Sabrina’s voice trembling with desperation as she stepped out of Coco’s room and called Nicholas again. “Nicholas, please come. She’ll listen to you. Please, just come,” she begged, tears choking her words.She was ready to put her pride down and beg everyone who could help her daughter. She had never been as scared in her entire life as she was at this moment. But Nicholas’s response was cold even though his pain was evident even through the phone. “No.”“She will die!” Sabrina cried out, her voice filled with terror. “Do you want to see her dead? Please, save my daughter! Please!”Nicholas’s voice was steady but there was a deep and simmering resentment about her that he did not bother to hide. “As a mother, it’s up to you to decide how to save your daughter.”Sabrina’s voice broke as she pleaded, her fear overwhelming her. “Please, she will die…”There was a long pause and then Nicholas spoke laced with bitterness. “I know. My Rose is dying too each day. I want you to feel the los
Bella’s response was unexpected. “No, Coco. I’m not here to convince you. I’m here to support you.” Coco looked up, surprised and a little confused. “I want you to end your protest but only after you put down your demands,” Bella continued. “Shall I call my lawyer for you to frame an agreement?” Coco blinked, taken aback. “What?” She thought Bella would not understand her feelings like everyone else. They think that she was just a stubborn child throwing a tantrum against her mother. “You’re protesting against Sabrina, right?” Bella asked calmly. Coco hesitated but then nodded. “And where did you get the idea to do this?” Bella inquired, her voice gentler now. She knew that she could not treat Coco like a small child with no reason or rationality. “Gandhi,” Coco explained. “I heard his story from my teacher. He said we can achieve anything through Satyagraha. I’m using his technique. He said with that we can change anyone’s heart. I’m trying to do that.” Bella couldn’t help
Later that evening, Anne returned home from the hospital. She was still a bit weak but determined to get back to her routine. Nicholas hovered around her, trying to mask his worry but Anne could sense something was off.As they settled into bed, Anne turned to him, her eyes searching for something. “Are you hiding something from me?” she asked, her voice gentle but probing.“No,” he responded, a little too quickly, avoiding her gaze.Anne frowned, not convinced. Nicholas was usually open with her and this sudden evasiveness made her uneasy.The next morning, Nicholas remained unusually close, not letting her out of his sight. He even delayed leaving for the office. “Don’t you have to go to the office?” she asked, noticing how he kept finding excuses to stay near her.“No,” he replied, trying to sound casual, but the worry was clear in his eyes. Even though Bella had reassured him that Coco was fine, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at him. If Anne found out about Coco, he
With a nod that seemed more for herself than for Anne, Sabrina turned and left without another word. The sound of the door closing echoed in the silent hallway, leaving Anne standing there, still clutching the paper but her mind in a haze. She did not understand what just happened. Coco’s small hand tugged gently at her mother while breaking through the fog that had settled over Anne’s thoughts. “Mommy, I’m famished. Can you make me something to eat?” Her voice was so familiar and so full of life that it almost jolted Anne back to reality. However, she was still wondering if it was even reality? Shaking off the shock, Anne allowed Coco to pull her inside. She moved on autopilot and her heart racing as her mind struggled to process what had just happened. How long had it been since she last held Coco in her arms? When was the last time her daughter’s laughter filled the house? It felt like an eternity, a lifetime of yearning and heartache compressed into those agonizing months of sep
“Mommy!” Leon yelled as he dashed into the house with Nicholas hurrying behind him. Without missing a beat, Leon ran straight to the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Anne’s legs. He said like a spoiled son that he was, “Mommy, I missed you all day! Daddy’s no fun anymore.”“Give me a moment, Leon,” Anne said, glancing down as she stirred a pot on the stove. She didn’t want oil splatters to reach him. She added with a frown, “Why are you in the kitchen? Did you wash your hands after being outside? And you are still wearing your shoes! I have told you before, the kitchen needs to be kept clean. We all have weak immune systems and I don’t want any germs coming in here. Go wait in the living room until I’m done.”Leon’s eyes widened as he took in his mother’s stern tone. It was different from her usual coddling self. Lately, she had been indulging him and treating him like he was the center of her universe. Now, he felt like he was being treated just like any other child and it didn’t s
The next morning, Anne arrived at Sabrina’s mansion with Coco quite ready to drop her off before school. Coco had insisted that Anne come inside but Anne hesitated as she was feeling uneasy about entering Sabrina’s home. Despite her reservations, Coco eagerly dragged her mother inside.As they entered, Sabrina was already waiting. She greeted Coco with a smile. “Good morning, Charlotte. How was your weekend?”Coco beamed. “Pretty amazing. Thank you for sending me to Mommy’s house.”Sabrina nodded but was at a loss for words. “Would you like to have breakfast?” she offered.Coco’s eyes lit up. “Yes, please! Mom, can I show Mommy my room?”“Of course,” Sabrina said, managing a smile. “Get ready and show your mommy your room while I ask the kitchen to prepare breakfast.”Anne watched as Coco led her to her room, her small face beamoing with excitement. Sabrina’s demeanor was surprisingly warm which left Anne feeling unsettled. When they returned, breakfast was already laid out on the tab
Bella was waiting outside the school as Leon and Coco walked out together. Leon immediately noticed her and frowned seeing her there. He assumed that she was only there to pick up Coco. He tried to walk past her as he hoped to avoid any conversation. In his mind, Bella was just his sister's grandmother and he had no reason to engage with her.But Coco, was delighted to see her grandmother and ran straight into Bella’s arms. “Bella!” She exclaimed with joy.Bella chuckled as her eyes twinkling and she hugged Coco back. “How’s my favorite granddaughter?”Coco smiled up at her and responded brightly, “Too good!”Meanwhile, Leon continued to walk ahead as he was determined not to interact. Just as he thought he was in the clear, Bella reached out and grabbed his school bag and pulled him back with a tug. “Where do you think you are going, young man?” Leon pulled against her grip and shot back, “Let go, or I’ll scream and tell everyone you are a child thief!”Bella rolled her eyes. “Too
Nicholas and Anne sat side by side and the test reports lying unopened between them. Nicholas who was sensing her hesitation gently urged, "Rose, it's just paper. There's no need to be scared. If it was something serious, the doctor would have said something."But Anne who was resting her head on his shoulder whispered, "Nicholas, I'm too nervous. I can't open it."Seeing the fear in her eyes, Nicholas offered, “Let me check them for you?”Reluctantly, Anne nodded and handed him the reports. With a deep breath, Nicholas opened the papers and began to read. For a moment, everything went still.Suddenly, his hands trembled and the reports slipped from his fingers, falling to the ground. His usually calm face was frozen in shock.Anne's heart raced. Panic surged through her as she watched him and her voice came out trembling, "Am I… am I terminally ill?"Nicholas snapped out of his daze as he pulled her into a tight embrace. He tightened his grip over her. "Nicholas?" Anne whispered, t