KIRADear Kira,I’m sorry for my outburst. I don’t think it was a good idea to come to Hollow Peak, as I don’t fit into your life there. Your family loves you very much and when I said I loved you, I meant it. Maybe it’s better to put some distance between us. I’m sorry you’ll have to explain my leaving. To keep things simple, you can tell them you found out I cheated on you. I’ll take any harsh words that come from your family, especially your brother. I’m sorry,Yours forever,Gabriel.I was sitting in my room with tears streaming down my cheeks. I was reading Gabriel’s goodbye note. It was the last thing he ever wrote to me before he just left, and it made me cry even more. It was like his revenge on my note from a few days ago. And he wrote yours forever. Nonsense. He was never mine.I looked at the clock on my phone and saw that it was almost 8:00 p.m., which meant that I had been sitting here for two hours reading his note over and over again, trying to comprehend what happen
KIRAI literally exploded screaming at Gabriel. But I was tired of everything that was happening to me. He just stood there in front of me saying nothing. I didn’t realize my screams could alert the family.“Don’t just stand there, say something!” I said with a heavy heart.“What do you want me to say? I said I loved you and you think I am playing some kind of game. Kira, I will not give up. Do you hear me?” “Give up on what? I already did, so your attempts to make things better don’t work anymore!” My words stirred something in him because once again he went silent. I spoke painfully, as an attack on him, but Gabriel left me no choice. It annoyed me that he didn't fight more. He never understood that words meant absolutely nothing to me. “I hate you, Gabriel!” I didn’t mean to say it. I just wanted him to be there more. He wasn’t listening to me, so I told him I hated him. And that silence mode he went in left me with no choice but to attack him like this.He didn’t back away, but
GABRIELFIVE YEARS LATERThe day wasn’t great.We had lost a prospective client who I had assumed was a guarantee. I had already planned in my head the actions I would take with the status and money this client would have provided us. After it went down, I remained gazing at a list of development proposals I had no way of implementing now. The next day I called John, who I made my partner.“We have to talk about this. We just can’t lose this client. If we can’t make this work, we’re out.” I said nervously circling the office. “Ok, but do we have some kind of plan?” John asked.To be honest, I didn’t have a plan. I was trying to come up with a solution to save the predicament. I had no doubt it could be done.In the last three years, I did nothing but grow professionally. I’ve closed business after business. And all to forget about… “I mean, I know the guy is important, but is he that important?” John interrupted my thoughts, but not enough to answer him. “Gabe? Are you there?” “I am
KIRAThe schoolyard was full of children. The bustle was continuous, and I was already looking for her. A little girl with golden curls was looking at me with wide eyes and a large, innocent smile. Maddie had a daily ritual of asking the same question when I picked her up from school.“Did you place that special order today, mommy?” I grinned at her and responded in the same way I do every day.“Each order I complete is unique, darling.”Since I began my business with various floral arrangements for various occasions, Maddie has only been interested in flowers. She was always curious about the event they would attend and the unique treat they would be enjoying.“So, nobody important needed them?” she asked with her sweet voice. “Always somebody needs them, honey” Somehow, she was obsessed with the idea that someone would come along and need such a romantic arrangement for the most important person in his life. I carefully placed her in the car seat and sat behind the wheel.“Are
KIRADid Alana really not know he was my client? I stood in front of him and my breath stopped. The same Machiavellian smile, the same arrogance I knew so well. If the earth had opened up right now and swallowed me, I wouldn’t have minded.“Did you expect it to be someone else? Sorry to disappoint you, Kira!” he said, maintaining the same smile on his perfect face. Lord, I wished to just turn back time and be in bed sleeping with Maddie in my arms. This thought hurt me so much, thinking that the situation I was in now placed Maddie the closest to her father that she had ever been. I felt so helpless and vulnerable. “What are you doing here?” I snapped without realizing it was a business matter.“Oh well, we have a deal to close, remember?” he explained. “Please, have a seat!” He was so arrogant that I wished I wouldn’t sit down and just walk away. But something stopped me. “I’ll sit down just because we have business to discuss. However, I must warn you! I don’t want to talk abou
GABRIELI had left London in a hurry because I knew I had to finish this beauty business, as I liked to call it. I’d put it all together so meticulously that I’d impressed even myself. However, I didn’t expect that idiot Mark to come here too. I had also told Martha when I was to return that I did not want to find her near my house. I had thrown her out the door, but because I was in a hurry, I left her with her lover. It looked like the bastard had gone and left her behind. I didn’t stick around to figure it out. I just yelled at her when I drove off not to dare to be there when I got back.But I had just run into another mess. The Mark mess.“Get your filthy hands off her!” I yelled at him, placing myself between them. Mark did not sit idly by and responded accordingly. “You have no right to come into her life like that and pretend nothing happened,” he said, taking the attack posture.“Who said nothing happened?” I shouted at him placing my hands on the collar of his shirt. I c
KIRAI immediately noticed that I had a horrible headache. My temples were throbbing with pain, so I kept my eyes tightly shut. I was lost. What happened?The crash’s recollection slowly returned to me. At a four-way intersection, I was turning when a car crashed into my jeep out of nowhere. My headache was getting worse when I thought back to the collision.I told myself I was in a vehicle crash. I also recalled my motives for coming back to London. What an awful pain! I just can not leave things like that between me and...The hospital must be where I was. I did not feel as though I was in a hospital. The bed was incredibly comfortable. The bed might have been more comfortable than the one I usually slept at home. Oh my God, Maddie was at home...My thoughts flew to her and how worried she would be along with the nanny. Also Alana.Trying to cast a wider vision, I peered around. That ached, strangely enough. My face stung as I squeezed it up and they covered it in something, either
GABRIELI was standing in the hospital corridor, unsure of what to do. All I wanted to do was return to the room and apologize once more, repeating my apologies until I was positive she would believe me. She had been unconscious for the previous ten hours and had a sad appearance. She wasn’t in a coma; the doctors had informed me rather, the physical impact had left her body completely in a trauma. Trauma that I had brought upon her. Once more, I experienced a searing surge of humiliation that was quickly followed by resentment toward me. Could not believe I almost killed her. I inhaled deeply just to steady my heart beat. I got myself into this situation out of anger.I saw the fear in her eyes and I would never forgive myself for that. She was willing not to sue me, but she probably said that in a moment of anger. Or to show me she wasn’t as helpless as she seemed. My God, at what point our lives drifted so far apart?I suddenly felt the urgent need to get out and drive away. Then
GABRIELThis day was going to be an experience that we would be sure to remember for many years to come. I suggested to Kira that it would be a splendid plan if we traveled to Hollow Peak to pay her family a visit. They would be so happy to see us together... all three of us. As the Christmas season drew closer, this time of year was an especially meaningful and joyous time. It was like a circle closing.As I pulled up to Kira’s family home in Hollow Peak, I could see the excitement on their faces from the window. Kira’s mother rushed out of the house to us, extending her open arms and giving us both a warm and loving embrace. Upon seeing us, she expressed great delight and joy and welcomed us warmly into her home.We stepped inside the cozy living room, where a warm fire was burning in the fireplace. The inviting and delectable aroma of freshly baked cookies and holiday treats filled the entire room. Mrs. Reed had a hard time containing her enthusiasm when we sat down on the comforta
KIRAGiven all the excitement, I couldn’t believe I got any sleep at all. I had a premonition that something was going to take place today. It turned out that my assumption was correct. Two knocks at the door brought me with my feet on the ground, as I was still in a dream world. When I opened the door, Gabriel was there, and our daughter, Maddie, was standing beside him. As soon as I saw the delight in her expression, I realized that something amazing was about to happen. As Gabriel spoke, I could feel a sense of anticipation and excitement growing within me as I realized he had something special in store for me.“Hey Kira,” he said with a smile. “I am sorry to barge in like this, but I need your help. I’ve got a business meeting in the afternoon, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend the day with Maddie like we planned. So is it alright if I leave her with you for the day?” he asked with a grin on his face.When I initially heard the news, it shocked me. However, upon looking in
KIRAThe following day it filled me with immense joy and happiness. I was so excited when I ordered some Chinese food and asked Alana if she wanted to have a chat. There were no more steps to take. I was so close to my family.Maddie and I were more connected than ever before as she talked to me about the troubles she had faced and the hopes she held for the future. She really missed me. We could finally look at each other and recognize our true selves, and it gave me an overwhelming feeling of contentment and joy that had been absent for such a long time.And then there was Gabriel. The time we spent together last night was a reminder to me that my love for him had not diminished in the slightest. Our relationship had endured a lot of hardship, and there were moments where I thought it might be beyond repair. I sensed that this was meant to happen, and I knew that we were meant for each other as I held him close.“Wow, I love Chinese,” Alana said, diving into the dish.“Bet you do,”
KIRAI couldn’t help but smile to myself as I sat in this spot, the terrace of his house, which had become a favorite spot of mine, and observed the world outside. My joy stemmed from the fact that Gabriel and I had made up, and I was once more his.For so long, I was lost without him. The connections between us had become so strong that when we were apart, I felt like an essential part of me had been taken away. But now, everything felt right again.I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face, and I knew that this was just the beginning. Our lives would merge once again, and we would build a future together.I knew that there would be difficulties since there always were in life, but I had faith that we could get through them. We could withstand everything the world could hurl at us because of our growing love.After feeling suffocated for so long, I could now finally take in a full breath of fresh air. I have been able to free myself from the heavy burden that was weighing me down
KIRAIt’s been a long time since I had such a calm conversation with Gabriel. I missed his warm voice. My heart was aching from the weight of the past as I sat there and watched Gabriel. I knew that in order to put the past behind us and stop hurting one other; we had to bury the hatchet of war. “Gabriel,” I began, my voice hesitant. “I need to talk to you about Maddie.”Gabriel looked up, his eyes meeting mine. “What about her?” he asked, his voice reserved.“I understand now that I made a mistake in hiding the truth about Maddie being your daughter,” I whispered. “I should have told you the truth from the beginning.”Gabriel’s expression softened, and he let out a deep sigh. “I know I didn’t do the right thing either,” he admitted. “When I did the DNA test without your knowledge and filed that lawsuit seeking full custody.”I nodded, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “We both made mistakes, Gabriel. But Maddie needs us to be her parents, to work together for her sake.”
KIRAI couldn’t believe Gabriel’s nerve. He had the audacity to suggest we ignore the court’s decision and both look out for Maddie’s best interests. How far could his recklessness go?That this was happening to me shocked me. I walked all the way to Gabriel’s house, and here I was by myself in this pitch-black alley. I did not know how I got here, but I didn’t like it. My palms were sweating profusely, and my heart was pounding. I could feel my hair standing up on the back of my neck.Gabriel must still be in his house, I was certain. While someone else was coming after me, the coward wouldn’t. I knew it wasn’t him when I heard hasty footsteps behind me.It was someone else, and they were getting closer.My legs felt numb as I tried to keep up with the pace. I was too scared to look back, but I could hear them getting closer and closer. I knew I needed to find a way out of here, but everything looked the same in this alley. There were no lights, no doors, no windows.My mind started r
KIRA The only company I had while I sat alone in my living room was the sound of the clock ticking. The room was still, silent, and heavy with the weight of my thoughts. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Gabriel had won custody of Maddie again. I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about it. How could this be happening? I had done everything in my power to prove to the court that Maddie was better off with me, but it seemed like none of it had mattered. Gabriel had won, and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to overcome the sense of helplessness that had taken hold of me. For Maddie’s sake, I knew I had to maintain my composure, but it was challenging when all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sob. I reflected on all the occasions I had spent with Maddie, the times we had had together, and our love and respect for one another. Everything seemed very genuine and real. I didn’t know how the court could disregard that. But then again, Gabriel was a skille
KIRA I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I thought about seeing Gabriel again in court. The citation had finally reached him, and we would have face off once more in our never-ending battle for custody of Maddie. It had been a year since I last saw her, and the pain of not being able to be with her on her sixth birthday still stung my heart. But I wouldn’t let that get to me. I would fight tooth and nail to get her back, no matter what it took. This time, with the help of my new lawyer and the additional evidence we had gathered, I was sure we would come out on top. It was not just about winning, though. It was about being reunited with my daughter, about being able to hold her close and tell her how much I loved her. Being a mother to her was what it was about, something he had denied me for a long time. I couldn’t let myself get too emotional, though. I needed to stay focused, to keep my eye on the prize. Gabriel would do everything in his power to keep Maddie away from
GABRIEL As I ventured through the beautiful mountain range of Hollow Peak, I experienced a sensation of great joy and serenity. The cool breeze swept through my hair, and the chirping of birds filled the air, making me feel like I was in a different world altogether. But what made this experience even more special was that I was not alone. By my side was my six-year-old daughter Maddie, and for the next few days, she was all mine. I had planned this trip for a long time, and I knew Maddie would be over the moon to spend time in such a beautiful place. But what she didn’t know was that I had a surprise in store for her, one that would make this trip even more unforgettable. As we approached our destination, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. I knew that Kira's family was also in Hollow Peak and I knew there was a probability of me bumping into them. But that didn’t matter. I had already decided, and nothing was going to change my plans. Finally, we arrived at our destination