ログインVienna’s POVI sat down on the bed beside Lily, the mattress dipping slightly under my weight.I took a slow breath, choosing my words carefully."Sometimes," I began gently, "when parents fight… it can feel really big and really scary. Like it’s about you."Her shoulders tensed."But it’s not," I continued. "It’s really not, Lily."She shook her head immediately. "It is.""No," I said softly, but firmly. "When parents argue about their child, it doesn’t mean the child did something wrong."She turned her face toward me then, her eyes red and searching."It doesn’t?" she whispered.I shook my head. "No. It means they both love you very much… and they’re trying to figure out what’s best for you.""But they don’t agree," she said quickly. "They fight all the time.""I know," I murmured. "And that’s hard. But grown-ups… they don’t always know the right way to do things. They make mistakes too."Lily’s lip trembled."They’d be better without me," she said, her voice barely audible. "Then
Vienna’s POVMy heart dropped instantly."Bella?" I stepped aside without hesitation. "Come in—what happened?"She stumbled inside like her legs could barely carry her. Lily was right behind her, practically glued to her side, clutching that worn little bunny like it was the only thing keeping her grounded."I’m sorry," Bella sniffled, her voice breaking. "I know it’s late, I just—""Hey, hey," I said gently, closing the door behind them and locking it without even thinking. "It’s okay. You’re safe here."The words came out automatically, but I meant them with everything in me.Lily looked up at me then, her big eyes glassy with tears."Hi, Vienna," she whispered, her voice so small it nearly shattered me."Hi, sweetheart," I said softly, crouching down in front of her. "Do you want a hug?"She nodded immediately.The second I opened my arms, she threw herself into them, clinging so tightly it made my chest ache. I wrapped her up, one hand cradling the back of her head."It’s okay," I
Vienna’s POVI was a mess.There was no softer way to put it. No poetic spin I could give it to make it sound less pathetic, less… raw.The whole day, I didn’t leave the kitchen.I couldn’t face the customers. Couldn’t plaster on a smile and pretend everything was fine while my chest felt like it had been hollowed out and stitched back together wrong.So I stayed in the back, kneading dough that didn’t need kneading, wiping counters that were already spotless, and staring at the same tray of croissants for far too long."Vienna…"Ashley’s voice came gentle. Careful.I hadn’t even realized she’d come in until she was standing right next to me, her hand resting lightly on my arm."You’re going to scrub a hole through that counter," she said softly.I let out a weak chuckle."Don’t you wanna take a break from the kitchen? You don’t have to hide back here all day, you know," she added."I’m not hiding," I muttered.She raised an eyebrow."…Okay, I’m hiding," I admitted quietly.Ashley squ
Vienna’s POV"Hey…" Edward said quietly.His voice carried so much weight it made my chest tighten."Edward, hi!" Ashley Bennett chimed in, instantly switching into her usual warm, slightly chaotic energy. She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug before I could even process what was happening. Edward returned it politely, though I could feel the tension in his shoulders even from where I stood.Ashley pulled back, hands still on his arms, and gave him a pointed look."You better get your act together," she said, not even trying to lower her voice. "I wanna have lots of double dates with you and Vienna, alright?"I closed my eyes for half a second.Ashley…Edward let out a soft, weary breath, a faint smile tugging at his lips—but it didn’t reach his eyes."It’s really not that simple, Ash," he said."God, not you too," she muttered, throwing her hands up. "What is it with you people and being all mysterious lately?"Edward’s gaze flicked to mine for just a second before he answer
Vienna’s POVAfter what felt like the longest movie night of my life, Warren and I stood awkwardly in the hallway.The easy laughter from earlier had faded into something quieter. He shifted his weight slightly, rubbing the back of his neck."Well… uh," he said, glancing toward the staircase. "I should probably—""Yeah," I cut in quickly, nodding. "You should. Guest room.""Right. Guest room," he echoed.A beat passed. Then another.God, this was ridiculous.We’d shared so much—history, pain, a child—and yet here we were, acting like two teenagers after a first date."Goodnight, Vienna," he said softly."Goodnight, Warren."He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. It was… careful. Respectful.But the moment his arms wrapped around me, his warmth, his scent, the solid familiarity of him—it all hit me at once.I froze for half a second before hugging him back.Not too tight. Not too long."Sleep well," he murmured near my hair."You too."We pulled apart quickly, almost at the same
Vienna’s POVI really tried not to let Edward’s behavior get under my skin.But it did. God, it did.I could maybe—maybe—understand him ignoring me. Things between us were complicated, messy, unresolved. Maybe he didn’t want a scene. Maybe he was angry. Maybe he was trying to make a point.But Oliver?That… I couldn’t understand.I glanced at the boy, who sat unusually quiet now, his small shoulders slightly hunched, his earlier excitement completely gone."He didn’t hear me," Oliver muttered after a while, staring down at his plate.Warren and I exchanged a quick look."I’m sure that’s it, buddy," Warren said gently. "Restaurants can be really loud."Oliver shook his head. "But I said it loud. Two times.""I know you did," Warren said calmly. "But sometimes people are distracted. Grown-ups get stuck in their heads."Oliver poked at a fry. "He always hears me."My chest tightened.I reached over, brushing my hand softly over his hair. "Hey… maybe he had something important going on,"
Vienna’s POVI stepped into the living room. Celestine sat stiffly on the couch, hands folded tightly in her lap. Harold sat beside her, his arm resting protectively over her shoulder."Eleanor?" I repeated, my voice almost a whisper. "She’s back?"Celestine flinched. Harold looked up, eyes softenin
Vienna’s POVFred blinked, and then smiled faintly. "Yeah. I started seeing it too, once Dad told me the truth. Same cheekbones. Same nose, even that little line between your brows."A lump rose in my throat. "God… How did I never see him before?""Hey." Fred turned toward me, his voice steady. "You
Edward’s POVVienna looked so heartbreakingly fragile beside me. Her eyes were red, lashes still wet, her whole body curled in on itself as though she were trying not to shatter. And God help me… she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.I wanted to pull her into my arms again, hold her
Vienna’s POVThe next morning, I sat in my car outside a modest brick building tucked between a bakery and a florist. I gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. I’d barely slept. My stomach was in knots. But Edward’s words echoed in my head: You’ve already survived the worst par







