Chapter 0008
+28 BONUS
Alexander’s POV
My breath fogged in the crisp air as I strolled into the entrance of the hospital, shoving one hand into the pocket. of my coat while the other held my phone to my car.
Sophia’s voice droned on, sharp and relentless.
“You know, Owen is like this because he’s sick-“I rolled my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Same argument, different day. Her words were a dull buzz in the background, just another layer to the weight already pressing down on me.
I was about to interrupt when something hit me–a sudden solid impact against my leg.
Startled, I looked down and saw a little girl sprawled on the pavement. She’d bumped into me head–on, landing square on her backside, her dress puffing up around her.
She looked up, her face scrunched in irritation, her big hazel eyes narrowed as if preparing to give me a piece of her mind. But then her expression changed.
Her gaze locked on mine, and her eyes lit up like I was Santa Claus handing out puppies.
“Uncle!” she said, her voice high and full of exaggerated indignation. “I think my bottom is broken in half!”
I blinked, trying to decide to be amused.
to the
Sophia’s voice on the phone faded into static as I lowered it ending the call mid–sentence. I crouched down to girl’s level, fighting back a mild smirk.
“Oh no,” I said seriously. “Well, we can’t have that, now can we? How do you think I should make it up to you, kid?”
She leapt to her feet, brushing off her dress with dramatic flair. Her hands planted on her tiny hips as she tilted. her head at my eyes, considering me with a surprising amount of authority for someone who would normally come up to my waist.
“Well…” she began, dragging the word out. “Are you married? You could be my daddy! I’ll put you in… number
12”
That did it. I laughed low, the sound bouncing my shoulders once. She was bold, I’d give her that.
“Number 12, huh?” I said, shaking my head. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m already taken.”
Her face fell, her pout so exaggerated it was almost comical “Why is it that all the good daddies are already married?”
I smirked, glancing away for a moment as that familiar ache crept up on me.
Before I could say anything else, a woman appeared–her mother, by the looks of it–rushing toward us with an apologetic smile, her blonde curls dancing around her face,
“I’m so sorry about her,” she said, scooping the girl up inte her arms, almost leaving my sight just as fast.
“It’s fine,” I replied, straightening up. “No harm done.”
The little girl, unfazed by the interruption, waved enthusiastically over her mom’s shoulder. “Bye, Uncle! Remember–number 12!”
+25 BONUS.
Charter bod
I chuckled under my breath, watching them disappear into the flow of people. Her energy lingered, a small spark of light in what had otherwise been a bleak day.
But as I turned back through the hospital doors, something or rather, someone–stopped me in my tracks.
I saw her.
It couldn’t be.
The air seemed to leave my lungs as my eyes locked on a woman moving down the hallway inside. Her brown curls hair, her posture, the way she carried herself–it was impossible.
“Lauren?” I whispered, the name escaping before I could stop it.
My chest tightened, my heart racing in a way that made my pulse throb in my ears.
No. It wasn’t her. It couldn’t be.
I stared, my feet rooted to the ground as the woman turned a corner and disappeared from view.
י
I closed my eyes for a moment, forcing myself to breathe. Lauren was gone. She had been for years. My mind was playing tricks on me. That was all it was.
Shaking my head, I made my way to the elevator doors and up to Owen’s room. The sterile smell hit me immediately, the beeping monitors and muffled voices a familiar soundtrack to my visits here.
Owen was exactly where I expected to find him, hunched over his laptop, his small frame half–hidden behind the screen. His fingers flew across the keys, his focus unwavering.
“Hey, bud,” I said, stepping inside.
He didn’t respond. Typical.
I leaned against the wall, watching him for a moment. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and the glow of the screen reflected on his face.
There was a time I’d hoped to connect with him, to break through the walls his diagnosis had built. But as the years passed, that hope faded into resignation.
Owen was Owen–silent, withdrawn, and locked in his own world. And I loved him for who he was, even if I didn’t know how to reach him.
+26 BONUS
Chapter 0009
