Semua Bab FINDING ELENA : Bab 51 - Bab 58

Third Person POV Ary slipped in and out of awareness and every time he surfaced, Elena was there.She'd call his name, begging him to wake up.At other times, she scolded him for scaring her half to death.Cool towels pressed against his skin, shifting from his forehead to his neck, his arms, even his feet. She worked as if she could drag the fever out of him with her bare hands.Once, through the haze, he saw her walk out of the room. Panic clawed at him, until she returned, wheeling Sky’s crib inside. She set it at the foot of his bed, her glance at him conveying a silent reassurance.The realization cut through the fever’s fog. She hadn’t only stayed. She had brought her child, her whole world, into his space. Entrusting it all to him.Between him and the baby, she moved with gentle resolve, swapping one towel for another across his fevered brow, adjusting Sky’s blanket, whispering soothing words to them both.Her presence and touch with Sky's steady breathing, all wove togethe

Elena made a very simple dinner: white rice, pork stew, and boiled eggs. She moved in the now foreign kitchen as if an invisible force guided her hands. While she served his dinner, her mind was a thousand miles away, yet she was painfully self-aware, barely making it through the process. Ary let her be. He didn’t trust himself with words, and this time, he wasn’t ashamed to admit to himself that he didn’t know what to do. Better to stay silent than say something that might push her farther away. After dinner, Elena put Sky to bed, and slipped out quietly. Because she had slept until late afternoon, she couldn’t fall asleep. She decided to walk outside, hoping to clear her head. Remembering the encounter at the pool, she decided instead to go sit at the patio. The night wind howled quietly as she stepped into the patio, blowing cold against her face. She stood for a moment, taking in the burst of air. “Can't sleep?” Ary’s voice startled her. Her heart skipped in fri

Third Person POV Dina was still reeling from the sting of her failed plan. She had everything worked out. She was going to work Ary to the point where something inside him would break because no one knew his insecurities better than her. And she did. Maybe too much. Ary broke but exploded, and the next thing she knew, old Jim bundled her out like yesterday's trash. She clenched her fists at the memory. She'd gone there prepared to spend the night, tend to him, and eventually coax his trust. If all had gone as she planned, she'd have been in his house by his side. Instead, she paced her living room, frustration riding on her every breath. Ary was stronger than she gave him credit for. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, thinking of what else she could do to gain entry back into her son's life. Suddenly, she slowed down to a stop, considering the next obvious option. Julia. Ary's anchor. If Julia was out of his life, he would be crushed. He'd have no spirit l

Julia's and Elena's heads snapped to Ary with wide eyes, the shock clearly written on their faces.He remained quiet like he hadn't said anything. Then Elena turned her gaze to Julia, who seemed to be studying Ary's unreadable face, and after a few seconds turned back to her.“That's doable. A different environment is good,” Julia said at last.Elena couldn’t hold back the question inside her head. “Has it ever been held here before?”“No, first time. But, it'll be even more special for that reason.”A hush fell over the table, the first time since they sat. Elena had sensed Julia’s surprise in the way her fork hovered mid-air. Was Mr. Banks doing this for her? The thought tightened her chest as Ary calmly chewed.When dinner was over, Julia stayed for a while in the sitting room to chat with Ary. Elena served them drinks before excusing herself to go tend to Sky.“Well, that was… unexpected,” Julia said once Elena was out of earshot. “Are you sure you want the entire Family C