The moment Ariana saw the landline phone in Melon’s hand, her heart skipped a beat. Realization washed over her. Her son had discovered something amiss, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words.

As she had feared, Melon broke into tears upon seeing her.

“Mommy, you lied to me. You gave me a fake number,” he accused.

Ariana found herself unable to speak. She opened her mouth, but her throat felt parched and constricted. An unspoken bitterness lingered there.

The number wasn’t fake; it had simply been disconnected.

And the man who once owned that number, Melon’s father, had indeed been real.

Tears streaming down his face, Melon gasped for breath, looking utterly heartbroken.

A ‘s L I B R

back sobs, he

never broken down like this before. Pulling him into a comforting embrace, she took a moment to compose herself. Finally, her voice quivering, she assured him,

hiccups, “Then why hasn’t

her down Like

eyes reddened as tears began to well up, and she fought to

Daddy does want you. He’ll call you very soon, alright?” Ariana managed to say, her voice

unabated. Finally, exhaustion won out, and he fell asleep

found herself

she’d worked so hard to suppress come flooding

defenses crumbled. She covered her mouth to stifle her sobs as her body shook uncontrollably. Sliding off

with Theodore morphed into sharp thorns, each thought pricking at her

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255