Manhattan, New York, US."What is it? Why did all of this happen?”Mikael faintly heard John's voice at the end of the hospital hall.As soon as he turned right, he could find John standing before a doctor. They turned their heads when they heard Mikael's footsteps."Mike," John touched his arm and lowered his head, "Josephine is still in her room."Michael nodded in understanding. "That's okay. She's gonna be okay,"Mikael could feel a great fear overpowering his heart, but he still tried to comfort John—trying to give strength when he knew that he would not be able to accept the worst possibility of Josephine's condition.Mikael lowered his head and muttered softly, "She's gonna be okay." He repeated his sentence and hoped that it would come true.Josephine… had a heart attack.Mikael almost loses control when he hears John crying and telling him Josephine has fainted after having a heart attack.John never cried—never showed his weakness to anyone. However, he was crying in front o
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaClaire looked down at the tiny gloves she had just finished. She has loved knitting since she went to school in the UK and took sewing classes during the summer holidays. She would spend every weekend with her pile of yarn and knitwear; when John and Josephine came to see her, she would give them her homemade sweets.John and Josephine were two rich people—well, that was what Claire had in mind at that moment. So, whatever gifts she buys, she is sure that they can buy them with their own money. Therefore, Claire prefers to make something for them rather than buying gifts. One of her gifts is a pair of sweaters, gloves, socks, and hats that she makes.However, now she wasn't knitting for them…Well, she planned it that way. However, it felt like something was missing from the changing habits, so she decided to do some other things besides knitting Cecilia's winter clothes and gear."It's going to be winter soon. You made beautiful gloves," Nancy said as she wal
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 5 Years Later…Claire had heard that the chance to see the sunrise and sunset every day was an unexpected gift bestowed by God. Sometimes someone can see the sunrise in the morning but doesn't have the chance to see the sunset. Or sometimes, some have the opportunity to see the sunset, go home, and sleep, but don't have the opportunity to wake up in the morning to see the sunrise.Time is a mystery.And Claire learns many things as the times in her life change."You're going to the hospital with David?" Nancy was tying Cecilia's red hair when Claire walked into her daughter's room.Five years passed… and Claire never stopped being grateful for the gift she received because she could see Cecilia's amazing growth every day.“He said he'd pick us up.” Claire took Cecilia's winter coat and put it in a bag and some other equipment she might need. “Which doll do you want to bring, Cecilia?” Claire turned her head and stared at the pile of Cecilia's toys beside her
Toronto, Ontario, Canada"Claire," David touched her hand while he kept his eyes focused on the busy highway after the snowfall announcement flashed on the car radio.Some people with an agenda to travel are forced to postpone their plans if they don't want to get stuck in the heavy snow.Claire was grateful that they left earlier so they could return home earlier. At least they wouldn't have to be stuck in the hospital during the snowfall."You've been quiet all along, so it worries me." David clasped her hand.Claire didn't refuse, but she didn't give a reply either."Cecilia is asleep," David glanced at Cecilia in the rearview mirror. Then he let go of Claire's hand to grab the blanket and tuck Cecilia in as their car stopped at a traffic light. "She looks like an angel when she sleeps," she smiled briefly.Claire took a deep breath.She had been in a bit of a bad mood since a while ago, but she couldn't show it clearly in front of Cecilia. However, she realized that she also could
Phoenix, Arizona, United States. 1 PMReturning to the United States was something Claire had always avoided during her time in Canada. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to come back—deep down, she knew a part of her life had been spent in the United States with the people she loved, and sometimes she missed those days. However, after everything that had happened there, she found peace while living in Canada.Again, it wasn’t as though her life had been without problems in Canada. Problems always came no matter where she was. However, Canada had taught her a lot about healing—how she had fought to heal her heart from all the devastation she had endured before.And now, she had returned to the place where she was born..."I can’t believe we’re back in the United States," Nancy said as they walked through the airport, pushing a trolley filled with suitcases.Claire turned her head and nodded briefly, occasionally patting Cecilia’s back to keep the little girl from being disturbed by the no
Phoenix, Arizona, USAClaire knew that many unexpected things happened in her life—most of them were shocking and had never crossed her mind before.She went to Canada to start her new life and try to live out the rest of it the way she wanted. But once again, fate played with her by bringing her back to the United States, the place where all her problems and greatest happiness had occurred.And now… Claire couldn't deny that a part of her heart felt whole again after she found another part of herself that had always been left behind in the United States—Josephine, a woman more valuable than anything else in her life.Josephine had given her a new life, but the only thing she did to repay that kindness was to run away and distance herself like a disobedient child abandoning her mother."I tried to find you in every place I knew, but I ended up finding you again when I reached the end of my life.""Mom," Claire shook her head, "this isn't the end of anything. Promise me that you'll fig
Phoenix, Arizona, USAThe days passed quickly, but Claire knew that many good things had happened to her over the last two weeks since she arrived in Arizona.Something unexpected had indeed happened to her—her meeting with Josephine, which was followed by Josephine's meeting with Cecilia. However, Claire couldn't categorize that meeting as something bad when she could see the smile on Josephine's pale face and Cecilia, who was now receiving treatment for the same illness.With each passing day, their bond grew closer, and Claire could see the immense love in Josephine's eyes, as well as in little Cecilia, who seemed very happy with Josephine's presence—someone she had often asked about when they were in Canada.“If I have a Mommy, doesn’t that mean you have a mommy too, Mom?”That was a question Cecilia asked her just two months after her 4th birthday. Others might be surprised to learn that Cecilia could already construct such a surprising question at such a young age, but Claire an
Phoenix, Arizona, USAAfter her long conversation with Josephine a few days ago, Claire realized that many things had changed in her feelings, especially regarding the worry in her heart about Mikael possibly showing up in Arizona at the wrong time.Josephine was almost done with all her medical procedures and would soon be allowed to return to Manhattan. However, the woman had made it clear that she wouldn’t leave Cecilia to go back to her city, meaning she would do anything to prolong her stay in Arizona. And that meant Claire had to prepare herself for an unexpected meeting when Mikael eventually came to Arizona.“Everything looks great,” Barbara nodded with a satisfied smile after examining Cecilia, “It seems because she’s younger than Josephine Williams, her recovery process is faster. Her pacemaker was successfully implanted, and her heart has accepted the device, improving her blood flow. This is just an initial check-up, but I’m very pleased with how well things are going.”Th
Mikael’s Mansion.Yonkers, New York, US. A few months later.Mikael gazed at the sprawling grounds of his mansion, which had begun to bloom with flowers, with butterflies fluttering freely.Claire had started planting flowers in their mansion’s yard two weeks ago, and the blossoms were beginning to bloom in the spring, transforming the once-dreary mansion into something beautiful.Mikael had been away from that building for nearly six years. Even though there were still servants cleaning and maintaining the place every day, it had felt gloomy when they first moved in a few months ago.However, Claire only took a few days to make significant changes to the mansion. Cecilia's laughter echoed in every corner, bringing a new light that Mikael had never imagined before. Claire had begun to do her part—adding magical touches that his mind struggled to comprehend, but his heart could feel.And now, as spring had arrived, everything was starting to grow lushly—especially Mikael's heart, which
Chapter 117 Perfect Family in the MorningMikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 9 AMClaire nearly jumped in surprise when she felt a cold kiss on her neck in the midst of the chilly air. Her hands moved to push the man away—the only person allowed to do such a thing to her.“Mike,” she groaned irritably.“Are you going to keep hiding under the blankets until the afternoon?” Mikael chuckled and continued showering her with cold kisses along her neck and face.Claire opened her eyes and pouted. When she turned her head, she didn’t find Cecilia there and concluded that she had woken up late, meaning Cecilia was already awake.“Get away from me!” she said while pushing Mikael away, even though she knew her refusal was futile.“Do you really want me to go?” Mikael raised his eyebrows.Claire rolled her eyes as she noticed the drastic change in their interactions.She had known Mikael her entire life, but she felt unprepared for all of this. Waking up to see Mikael’s handsome face in
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 1 AMOnce again, Claire woke up with soreness between her thighs, and the memories of what she’d done replayed in her mind. Her eyes weren’t fully open yet, but she knew it was still nighttime—the sun hadn’t risen, unlike a few days ago when she awoke.A large, warm hand wrapped around her waist tightly, keeping her from falling off the sofa in the living room. A thick blanket covered her bare body, and she knew that the man behind her was also still undressed, even though he was awake.She could feel the gentle strokes along her back and steady breaths against her neck. The man hadn’t said a word, but Claire knew he was awake, or at least hadn’t slept since she had immediately closed her eyes after their last... game, however many hours ago.She had been right to worry—she’d lose control again if she let Mikael talk to her at night. And yes, she had lost control once more.There was no denying that she missed every touch from this man. Ther
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 9 PMSnow once again blanketed the streets of New York, which were adorned with Christmas lights and bustling with pedestrians going about their activities. Some chose to step aside, seeking warmth from the cold, while others continued to stroll, enjoying the frozen snowflakes falling around them.Amid the hustle of New York, Mikael opted to sit in the main room of his apartment with two mugs of hot chocolate—one for him and one for Claire.The cool air from the balcony door, which wasn’t fully closed, made the room feel cold—typical of the chilly end-of-year weather.Mikael had endured many terrible years, but it seemed he would close this one with a sweet gift—Cecilia.“This is the best year-end I’ve ever had,” Mikael smiled.Sometimes, he forgot the last time he had smiled, but in the past few days, he had lost count of how many times he’d smiled because it happened so often.“Good for you,” Claire responded flatly.Sometimes, Mikael wond
Michael’s GraveManhattan, New York, US. 9 AMClaire stepped forward, clutching a bouquet of white roses she had bought just before arriving at... her destination.“Mom,” Cecilia reached for her hand, prompting Claire to turn and offer a brief smile to the little girl.“That’s okay, Cecilia.” Mikael crouched in front of Cecilia and lifted her into his arms when he noticed she felt scared.Claire had never taken Cecilia to a cemetery before, but Cecilia had seen graves on television, and it always piqued her curiosity.Cecilia didn’t have anyone to visit in Canada, so she never went to a cemetery. But now, she was in New York, and… she felt like she had to visit one of the graves she missed the most—Michael’s grave.“Daddy, I’m scared,” Cecilia said quietly, hiding her face against Mikael’s chest.“Aren’t you here with Daddy and Mommy?” Mikael kissed her hair softly, “You don’t need to be scared, right?”“Yes, Daddy.” Cecilia nodded but kept hiding her face, making Mikael chuckle affec
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 11 PMTime passes day by day, and Claire feels unable to stop them. The end of the year is approaching, but she feels she still can’t leave this year behind—a year that has brought her many surprises and… happiness.She is living in Mikael’s apartment.They sleep together in the same room, on the same bed, and under the same blanket. However, nothing happens between them except… sleep, in the literal meaning.It’s not that Claire wants anything else. Honestly, she still can’t believe what she did with Mikael on the nights following the moment she killed Anderson with a gun in her hand.That night, she was completely unhinged and couldn’t think clearly. Everything she discussed with Mikael drove her further into madness, and they ended that madness in an even crazier way. However, she would try to control herself not to do that again… at least until she was truly sure about her decisions and what she wanted to do next.Now, she lives with Mik
Williams MansionManhattan, New York, US. 1 PM“Oh my God,” Josephine Williams gasped, covering her mouth in surprise when she saw Claire standing at the mansion door.“Mom,” Claire gave a brief smile and reached out to hug her.They had met briefly yesterday, but that encounter meant nothing to either Josephine or Claire. At the time, everything was chaotic, and Claire’s only concern had been calming Cecilia, who was crying hysterically out of fear.“My dear,” Josephine sighed as she hugged Claire, “I’ve been waiting for word from you since last night.”“Sorry to make you worry, Mom. I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”“I know you’re fine,” Josephine released the hug and cupped Claire’s face, looking at her closely. “I just needed to hear from you. It’s the only thing that could ease my mind.”Claire smiled and nodded. Years had passed since her childhood, but Josephine still saw her as a little princess she would always worry about. Claire hadn’t understood Josephine’s mind
Mikael’s Mansion Manhattan, New York, US. 10 AM “Do you like these eggs, Cecilia?” “Can I have more?” “You want more?” “I want! I want!” “Sure, Princess! You’ll have mine, and I’ll make another one for you.” Claire blinked as the voices broke through her sleep. She opened her eyes for a few seconds, but the pull of sleep soon coaxed them shut again. Sunlight poured through the large windows at the center of the room, illuminating the sofa that faced the balcony. Despite it being late in the year, the day was bright enough for the midday sun to break through and gently warm Claire’s still-closed eyelids. She stretched, feeling a familiar ache from yesterday morning—the same kind of soreness she used to experience years ago. As much as she wanted to forget what had happened last night, Claire couldn’t deny that when she closed her eyes, all she could think about was the way Mikael had kissed her, letting his hands roam her body—touching her with tenderness and passion. “Daddy,
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 4 AMMikael still couldn’t believe what had just happened.Yes, it was hard for him to truly accept that, at this moment, he was lying next to Claire, who was curled up, shivering under his arm. Her eyes were closed while her body, from her waist down to her feet, was covered by the thick blanket he had given her after they had finished their long, wild sex.Claire’s confession had made Mikael lose control. He didn’t know how else to express the madness in his heart but through a kiss, a reflex to Claire’s long confession. However, that kiss had only ignited a fire within him, pulling him back into the burning circle.And the more surprising thing was... Claire accepted his touch.Mikael leaned down to kiss Claire’s shoulder and whatever else his lips could reach—her head, her forehead, and the nape of her neck, which was covered by strands of her red hair.Claire had stopped coloring her hair since Mikael wasn’t sure when. But he remembered