The Night Before Christmas のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 171 - チャプター 174

Aria's POVAs the applause inside the Whitmore Group auditorium slowly faded behind us, I stood for one last moment in the lobby beneath my father's portrait.Morning sunlight streamed through the glass facade, illuminating the polished marble floor beneath my feet. Employees passed by carrying files and tablets, returning to their daily routines now that the uncertainty surrounding the company had finally ended.Life moved forward. Perhaps that was the greatest gift time offered after tragedy. It never stood still.Desmond came to stand beside me, slipping his hand into mine."You've been looking at him for quite a while."I smiled softly without taking my eyes off the portrait."I was just wondering what he would have said if he were standing here today."Desmond followed my gaze."I think he'd be proud."The words settled warmly inside my heart. Not because I needed reassurance, but because somewhere deep inside, I believed him.I nodded once before turning away."Come on."He smil

Aria's POVSeveral Months LaterSoft morning sunlight filtered through the large hospital windows, bathing the private maternity suite in a warm golden glow. Beyond the glass, snow-white clouds drifted lazily across a bright blue winter sky, while the city below carried on with its usual rhythm, unaware that inside one quiet room, an entirely new life had just begun.The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, softened by the fresh lilies Jane had placed on the windowsill only an hour earlier. The steady beeping of medical monitors blended with the occasional laughter drifting through the corridor, creating a strange but comforting reminder that this place held both endings and beginnings every single day.Today belonged to a beginning.I lay against the raised hospital bed, exhaustion pulling gently at every muscle in my body. My arms still felt weak, and my entire body ached from the long hours of labour, yet none of it seemed important anymore.Not when I heard the tiny crie