Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 51 - Chapitre 60

Chapter 50: What Comes NextJace’s POVGrandma’s face shifted in slow motion—first shock, then disbelief, then something that looked like prayer and profanity mixing in the same breath. She made the sign of the cross so fast her fingers almost blurred.“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” she whispered. “Married?”I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. The word was already hanging in the air like smoke, mpossible to ignore.She stared at me hard. “Married to who?”I lifted a shoulder, feeling the weight of it settle somewhere tight in my chest. “Some rich mogul.”“A rich mogul,” she repeated, voice dropping flat. “Is he richer than you?”I huffed a humorless breath. “Not yet.”Her brow rose. “Yet?”“With time,” I muttered, staring down at my hands, “he may as well be richer than me.”Grandma nodded slowly, her lips pulling together in something close to resignation. She tapped a finger on the table twice, as though that helped her organize her thoughts.“Are you sure she is really married?” she aske

Chapter 52: Unwelcome CallsAurora’s POVAlex sat on the rug in the middle of the living room, completely immersed in the tiny universe he had created from his toys. Cars were lined up in rows, dinosaurs stood guard around the perimeter, and his favorite stuffed dog sat in the middle wearing a paper crown he made this morning. He hummed softly as he played—some little tune with no real melody, just the happy noise of a child who felt safe and content.I had my laptop open on the coffee table, papers arranged in neat stacks around me, tabs and windows open with spreadsheets, reports, and projections. My brain had split itself into compartments—one section for Alex’s soft humming, one for the numbers on my screen, and a third for the lingering irritation that kept tapping me from the inside like a finger drumming against glass.Jace didn’t show up.And at first, yes, I was annoyed. Annoyed that he had insisted on being present for this meeting, that he had given me a time, pressured me,

Chapter 54: First MeetingAurora’s POVBy the time we turned onto the long stretch of road leading toward the park, Alex was practically vibrating with excitement. He leaned forward in his car seat, his little hands pressed to the edge of the window as he scanned every face, every shape, every passing shadow like he was searching for treasure.“Mommy, is that him?” he asked for the third time, pointing at a man in a bright yellow jacket walking his dog.“No, sweetheart,” I said gently.He hummed in thought, eyes already bouncing to the next person. “What about him?” He pointed at a teenager on a skateboard.“No, baby. He's not that young."He let out a soft, exaggerated sigh — dramatic, impatient, adorable. It drew a small smile from me despite the tension simmering under my skin. I had expected nerves. I hadn’t expected my own heartbeat to feel quite so loud.Jace and Alex.Alex and Jace.Two worlds that had existed separately until now. Two worlds I was about to let touch — carefull

Chapter 56: Learning HimJace’s POVAlex’s hand was small in mine—tiny, warm, soft. He held on with this trusting little grip that made my chest tighten in a way I wasn’t prepared for. He looked up at me with bright eyes, still smiling like my hand was the best discovery he’d made today.And I… I was trying to remember everything I’d studied like a madman for the past twenty-four hours.A day ago, I had locked myself in my home with my laptop and typed how to talk to a four-year-old into every search bar possible. I watched lectures, read articles, skimmed about a hundred pages of blogs written by parents who apparently had a saint’s level of patience. I studied what kids his age liked, what they didn’t, what games they were drawn to, how long their attention span usually lasted, how you were supposed to respond if they got overwhelmed.I even practiced smiling in the mirror because one article said children could sense tension like animals did.But the moment he stood in front of me—

Chapter 58: What Could Have BeenAurora’s POVToday was only supposed to be an introduction between Jace and Alex. That was all I planned. A simple meeting. Controlled. Short. Easy to escape from if it turned awkward.I never imagined Alex would cling to him like a magnet the moment they met and call him magic man at every chance he got.I didn’t imagine Alex would tug on his sleeve, or giggle at everything he said, or forget I existed for entire minutes because he was too busy dragging Jace around like he’d known him forever.And Jace… God. I didn’t expect Jace to be good at this. Not this good.He’d been nervous at first — stiff, careful, too aware of how fragile Alex looked. But once Alex started bossing him around like he owned him, something in Jace loosened. He let himself be dragged from game to game. He let Alex talk his nonsense about magic and spells and slide races. He didn’t snap. He didn’t sigh. He didn’t tell Alex to stop or be quiet.He listened.He listened to every ri