Chapter 157
Cleo couldn’t hold back hier tears. She gently smoothed Jessica’s messy hair and said with a trembling voice, “Mazina’s badly Injured, but that’s still area Urban is taking her abroad for treatment. Do you want to go with them?”
Jessica sniffled and looked up at her with big, watery eyes. “But… you’re not coming with us?”
Cleo shook her head. “I’ve still got things to handle here. But you can go with them first, and once I’m done, I’ll come visit you, Okay?”
“Alright,” Jessica whispered obediently, her voice soft and heavy. “I’ll miss you.”
Maxine’s emergency surgery had lasted three intense hours. The doctors fought hard to stabilize her vitals, and once she was stable enough, they rushed her onto a helicopter.
“The documents are all set.” Urban handed a folder to the pilot, his voice steady. “She’s in your hands now.”
At the boarding ramp, Jessica stood quietly, eyes brimming with tears as she waved goodbye to Cleo in the distance. Then, without another word, she turned and followed the medical staff onto the aircraft.
When Maxine opened her eyes, she found herself standing in a room that was both unfamiliar and hauntingly familiar. A framed photo hung on the wall- it was her father’s memorial portrait.
‘This… this is my childhood home,‘ she thought, her heart skipping a beat. ‘Did I come back?‘
Before she could process anything further, a knock came at the door. “Maxine, I’m home! Open up!”
A man’s voice rang out from the other side. Maxine’s breath caught in her throat/Without thinking, she rushed to the wall, grabbed the portrait, and hid it in the drawer. Only after she’d cleared the table did she dare open the door.
She didn’t want him to know. Somehow, even in a dream, she couldn’t bear to tell her father that he was already gone.
“Maxine! Look what I brought you!” A tall, skinny man with glasses stood beaming in the doorway, one hand tucked in his coat, the other reaching for her like always.
Maxine stared at him for a long, long moment, then murmured in disbelief, “Dad…?”
And just like that, the tears started flowing uncontrollably.
Micah Hudson, seeing her cry, panicked and fumbled to wipe away her tears. “Why are you crying, sweetheart?”
There was a soft whimper from his coat, and he quickly pulled out a tiny puppy, gently placing it in her arms. “Don’t cry. Look–1 brought you a gift.”
The little dog was well–behaved, licking her fingers gently as she hugged it close to her chest.
Maxine knew it was a dream. She knew Micah was already dead, that she’d never be able to see her father again. But the man standing before her felt so real, so alive, she didn’t even dare to blink.
“Daddy!” she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms,
Micah didn’t know what had happened to her, but he wrapped her in a firm embrace anyway, whispering gently, “You’ve been through so much… I’m sorry. I should’ve protected you better.“/
In that dream, Maxine cried like the world was ending. She cried until she could cry no more. When she finally lifted her head, the house was just as she remembered from childhood–sunlight spilling through the windows, the soft scent of laundry powder lingering in the air.
Micah finally calmed her down and took off his work jacket before heading into the kitchen to cook.
“You focus on school. Don’t worry about anything else. When you’re older and successful, you can help me then,” he said, still fretting over her like
1/2
12 Sat 21 JUN
Chapter 157
always.
Maxine sat on the sofa, her heart aching with longing. ‘If only time could freeze like this forever.”
w–this dog had been a gift from him during her final year of high After dinner, Micah topped off the puppy’s bowl with food. Maxine remembered now school. After her father passed away, she couldn’t keep it anymore. Before leaving, she had given it to the little girl next door.
Comment
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
