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To many, the heart is just a muscle or a symbol of love. But for Lunna, it represents so much more: strength, truth, justice, and even fear. After a heartbreaking loss, she finds herself trapped in the shadows of her past, with fear as her only companion. Like the little girl who once trembled under the covers, she still counts her heartbeats, trying to calm the pain that seems endless. But this time, something changed... true love appeared. In the midst of emotional storms, Lunna and Adam are put to the test. Fate separated them, but love brought them together. Can the wounds of the past be healed? Will love survive so many secrets and challenges, or will it be consumed by suffering? As they fight to reconnect their hearts, Adam must confront his past and decide if he's ready to fight for his first love. Lunna, on the other hand, must learn to see beyond appearances if she wants to uncover the truth that's been hidden all along. On a journey full of intense emotions, revealed secrets, and hearts put to the test, the flame of love will have a chance to reignite. But will destiny grant them a happy ending, or lead them to a surprising conclusion? *This book contains emotional triggers. It does not feature explicit content, and the author does not write erotica.*
Arlet Rivera
The Great Loss
I open my eyes and see a white ceiling. Slowly, I turn my head to the side and observe several machines, recognizing that I am in a hospital room. But what happened? I try to sit up, but I can't. My body is heavy as if something is holding me down on the bed, and this sensation is terrible. My throat is dry, and I can't swallow. I feel an immense urge to cry. What happened? Where is my daughter? My husband? A tear streams down my face. I slowly move my head and look ahead, where I see the door to the room. I want to scream, to get up, to know what's going on. When I look at my belly, desperation hits me. I don't see my pregnant belly. I try to get up again, but I can't! My body is like lead, so I start crying desperately.
I don't know how long I stay here alone, silently crying, with no one by my side.
"Look who's awake!" I hear a nurse say as I suddenly realize she's standing right in front of me. I was so distracted that I didn't even see her come in. "Do you feel anything? Why are you crying?" she asks as she begins to check my vital signs.
But not a word comes out of my mouth, I can't even move.
"I want you to try to stay calm, okay? I know you're confused and want to know what happened, but your blood pressure is very high, dear. Please try to calm down, or I'll have to give you a tranquilizer. Calm down before I call the doctor." Her way of talking to me doesn't make me feel comfortable. I know something serious happened, but despite everything, I try to stay as calm as possible, even though all I want to do right now is scream.
Some time passes and Mrs. Haile enters, and when she sees me with my eyes open, she starts crying.
"Gracias a Dios, mi hija" (Thank God, my daughter) she approaches carefully, hugs me, and cries, then my crying starts again.
We stay hugged and crying for a long time. It's like she needed it, like she had been holding on for a long time. I want to ask her what happened, but my voice won't come out, as if something is blocking it.
"Mrs. Martinez," the nurse calls for her attention. She then releases me and sits on a chair next to the bed. The nurse looks at me and says, "I want you to stay calm. We don't want another hypertension episode here, do we?" She says it with affection and looks at my mother-in-law, who nods her head.
She holds my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.
"How are you feeling, my daughter?" There's a sadness in her eyes, and it terrifies me. I want to answer her, but nothing comes out of my lips.
"She's not saying anything, ma'am, it's normal considering what she's been through," the nurse responds. "Don't worry, this warrior will speak soon," she gives a comforting smile. "I'll call the doctor," and then she exits the room, leaving my mother-in-law and me alone.
The silence between us is distressing. I try to get her attention, but she only gives me a sad smile and says nothing. To be honest, I'm even afraid to know what happened.
I don't know how long it was after that, but a doctor named Henrique Vales, whose name I saw written on his lab coat as soon as he entered, began to examine me. He doesn't say much and starts examining me. When he gets to my legs, I don't feel his hands on them...
"Mrs. Rivera, I know it's difficult for you to make a sound, but from what I can see, you can move your head well, so I'll do some tests on your legs, okay? I don't want you to get agitated, I just want to confirm what the tests have already shown. After this test, we'll talk about what happened to you, all right?" I nod my head.
He takes out a kind of pen and doesn't fully uncover my legs. The way I'm lying in bed, I can't see clearly if he's touching my legs or not.
"Let's try this, can you feel this?" I shake my head in negation. "And now?" Again, I shake my head. "Can you feel anything, ma'am?" I shake my head again and big tears start to wet my face even more.
"I want you to listen to me carefully, as difficult as it may be. I want you to try to stay calm. Otherwise, I'll have to give you a sedative, and I don't want that, and I believe you don't want it either," he says. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and nodded my head. "When you arrived at the hospital, you were unconscious. It was said that you fell down the stairs. Do you remember anything?" I shake my head. "It's normal not to remember now, but I believe that with time you will remember. Going back to the beginning, you arrived unconscious due to a fall on the stairs, causing a head injury that led to a coma that lasted three weeks. One of your vertebrae was broken, causing you to lose sensation and movement below the waist," he continues. As he speaks, I feel an unusual pain in my chest. "There was also a displacement of the placenta, causing the death of the baby you were expecting, as it was without oxygen for too long... I'm sorry for your loss."
I looked at him in disbelief. I turn to look at my mother-in-law, who is no different from me. Tears wet her face. I turn my attention back to the doctor.
"The pain of losing a child is certainly the most overwhelming and terrible pain, an unimaginable suffering because in the loss of a child, you lose a piece of yourself," he says with compassion. "I'm so sorry, and I wish I could do much more, but nothing could be done. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do to help you. However, I can say that I'm sure your daughter, still little, is another little star that now shines in the sky."
After hearing his words, all I want now is one thing. I want to scream and release the pain from my chest, but all I can do is cry. I try to calm myself down and gather the strength to speak, but finding the words becomes a struggle.
"My... my..." I take a deep breath. "Hu... sband," I manage to say amidst my intense crying and the profound loss I feel.
The doctor looks at my mother-in-law and lets out a sigh. I look at her, and she takes my hand, squeezing it tightly, her eyes filled with tears.
"There was an accident, my daughter," Heile says. "On the day everything happened, my son took a wrong turn, crashed the car, and didn't survive," she says, crying.
A sob escapes my lips. I can't breathe, my chest hurts... Everything hurts! My head starts to feel heavy, and soon everything goes dark.
•••••••∞•••••••
It was difficult to hear that I had lost my baby that my husband was dead, and that my beautiful little daughter was suffering. I constantly ask myself why all this pain? Oh, my dear Ariano! How can I convince my heart that you're gone? I can't believe you're gone. I feel sad and alone. Everyone tells me I need to be strong. I need to let you go so you can find peace. I understand that my suffering isn't good for me, but no one understands what I'm going through. I was happy not long ago, and suddenly, my world was shattered in half. I have to live with this pain, and I have to do it my way! I need to be alone, cry, and think about you. Now, I can feel your love just by being alone and in silence, listening to the beats of my heart. When I think of you, I know I will suffer because you're not here, and there will be difficult days. I will suffer for a long time, and every time I remember you, my heart will cry and ache for your loss.
But I know that one day this pain will fade away, and I don't want to hold on to it forever. When I feel it's time to embrace life again, I will let go of the pain and sadness, leaving only longing. That's how I will navigate my grief and learn to live without you here! And regardless of what others see on the outside, what matters is what I feel in my heart... my love for you. The greatest pain one can experience is losing a loved one. Powerlessness in the face of death reminds us of our humanity and makes us realize how fragile life is.
Despite the suffering, we must confront death with strength and courage. We must understand that even though our loved ones are no longer with us, love never disappears. It remains eternally in our joyful memories, which sometimes carry a bitter taste of goodbye.
Love and cherished memories persist after death. Enduring the pain, shedding tears, and suffering, while knowing that I will never be alone in my pain, brings some solace. I gaze at the sky, and I'm certain there's a star shining up there, illuminating every step I take. When this pain subsides, and only longing remains... it will always make my heart ache, but the memories will stay alive in my heart and give me strength to smile again. Moving forward and embracing life in peace, finding happiness can be arduous and agonizing. We all have a purpose in life, and we must follow our path to become a star in the vastness of the sky and the infinity of eternity.
At least justice was served for my daughter. After all the misfortunes that have befallen us, some good news has emerged to bring us some relief.
In a job interview at the museum, fate sets up an exciting twist in Ava's life. Amid uncertainties and apprehensions, an unexpected encounter brings forth a unique and transformative love. Overcoming challenges and disappointments, she discovers an extraordinary companion: her best friend and ex-brother-in-law, Ravi Lockwood. Together, they tread a path filled with surprises and triumphs wrapped in a contract. Can love to arise in the most unexpected moments? A story of overcoming, respect, and true love that will warm the heart of anyone who ventures into this surprising journey.
Ayumi Clark always dreamed of a happy life filled with love and a supportive family. She achieved her goals of having a home, a career, and true friendships. However, her search for love led her into an abusive relationship, leaving her fighting for survival. As Ayumi endures physical and emotional abuse, she realizes something is wrong. Trapped in a cycle of violence and fear, she begins to doubt herself and her choices. She must heal the pain inflicted by someone she believed loved her. With the support of her friends, particularly her best friend Kaléo Coleman, or Léo, she seeks the abuser and confronts her past traumas. During this journey, Ayumi and Léo discover their feelings extend beyond friendship. Together, they navigate their doubts and strive to find true love. Yet, Ayumi must first learn to love herself and overcome her own traumas. Through this emotional and inspiring story, Ayumi fights to overcome her past, discovering her inner strength. With her friends' help, she learns self-worth and finds genuine love. As Ayumi and Kaléo face their challenges, they realize that love and compassion are key to healing their traumas. They understand that true love accepts and supports them through their darkest moments. Together, they confront their fears and overcome obstacles that attempt to separate them. They discover that unity and love provide true strength. Despite their hardships, they find hope for a happy ending and an exhilarating journey of triumph, love, and friendship.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.