eart caught in a strange ta

nd shook his head. "What's with that look? I am your officia

g her daughter's things. She knew about Ken and her daughter's relationshi

small smile. "I just woke up and

betraying the whirlwin

she caught a glimpse of her

rned h

ward it. Her fingers reached up,

Soft features untouc

keup. It was

was

rough her mind-so intens

he bit her

A

r hand, and tears welled i

that meant

r's arm, her voice panicked. "Mom! Mom

tear-streaked cheeks. "Yes, but... what's with the sudde

arms around her mother and held her

sorry. I'll remember it fo

y girl... What are you apologizing for? I'm not upset. Don't cry anymore, okay? If my

earching for a familiar face-

ly remembering. "He got a pho

ay more, Hyera pulled

ant you, Mom. I want to stay by your side-fo

more as she hugged her tight

ra, it was

om everything around her...

sible, so unreal,

n given a s

d been

five y

.

d Famil

daylight. The wind howled outside, and the rain-steady, relentl

cheeks. No one knew how long she had cried before exhaustion finally claimed her.

ck, as if trying to lull away every t

eps paused at the doorway as her eyes fell on the sleeping girl in Hanabi's arms. She lower

aised a finger to her lips. "Shhh," she whis

re, she tucked Hyer

tches a cold? She just got discharged from the hospital-I'm not letting my baby girl set foot in ther

nodded. "Y

y days has Miss Hyera skipped school now? she thought. She must've fallen far

to the Sherwood family. The school itself had been built

f Hanabi's eyes-red-rimmed and watery. Her heart ached, but

hours of the night, H

a cold sweat. In it, she saw that woman-Kehlani-her so-calle

owly got to her feet. She walked barefoot

ntown. Years ago, her grandfather Maverick Sherwood had chosen this peaceful locati

phistication. Antique vases stood beside sleek marble columns. Oil pain

o fall in steady sheets, soaking the gardens and pat

d out at th

stions fill

y has another woman outside? That Silvia and Tim exist? That ev

proof did

her li

ieve she had come back from the d

tand it... how could Mo

ainst the glass, rain thudd

. no

. If she said something now, would it just sound like a child's n

ad to

to p

. She would protect her mother. Protect

had to figure out

*