Suddenly, the alarm rang, and my eyes snapped open. I hadn’t been asleep; I remembered every moment of tossing and turning over the past few hours. With a weary body, I stood up, unable to find rest throughout the entire night.“Aoife, you didn’t sleep again last night, did you?” Jing emerged from her room with concern etched across her face. I mustered a smile with my eyes heavy from fatigue and traces of tears from the restless night.Jing knew I needed a comforting embrace and wrapped her arms around me, offering solace, before Alex joined in.“Mommy, I need a hug, too!” he exclaimed, bounding towards us, and jumping into the embrace.Though the night had been filled with exhaustion and darkness, the sun began to rise. We gathered ourselves, preparing for the day ahead, and getting ready for work and school.***~Xander~A lot has changed about her. She isn’t the same innocent girl who used to run into my arms whenever I called her. She appears more mature and composed now. I wonde

~Aoife~FlashbackAs I progressed in my pregnancy, my mind engaged itself in taking care of my swollen belly. I was in the last stage of my second trimester when I experienced my baby’s movements in my tummy. Slowly, Amara and I developed a bond, like that of a mother and daughter. I couldn’t help but feel that if my mother were here, she would have taken care of me just like this. Amara became a mother figure to me, and I started to appreciate the town more as its people began to show love and support for my unborn child and me.However, I had yet to decide anything about my future. How would I be able to provide a good life for this child? To keep myself occupied, I started engaging in community service. I spent time with the elders at the community center, assisting them with various tasks. I also helped the young children who came to learn painting and participate in kindergarten activities.One day, while I went to the community center to spend some time, I noticed a team of docto

~Xander~As I held Aoife in my arms, an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse weighed heavy on me. Seeing her injured and in pain, all because she had rushed to save me, made me realize the depth of her love and selflessness. It was a wake-up call, a piercing reminder of the consequences of my past. At that moment, my perspective shifted. The walls of self-centeredness I had built around myself began to crumble. The pain etched on Aoife’s face mirrored the pain I had inflicted upon her with my thoughtless behavior. I couldn’t deny the truth any longer. I had taken her love for granted, hurt her deeply, and left her scarred, both physically and emotionally.As I gently placed her in the car, my hands trembled with a mix of concern and regret. I made a silent vow to myself that I would do whatever it took to make amends. I would prove to Aoife that I had changed, that I was capable of love and deserving of her forgiveness.Her vulnerability and the weight of her words echoed in my mind

~Aoife~Sitting at the dinner table, I gazed at the handsome men seated in front of me. Alexander, sitting next to Xander, resembled his father both in looks and actions. They even shared the trait of using their left hands to eat. I marveled at how comfortable Alexander seemed with Xander as if they had known each other their whole lives. After all, Alex was sitting next to his father.“Eat your food,” Gabriel whispered, looking at me as tears threatened to escape my eyes.I nodded and took a sip of water. The sight before me was everything I had ever wanted. A husband who loved me immensely and a loving child. But Xander wasn’t the man. It was me who loved him unconditionally and still did. I had never seen Xander with kids before, but he was behaving like a child with Alex, and it was so adorable.“I need a minute.” I excused myself from the table and went inside to grab my medication.“Excuse me, let me check on her. She needs her medicine,” he explained to the others.“Medicine?”

~Aoife~Xander and I arrived at the office building, where he seemed eager to discuss my personal matters.“Can we be friends?” I stopped in my tracks and looked at him, knowing how peculiar this request would sound. But I had to go along with it.“Sure,” I replied, though I was still upset with Alex for his inappropriate question. How could he ask Xander something like that? Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to blame Alex entirely.“Can we go for lunch?” Xander asked, seeking some form of connection.I needed clarification on what he wanted from me. Why did he come last night and ask all those questions? However, I reminded myself that he would be leaving the city in a month.“Xander, I have some work to do, so...” I trailed off, implying that I couldn’t join him for lunch. He understood my response and let it go before he walked towards his new office. I went to meet Brandon, who was waiting for me.“How are you, Aoife? I’m so sorry I couldn’t come to meet you earlier. I got caught up