that change in him made my heart heavy. I wanted to see him happy and hoped today could be a special moment for him. I tried to think of a way to cheer him up, ensuring he felt loved and cared for.I took a deep breath, trying to choose the right words. I turned back to look at him. “Mommy Sabrina is resting, sweetheart. She really wishes she could be here, but she needs some time to recover.”Charlie looked at me with wide, hopeful eyes. “Really, Daddy? We’re really going to see Mommy Sabrina?”I smiled and nodded. “Of course. After lunch, we’ll go there.”Joy immediately returned to his face. “Yay!” he cheered, bouncing in his seat, even though he was still strapped in.Sabrina would be waiting for us at home, and I knew Charlie couldn’t wait to see her. That made me even more determined to do my best to keep this relationship intact, no matter how challenging it might be.For Sabrina. For CharliSabrina’s POV “Do you think Hazel will change a lot?” I finally asked, breaking the quiet.Nicholas nodded slowly. “A journey like that always changes a person. But I hope… she’s still her.”I nodded in understanding. “Charlie can’t wait to see her. He’s been ready since dawn.”Nicholas smiled, warmer this time. “Hazel will be happy to hear that.”I sipped my tea, feeling the warmth spreading through my chest. “We all need a break, Nick. Including you. Whatever you're working on isn’t going anywhere. But your time with the people you love—it’ll be gone if you don’t catch it now.”He didn’t reply, but I knew my words reached him. He just stared ahead, at the garden, as if trying to remember what it felt like to live without the weight of the world on his shoulders.“Charlie’s been ready since sunrise,” I said softly, smiling. “If you can spare the time, we should head out soon.”Nicholas turned to me and smiled. “I promise. Fifteen more minutes.”
Sabrina’s POV It’s been a month since that day.Adrian was finally arrested and officially detained. Since all the evidence collected by Nicholas, Bima, and Prasetya succeeded in exposing the rot hidden behind the power and prestige he had built. The scandal exploded in the media. He could no longer hide behind threats or expensive lawyers.Hazel...Today, Hazel is finally allowed to go home from the hospital. She has even been cleared of all charges, with solid evidence proving her innocence.I stood in the kitchen making tea, my eyes glancing at the wall clock. Nine o’clock in the morning. Charlie had been excited since before the sun fully rose. He didn’t even wait for the alarm. The first thing he said when he woke up was, “Today Mom Hazel is coming home, right?”I could only smile, amused by his excitement. He was already dressed neatly even before taking a bath. Now, he was in his room, choosing which drawing to bring as a “welcome home” gift for Hazel
Sabrina’s POV Charlie giggled and ran to the closet. I helped him into a pair of gray pants and brushed his hair neatly. While he was picking out his shoes, I checked my phone for a message from Nicholas.[Everything’s arranged. Prasetya has provided security. Hazel has been informed, and she agreed to meet Charlie. Private room. No interruptions. You can leave whenever you're ready.]I let out a quiet sigh, a mixture of nerves and relief. Everything was happening so quickly, yet somehow it felt right. Hazel was now conscious and strong enough. And Charlie… he was more than ready.“Charlie,” I called gently, kneeling in front of him. “When we get to the hospital, don’t run around, okay? Mom Hazel still needs a lot of rest.”“Okay, Mom,” he replied seriously. “I just want to hug her, then give her this drawing.”He folded his drawing carefully and placed it into the little folder I had given him earlier. It was a light blue folder with a dinosaur sticker on t
Sabrina’s POV Charlie grinned widely, then sat down on the grass, still holding his drawing. He started doodling again, adding a large sun above the head of “Dad” in his picture. The sun was smiling.I sat beside him, letting time pass slowly. In this little yard, we waited. In a silence full of meaning, in hope without sound. Because even though the world outside was moving fast, we knew—we had to be a place to come home to. A quiet place, a patient one, that never stopped believing.I still don’t know how all of this will end. But I do know one thing—whatever happens, I’ll be right here. For Nicholas. For Charlie. And maybe… for Hazel too.Because sometimes, love isn’t about possession. It’s about choosing to stay… when the storm returns.The morning sky began to change. Sunlight hadn’t quite pierced the clouds yet, but the shadows of trees on the lawn were growing clearer. I sat on a wooden bench near the fence, while Charlie played with his toy car
Sabrina’s POV This morning was too quiet for such an important day. No news from outside, no incoming messages. Even the usually noisy social media groups seemed to be holding their breath. The world felt still, as if waiting for a bomb to go off.I looked out the window. Sunlight began piercing through the leaves, reflecting the shimmering sea onto the glass window. In the distance, the cries of seagulls echoed with the crashing waves hitting the rocks. Everything looked normal… too normal for a day that could change everything.Nicholas appeared a few minutes later, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. His hair was still slightly damp, and his eyes were filled with resolve. “Morning,” he said, glancing at the table. “Morning,” I replied. “Eat first. I know you’re going to say you don’t have time, but you need to eat.” He gave a faint smile, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Charlie immediately greeted him with morning stories that fill
Sabrina’s POV Morning light had yet to fully filter through the window when I opened my eyes. The air was still cool, and the scent of the sea from the backyard garden drifted faintly in with the breeze slipping through the window I’d forgotten to close last night.I lay still for a moment, letting the silence wash over the clutter in my head left by a night full of worry.A thin fog hung across the ceiling, reflecting the pale light that slowly seeped in through the cream-colored curtains. The sound of waves crashing in the distance was the only reminder that the world outside still pulsed with its own rhythm. But inside this room, time seemed to have stopped.The warm blanket wrapped around my body was the only shield from the cold that pierced to the bone. But it wasn’t the chill in the air I felt most—it was the emptiness. A creeping kind of hollow, slow but certain. My eyes stared at the ceiling, blank, directionless.My thoughts wandered back to the n