When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 0122

Miranda grinned, standing her ground. “No way. You two look just alike with that face now.”

She held up the small figurine and gave it a playful wiggle, which made Paul laugh.

“Well, maybe not quite so much anymore.

In the end, Paul took the gift and thanked her.

“Don’t mention it. The light’s green,” Miranda said.

A BOLEIN

When Miranda got home, it was well past midnight. She’d made sure the house was spotless before she left. She’d even arranged for a cleaning service to come through before she got back.

It looked so immaculate that no one would have guessed she’d been gone for

days.

She took a shower and then collapsed onto her plush bed, sa

ing the lingering fragrance of her body wash. She closed her eyes, feeling content.

She thought home was always the coziest place no matter where she went.

Meanwhile, Paul was still awake.

His experiment was wrapping up its first phase, leaving him buried in work. Even finding time to head to the airport had been a struggle. He planned to shower, change his clothes, and head back to the lab.

As he was putting on his shoes in the foyer, he glanced up and saw the small figurine Miranda had given him. After coming home, he’d set it on a shelf above the shoe rack, in a spot cleared just for it, while the other shelves were packed with books.

He couldn’t help but smile. It really did look quite a bit like him.

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a heavy snowfall. Miranda pushed open her window and saw that the whole world had been covered in a

on the street below. Their laughter blended with the calls of street vendors, creating a lively,

lined up. The largest one caught her eye with its seed eyes and a pink plastic pinwheel on its head, making it look strikingly like a cartoon

then turned back, deciding to press a small carrot from her basket onto its face as a nose. Stepping back, she admired her handiwork with a satisfied

picked up some lean minced beef to make spicy beef tacos. The rest would go into a hearty

knock at the door and quickly took off her apron to answer

from the third floor. Bonnie greeted her with

back! My daughter–in–law had a baby girl a few days ago. We made some

Miranda lived alone, Bonnie had always made a

for her.

news. She thanked her and

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surprised and tried to refuse. “Oh, you didn’t have to do that. I didn’t bring the cupcakes with the expectation of anything

gift or anything. I just wanted you

to

your next–door–neighbor, Dr. Jefferson, is usually in and out all day. I’ve knocked a few times, but he’s never home. Could you do me a favor and pass these cupcakes along

to drop

so she

cupcakes in her hands. If her memory served

now bagan to fall agams at 1000 pr Paul snapped his umbrella shut giving * e quick shots to dislodge the crowflakes clinging to it. They melted

to a cascade of complications. Even he was feeling a bit worn out from trying to keep everything

grew stronger as the year wound down, filling the air with

But today, the experiment’s data had finally been adjusted to safe levels. With Christmas just around the corner, he decided

Just as he was about to

golden light seeped through the crack in the door, lighting up the hallway and casting a cozy glow over him. The once–dim corridor was suddenly filled with light, and Miranda’s voice, as comfting as a hearth on a cold winter’s

over some cupcakes this afternoon. I have your share with me. Give me

usually keen, but when her clear, gentle voice filled the air, it was as if his mind took a moment to catch up. It wasn’t until she

took him a moment before he finally managed to say, in a

making Miranda shiver slightly. “I warmed up the soup. Make sure