บททั้งหมดของ SEVEN NIGHTS WITH MY STEPFATHER: บทที่ 251 - บทที่ 256

IVY A year later…The sound of waves gently rolling onto the shore mixed with Noah’s soft humming from the kitchen. I opened my eyes slowly, warm sunlight touching my face through the open window. For a moment I just lay there, breathing in the fresh ocean air, feeling the soft sheets against my skin. This was real. I was here, in our small beach house in Hawaii, far from everything that had hurt me before. No more waking up confused in a hospital bed. No more living with secrets and fear. Just this — peace, warmth, and the man I loved moving around in the next room.I smiled to myself and got up, slipping on one of Noah’s old t-shirts that reached my thighs. The wooden floor felt cool under my feet as I walked toward the kitchen. Noah stood by the counter, his back to me, humming a quiet tune while flipping eggs in the pan. The smell of breakfast filled the air — coffee, toast, and something sweet. My heart swelled looking at him. He looked relaxed, his hair messy from sleep, we

IVYThe scissors made a soft snipping sound as the stylist worked through my hair. I sat in the salon chair, the warm afternoon light coming through the big window, feeling more relaxed than I had in months. The smell of shampoo and fresh coffee from the corner filled the air. For the first time since everything happened, I felt like a normal girl again — just getting a simple haircut, chatting with someone who didn’t know my complicated past.“You have such nice hair,” the stylist, a friendly woman named Mia, said with a smile. “What made you want to change it a little?”I smiled back at her in the mirror. “I just wanted something fresh. A new start, you know? Something lighter.”She nodded as she trimmed the ends. “I get that. Life gets heavy sometimes. A good haircut can make you feel like you can face anything again.”We talked easily about small things — the weather, the best places to eat in town, how the beach looked especially beautiful this week. I laughed when she told me

IVYSomething felt wrong with Noah lately. He had been quiet, distant, checking his phone too often and forcing smiles when he thought I wasn’t looking. I tried to ignore it at first. I told myself he was just tired from work or worried about money. But the longer it went on, the heavier the feeling became in my chest. Instead of asking him directly, I decided to do something different. I wanted to surprise him. I wanted to remind him that I was here, that we were okay, that I missed him when he worked the night shift.So that evening, I dressed in the simple blue dress he liked, put on a little makeup, and walked toward the bar. The streets were still busy with people enjoying the warm Hawaiian night. Lights from shops and restaurants glowed along the sidewalk. I smiled to myself, imagining his face when he saw me. Maybe we could walk home together after his shift. Maybe we could stop for ice cream like we used to. The thought made my steps lighter.But as I got closer to the ba