LOGINReigna[3 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days later]The quiet hum of the penthouse was no longer just the sound of the central air conditioning; it was the soft, steady rhythm of peace.Our mornings began not with alarms or hurried schedules, but with the gentle light filtering through the bedroom windows, pulling us from sleep. Erwin, somehow, always managed to wiggle his way from his own bed into ours sometime during the night.I’d wake to the warmth of his small body pressed against my back, his soft snores a comforting lullaby. Carlisle would already be awake, propped on an elbow, watching us, a soft, almost vulnerable smile on his face."Good morning, my love," he’d whisper, his voice thick with sleep and affection. He’d reach over to gently brush the hair from my face, then playfully tickle Erwin’s nose until the little boy giggled himself awake."Dada! Mommy! I'm a pancake!" Erwin would declare, burying his face between us, making us both laugh.Right now, breakfast was a joyful chaos
ReignaCome home.That was the only message she sent after she identified herself—and now I’m here, inside the same house that I used to wish to be warm and welcoming to me."Reigna, darling! Oh, my beautiful girl!" Mom’s voice, usually a little distant, was saccharine sweet as she swept me into a surprisingly tight hug. Her hands immediately began to fuss with my hair, patting my arm, her eyes shining with an almost frantic enthusiasm."Look at you! So brave, so strong! We were so worried about you. Truly, your father and I were beside ourselves."Dad emerged from his study, closing the heavy oak door behind him. He looked slightly less effusive than Mom, but his smile was wider than I’d seen it in years. "Reigna. Good to see you. We knew you'd persevere. You always were the tenacious one." He actually gave my shoulder a firm squeeze.I know I longed for this but…this felt wrong."Thank you, Mom, Dad," I said, my voice polite but firm, carefully stepping back from Mom’s embrace. "I a
ReignaNow that all the troubles have passed, it is time for me to come back to work.It had been months since I’d last set foot in these polished halls of XCC building—months since my world had been turned upside down, starting from my entanglement with the love of my life, Carlisle.My leg, though still a little stiff from the fracture and subsequent healing, felt strong enough to carry me, and the confident clack of my heels on the polished marble floor was a defiant rhythm against the whispers of the past.Today was my first day back at work, my first deliberate step back into the public eye beyond the protective, loving bubble of Carlisle and Erwin."Ms. Amethyst! Welcome back! It's so wonderful to see you!" A junior executive named Mr. Dela Cruz practically leaped from his desk, his face contorted into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.He was one of the ones I'd distinctly overheard gossiping in the cafeteria, speculating loudly about my "scheming" nature and Carlisle’s
ErwinThe park was my favorite place. It had tall, green trees, and a super-big slide that went whoosh! Nanny Lucy used to bring me here a lot.One time, it was my birthday when Dada and I came to a nearby big place! I got bored in that fancy hall so I played around and ended up here, where I saw mommy for the first time. She was sitting on a swing, looking very sad, and there were wet lines on her cheeks like when I cry.Today, though, she was smiling.Today was a special day! Dada said it was our "Family Day Out" to celebrate that Mommy's leg was all better. Well, not all better, because she still walked a little funny sometimes and Dada still watched her like a hawk, but she wasn't in the big special chair anymore!We were sitting on a big red-and-white blanket under a giant mango tree. Dada had packed a basket full of yummy snacks."Mommy, can I have another apple slice, please?" I asked, holding up my tiny hands.Mommy giggled. "You're going to eat all the apples, my little bear!
[RED WARNING]Reigna and Carlisle stood together in the living room of his penthouse, a sense of relief washing over them after the grueling custody battle with Violet had finally come to a close. They had emerged victorious, and now Erwin was fast asleep in his room, oblivious to the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks.Carlisle pulled Reigna close, his strong arms enveloping her as he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. If this were any other day, Reigna would’ve swallowed the urge to lean in and try to remind herself that whatever they have right now…is still unnamed, unofficial, and not hers yet.But tonight is different."We did it, princess," he murmured, his deep voice laced with satisfaction and love—a tone no one could deny. "Erwin is safe with us now."Reigna leaned into his embrace, her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy and exhaustion. "I can't believe it's over," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I was so afraid we'd lose him."Carlisle shook his hea
VioletNever in this plan had I considered the possibility of defeat—but here I am, tasting one."You assured me this would be clean, so work and make it happen before I punish you myself," he’d speak in pure dissatisfaction, his face a mask of bitter disappointment. "Never forget how much shame you’ve brought to the Harrington name." Mother, usually my fiercest defender, now regarded me with a chilly silence, her elegant features pinched with mortification. If she were to speak, it would only be about her detachment. “Fix this mess before my next gala this coming Saturday, Violet.”But they shouldn’t cast me aside. Not yet. Erwin was still my son.The custody battle had become my last stand, the final arena where I could prove my worth, reclaim some semblance of control. We had launched a desperate counter-campaign, arguing that the footage was taken out of context, that I was under extreme emotional duress.It was a flimsy defense, but it was all I had left.And now, today is the d
CarlisleThe moment the wheels touched the tarmac, I felt the shift. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but I felt it. The way Reigna straightened in her seat, the rigid tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers curled against the armrest as if bracing herself for impact. Not from the landing
ReignaThe words hung in the air between us, weighty and unshakable, settling deep into my chest like a stone sinking to the bottom of a river. I could still hear them echoing in my mind, could still feel the way they wrapped around my ribs, squeezing too tight, making it hard to breathe.I should
Carlisle“Dada! Mommy said she’ll see you later, but I told her it should be now!” he declared, completely oblivious to the suffocating tension between us.Reigna let out a slow breath, reaching up to smooth his hair with a trembling hand. “Sweetheart,” she murmured, her voice soft, tired. “Maybe a
ErwinWhy was it that after they came back home from a long, long, trip, mommy was sad and dada is being unusual?I knew it.I could feel it.Even though she smiled when I woke up this morning, even though she kissed my forehead and brushed my hair like she always did, something felt wrong. Her smi







