CHAPTER TWENTY–THREE

Liana’s POV

b“/bbIs /bthis not…” her voice trailed off as she rubbed her eyes, looking between Killian, Ryan, and me. Her expression was a mix

of confusion and realization.

Her gaze settled on Ryan, who was now hiding shyly behind my leg.

“Liana,” she said slowly, cautiouslyb, /b“is this your child?”

I nodded gently. My heart was racing. “Yes, Mother. This is Ryan.”

Killian stood beside us, saying nothing, his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.

I knelt beside Ryan and brushed his curls gently. “Baby, say hello to Grandma.”

HAPIN

Ryan blinked, a little unsure, then stepped forward a bit. “Hi… I’m Ryan,” he said softly, his voice unsure but polite.

Mother just stared at him. Completely frozen.

She looked at his face, then nced at Killian again. Her eyes were slowly scanning every part of him. The resemnce wasn’t small, but she said nothing. Her lips pressed into a thin line as if she wanted to say something but chose to hold it in.

She finally knelt down and gently touched Ryan’s cheek. “Hello, Ryan,” she whispered. “It’s nice to meet you.”

I smiled awkwardly and quickly stood up. “What did the doctor sayb?/bb” /b

She seemed to snap out of her daze. Her shoulders slumped again as fear took over her features. “He had a heart attack,” she said, her voice trembling. “They said it was severe. He’s unconscious. They managed to stabilize him, but… he hasn’t woken

up yet.”

Tears pooled in her eyes again. “They don’t know when he’ll wake up. They said… it might take days.”

Killian quietly stepped baway/bb, /bmumbling something about going to see the doctor.

Mother turned back to me and ced her hands on my arms. “How are byou/bb, /bbabyb? /bHow bhave /byou been faring all these years?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. b“/bI’ve been managing. It hasn’t been easy, but… bI /bsurvived.”

I could see all the other questions she wanted to ask, about Ryan, about where I’d been, what I’d gone through, but she didn’t ask. Not with Ryan there. She only nodded, holding my arms a little tighter.

Killian returned after a few minutes. “The doctor said he’ll most likely stay unconscious for the next 48 hours. They’ll monitor him closely until thenb./bb” /b

Mother wiped her face quickly. “I want to stay hereb. /bbI /bwant to be with him. I’ll bstay /bovernight.”

b“/bMother, you look tiredb. /bMaybe go homeb, /bfreshen up, rest a bit? You cane back in the evening.”

She shook her head firmly. “I’m staying I’ll go hometer, maybe to pick a few things.”

We didn’t argue much. We knew better, When she made up her mind, it was hard to change it.

Eventually, we left the hospital. The ride home was quiet. Ryan had dozed off in the back seat.

As soon as we got home, I stepped out of the car and looked at the house I once called home. Everything was the same. Nothing had changed And yetb, /beverything inside me had

23

I followed Mother inside, holding Ryan in my arms while he slept.

She led me upstairs, to my old room. When I opened the doorb, /bbI /bfroze.

bIt /bwas untouched.

My bed was neatly made, the sheets looked fresh, as if she had been changing them regrly. My books were still on the

shelf. My posters still on the wall. Even my favorite stuffed bear was on the pillow, waiting.

Tears welled in my eyes.

Mother ced a hand on my back. “I never changed a thing. I always hoped you’de back. Every month, I’d clean the

room and change the sheets… just in case you showed up.” 1

I turned and hugged her tightly. “I missed you so much.”

“bI /bmissed you more,” she whispered, kissing the side of my head.

She sat me down on the bed, tucked the nket gently over Ryan where he nowy curled beside me, and looked at me with

eyes full of so many emotions.

“We have a lot to talk about,” she said gently.

I nodded.

Then her voice dropped slightly.

“I also want to know why you ran. I want to know the main reason why.”

Thei

atr

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She said it slowly… carefully… like someone who already knew the answer, but needed to hear it from my lips.”

And I couldn’t breathe.