“Lionel Rinehart, thank you. I love you with everything I’ve got.”
He pulled me close, wrapped me up in his arms.
“Okay.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Aunt Sophia dabbing at her tears, tucked in Uncle Arthur’s arms, smiling.
In year three, we had a baby girl. She was perfect.
I’ll never forget when they wheeled me out of the delivery room Lionel’s eyes were already glassy.
He cried, told me how proud he was, how hard it must’ve been.
He didn’t leave my side once. Held our daughter for the first time only after I woke up, gently taking her from Aunt Sophia.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and when I saw the way he looked at our baby–soft, full of awe–I melted.
He kissed my forehead.
“Yuna, thank you for making my life whole.”
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Chapter 12.
I smiled, shook my head.
“No, Lionel. Thank you… for showing me what real love feels like.”
In that moment, every scar from the past finally faded.
Time keeps moving, but love–real love–heals everything.
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