All Chapters of Take Me: Chapter 21 - Chapter 26

Aster~"Oh my gosh, Mom and Dad, I've missed you both so much," I exclaimed, pulling them into a tight hug. They smiled at me, and I could feel the emptiness inside me slowly start to fade. "How have you been, Mom?" I asked as I stepped back."It's just not the same without you, sweetheart," she said with a sad smile, though she finally seemed content and happy. "And you, Dad?" I waited for his response. The last time I saw him was on my wedding day, and his mood and expression from that day flashed through my mind.I was searching for answers, but all I could find was the same guilt that had surfaced during my wedding. "Dad?" I called out, and he looked at me for a moment longer than usual before smiling, pushing away the regret that had started to reappear."I've been doing well, love," he said, pulling me closer and kissing the top of my head. But before I knew it, he was gone. He walked away, disappearing into the crowd. What happened to Papa?I didn't want to ask my mother about i

A smirk tugged at his lips. Aster intrigued him, yet memories of his darkest days kept resurfacing, erasing any hint of affection he felt toward her. Those memories reminded him he was only trapped here because of her.Countless times, he’d tried to keep his true self hidden from her, yet it always found a way to break free, as if it were desperate to escape. He was torn between wrapping things up quickly and dragging them out just a bit longer, savoring each moment with her before it all inevitably fell apart. The day when untold truths and unspoken words would surface, breaking down every fragile brick of the bridge she was trying to build to close the distance between them, was coming—but it didn’t have to be so soon, right? Right? "I love playing baseball." He smiled a little, and it surprised her. Beneath the guy who buried himself in work and took everything so seriously, there was someone who just wanted to enjoy the little things. When they first met, she thought h

It had been three days since I visited Matt, yet the questions still lingered, unanswered. That strange feeling from our last meeting hadn’t faded, and no matter what I did, my mind kept drifting back to the mystery I couldn’t let go of. Even with these thoughts weighing on me, I managed to make some progress in launching my business. It wasn’t easy, but having this distraction kept me grounded, pushing me to take small but steady steps toward turning my dream into a reality. I've just come home from my evening run, and I'm about to head out to scout a new location for my business. I have an appointment with my broker at 5 p.m., and it’s already 4:15 p.m. Just enough time to shower and get ready—perfect timing.As I stepped into the house, I was startled to see a familiar figure. Adagio was here—home early for once. Ever since that dinner, he hadn’t come home until 1 a.m., so seeing him now was a surprise. My heart skipped a beat as I walked toward him, unsure of