Her voice tinged with a mix of surprise and discomfort as she said, "I d

the line, light yet carrying an e

st pleading. "I can't cover it all

oked no misunderstanding. "What? Wasn'

not understand w

r intended to let her le

ion, she bit her lip. "I'll find a

interested in waiting."

started to bargain.

ce, cold and unyielding, suggested a disdainful solution. "You could try Rober

loss for words, struck by t

to demean her, to push her to her limits a

that Carson played on her vu

ne conversation, her tears remained unseen. With a forceful swipe, she wiped

e came with

me old

her way to her mother's bedside

ully resting after a successful

he timely surgery-all

the apartment door slightly open

ent, marked by an uns

off her

ssed

d, it felt reminis

gh Carson had harbored a lingering resen

ke she was run

her distress or even cry out. With her eyes

Carson's demeanor softened,

e a blend of roughn

hanna opened her eye

intensity, a longing tha

erienced a profound sense of being overwhelmed, a

disconnection from the present moment that suggested his

't have b

thinking about the woma

t respond with a sil

omeone else during their entire time toget

rage, leading her to impuls

ey

g with anger, Cars

er, she could almost fe

e gently pushed him away, saying, "

this little trick. You're jus

om Johanna's eyes, driven by the fear of ha

tress, Carson's expression

he distress on her pale face, prompting

her abdomen, asking with concer

ate the pain, which seemed to am

s, Carson swiftly contacted a p

r with a shower, during which

he observed, his voi

ar and uncertainty, e

ng the baby overwhe

n mistakenly believed her injur

stioned her resilience. "Just half a mo

arson, observing her silent tears and the sorrow etched

, stop crying. It's my fault. It's all m