LOGINI turn to him, a small grin forming despite everything. “You did a good job with this one.”A faint smile touches his lips. “Glad you approve… but I can’t take all the credit.”Before I can ask what he means, footsteps echo down the hallway.“Aunt Sierra!”Nova’s voice fills the space as she runs to
I don’t know what to say to that, because it just feels so impossible.“How? How can you erase her like that?” I ask before I can stop myself. “You loved her unconditionally.”I wasn’t trying to be a dick; I was just trying to understand.“I didn't love her,” he says immediately.I shake my head. “T
I stare at him, trying to process what he just said, but it doesn’t land the way it should.“You moved?” I finally ask, my voice quieter than I expect.He nods once, his eyes briefly flicking toward me before returning to the road.I keep looking at him, waiting for it to sink in but it doesn’t beca
“I was not dying.”He shrugs unapologetically. “You were in danger of bleeding out. I wasn’t going to risk it.”I roll my eyes just as the nurse steps in, gently examining my shoulder and thighs.“Good thing is that your wounds aren’t deep and didn’t hit anything to worry about,” she says after a mo
“Noah…”His name leaves my lips in a shaky whisper, somewhere between disbelief and relief, and before I can even think about it, I throw myself into him.He catches me instantly, his arms wrapping around me tightly, almost desperately, like he’s afraid I might slip through his fingers if he doesn’t
My eyes move around the room one last time, lingering on the crib, the tiny details I had so carefully put together, and I realize that I’ll have to change it. When she comes back, this room won’t work anymore. I’ll prepare something that fits a loved little girl and I will wait however long it take
Those minutes I sit there waiting for her feel like the longest of my life. I don’t move, but I can’t stop fidgeting, picking at my nails, shifting in my seat, heart thudding in my ears.When I finally hear the roar of her engine, I spring to my feet, startling Blackie, and rush to the door. I fling
“I don’t need him, and the baby doesn’t either,” I say, the words building strength. “I could ask for a transfer. Start fresh. You can come visit… but Noah doesn’t need to be in our lives.”Lilly stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, and maybe to some extent I have, but this seems like the best cours
The air feels colder today and every breath I take feels taxing, like I have to remind my body how to do it.Just like yesterday, I walk beside my lawyer, my steps feeling heavier as we get closer to the courtroom. As if sensing my anxiety, Lilly places a hand hovering near my back like she’s afraid
“Not yet,” Adrian replies. “She’s got a lot going on right now, but once things settle, I’ll tell her… I’m not about to let her slip through my fingers.”His words land heavier than they should. It’s just a simple confession, but it hits me like a two-edged blade, slicing somewhere in my heart.I do







