Semua Bab When love turns to ashes : Bab 101 - Bab 110

The days that followed unfolded like a careful, fragile bloom slow, deliberate, and impossibly bright. June watched them with a mix of astonishment and a small, tentative relief that felt almost guilty to admit. Xander did not storm into their lives with grand declarations; he arrived in the quiet, ordinary ways of someone who meant to stay. He fixed the squeaky gate, learned the best bus routes to Valerie’s school, and showed up at parent–teacher meetings with a notepad and a chastened, earnest smile. He met the neighbors, thanked Mrs. Haines for keeping an eye on the gate, and handed June receipts for groceries and medicines without theatrics simple, dependable acts that, day by day, began to rewrite his presence from intruder to participant.At first, the outings were small and cautious. A morning at the park Valerie’s favorite place felt like testing the air after a long, cold winter. Xander pushed himself in a steadier rhythm now; the wheelchair rolled more confidently beneath hi

Xander sat quietly in his office, staring at the half-empty glass of water on his desk. The once lively space that echoed with laughter from Valerie’s visits now seemed unbearably silent. He leaned back in his chair, pressing his trembling hands against his face. The doctor’s words replayed in his head like a haunting record: “You have a month, Xander. I’m sorry.”A month. Just thirty short days. Thirty days to make peace, thirty days to put his affairs in order, thirty days to try and hold onto the happiness he had just discovered with his daughter.For hours he sat, frozen in thought, until finally he reached for his phone. His first call was to his lawyer, Mr. Anthony. His voice cracked as he spoke, “Anthony, I want to change my will immediately. Everything my houses, my shares, my savings, my investments I want it all transferred to my daughter, Valerie. She’s… she’s my only heir.”The lawyer hesitated, concerned about the urgency in Xander’s tone. “Are you sure you want to do thi

Xander sat in the corner of the hospital waiting room, his hands trembling as he replayed June’s words in his head. Valerie has a bad heart… transplant… I can’t lose my baby. The words sliced into him deeper than any knife could. He buried his face in his palms, tears sliding down uncontrollably. For the first time in his life, he felt completely powerless.After a long silence, he pulled out his phone with shaking fingers and dialed Dr. Lawrence. The doctor answered almost immediately, his calm voice greeting him, “Xander? Are you okay? You don’t sound fine.”Xander’s voice cracked as he asked the question that had been burning in his chest, “Doctor… tell me the truth… can I transfer my heart to Valerie?”There was a pause. Dr. Lawrence inhaled sharply. “Xander… are you saying what I think you’re saying?”“Yes!” Xander almost shouted, his voice breaking into a sob. “Don’t give me technicalities, Lawrence. Just answer me. Can I? Can I give her my heart?”Dr. Lawrence went quiet for a

The moment Dr. Evans — the doctor in charge of Valerie’s case walked into the quiet waiting lounge, June stood up immediately, her hands trembling and her eyes swollen from hours of nonstop crying. She had been clutching Valerie’s little jacket to her chest as though that alone could keep her child tethered to life.“Mrs. June…” the doctor said softly, his face composed but his words deliberate. “I have some news. We have found a donor.”For a second June froze, staring at him blankly as though she hadn’t heard him right. Then suddenly, she clasped her hands together and tears spilled down her cheeks uncontrollably. “A donor?” she gasped, her voice breaking. “You mean… you mean someone is willing to give my child a new heart?”“Yes,” the doctor replied, choosing his words carefully. “Someone has stepped forward. They’ve made it clear they want to remain anonymous, but the transplant can be done. The surgery will be scheduled in about a week. You’ll need to prepare yourself, and pray e

Over the table at a quiet bistro, Xander ordered something light and non pretentious; June declined wine and took water, her hands steady though her heart thudded hard beneath her ribs. They spoke cautiously at first patchwork conversation about nothing and everything: Valerie’s favorite cartoons, the absurdities of hospital food, the tiny miracle of a lemon tart that could brighten the gloomiest day. Laughter came, not easy at first, but honest, and the sound felt like a small, illicit blessing. Xander watched June with a hunger that was both humble and aching. He wanted this dinner to be remembered, not as a last supper of sorts, but as proof that tenderness could exist even after betrayal. He kept the bouquet’s stems in water at his feet, the petals brushing against his shoe, a simple, living reminder of what he was fighting for. June watched him too her gaze softer than it had been in months, threaded with worry she could not mask. Sometimes she caught him staring, and in th