Chapter 85
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HAZEL blinked at her father, her brows knitting together. For a moment she thought she had misheard him. Since they had begun these calls- since she and her mother left the house- he had never once asked about Mom. Never. So why now?
“What?!” she exclaimed, her voice carrying both surprise and suspicion.
Adrian gave a soft chuckle, sensing her confusion.
“I said… how is your mom doing, Hazel?” he repeated gently.
Hazel narrowed her eyes, her small lips pursed.
“Mm. Do you… miss Mommy p>
The question caught him squarely off guard. His composure faltered.
“Well, yeah— no, I mean yes. No-oh God!” he groaned, dragging his free hand down his face in embarrassment.
Hazel chuckled, shaking her head.
“Daddy, you have never asked of Mom before p>
“I know, pumpkin,” Adrian said quickly, his tone defensive. “I just- I just wanted to know how she has been. That is all. Nothing serious p>
Hazel tilted her head, unconvinced.
“Mm-hmm p>
“I mean it,” he insisted. “I just… wanted to be sure she is doing fine, you know p>
Hazel’s face softened slightly, though her smile still carried a mischievous tilt.
“She is fine. She works a lot, though. Grandma keeps telling her to rest more, but you know Mom p>
Adrian’s throat tightened, guilt swelling in his chest.
“Yeah… I know your mom.” His voice dipped into something softer, pained.
Hazel frowned at him through the screen. “Daddy p>
“Yes, pumpkin p>
“I think you should… be nicer to Mommy p>
The words pierced him deeper than Hazel could ever realize. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his face neutral.
“You are right, baby. You are right p>
The moment grew heavy, and Hazel, sensing it, brightened her face again.
“Okay, Daddy. I will tell Mommy you asked of her p>
Adrian forced a laugh, shaking his head.
“No, no- you don’t have to do that p>
“I will,” Hazel insisted playfully. “She will be happy. Don’t you
think p>
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Adrian smiled faintly, his heart twisting.
“Alright, pumpkin. I will leave that up to you p>
They lingered for a few more moments, Hazel babbling about school again before yawning.
“I have to sleep now, Daddy. Goodnight p>
“Goodnight, pumpkin. I love you p>
“I love you too!” she beamed, blowing a kiss into the camera before ending the call.
The screen went black. Adrian lay there, staring at the reflection of his own face in the glass. Slowly, he began scrolling through his phone, almost on instinct. It hit him- months had actually passed, and he hadn’t really set eyes on his wife. Not once. He hadn’t heard her voice, hadn’t touched her hand, hadn’t even seen her walk by.
He opened her social media handle. There was nothing. Amelia was never one for social media anyway. Her last post- her only post, was still their wedding picture, locked in place as her display. No captions, no updates, stories. Just silence.
no
He frowned, searching for something, anything. Out of desperation, he even pulled up Clara’s handle, thinking maybe Amelia had appeared in the background of a photo or a tagged post. It was still nothing. It was blank.
A deep sigh escaped him as he dropped the phone onto his chest, closing his eyes. The weight of it all settled in.’ What have I done to myself?’ 1
The morning sunlight filtered through the wide curtains of the living room, soft and golden, casting a warm glow oyer the room. Amelia sat comfortably on the couch, leaning slightly forward as she fixed Hazel’s school ribbon and helped smooth out her little uniform. Hazel wriggled playfully, her laughter filling the air.
“Hold still, sweetheart,” Amelia said, chuckling as she tried to tie the ribbon neatly.
Hazel grinned.
“Mommy, you always say that every morning p>
“And you always move every morning,” Amelia replied with a mock stern look that made Hazel giggle even more.
Just then, the front door opened, and Ryan stepped in, sharp as always in a crisp shirt tucked neatly into well- fitted trousers. He carried a tablet under his arm, his presence steady and precise.
“Good morning, Mrs. Cole,” he greeted politely, his voice calm yet lively.
“Morning, Ryan,” Amelia replied with a small smile.
Hazel bounced up.
“Good morning, Uncle Ryan!” she chirped brightly.
Ryan’s serious expression softened instantly as he bent slightly to meet her gaze.
“Good morning, Hazel. Ready to conquer school today p>
“Yes!” Hazel declared proudly, lifting her chin.
“That is my girl,” Ryan chuckled, before taking a seat opposite Amelia.
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Before Amelia could respond, a blaring horn cut through the room from outside the school bus. Hazel’s eyes widened in excitement.
“Mommy, that is my bus!” She quickly slung her schoolbag over her tiny shoulders, reaching for her lunch pack.
“Alright, alright,” Amelia said, standing to her feet carefully, one hand on her bump. “Be good at school today, Hazel. Learn something new, okay p>
“I will!” Hazel promised, darting toward the door before turning back and running into her mother’s arms for a quick hug.
Amelia bent as much as she could and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“Have a great day, baby p>
“Bye, Uncle Ryan!” Hazel waved on her way out.
“Bye, Hazel. Make us proud,” Ryan called after her with a smile.
When the door closed behind Hazel, the house fell into a calm hush. Amelia eased back onto the couch while Ryan opened up his tablet, his eyes scanning lines of information.
“So,” Ryan began, his tone sliding back into professional mode, “one of the sales representatives at Satin and Sage will be leaving soon p>
Amelia raised her brows.
“Oh? Leaving p>
“Yes, for her studies,” Ryan explained. “It is Julia. She got a scholarship to further her education, so she will be saying goodbye to the team very soon p>
Amelia leaned back, her fingers absentmindedly brushing over the armrest
“Julia… Oh! Okay p>
“Yeah,” Ryan nodded, adjusting something on his tablet. “So, we will need to bring in a new employee once she leaves. The arrangements have already been set in motion, the vacancy is out there, and soon we will start receiving applications p>
Amelia nodded slowly, her face thoughtful. “I see p>
Ryan glanced up briefly.
“Do you want me to personally screen the first batch when the applications start coming in p>
“Yes,” Amelia said after a moment. “Go through them first. Shortlist a few, and then we will review together p>
“Noted.” Ryan tapped on his tablet, fingers swift and precise.
For a moment, Amelia watched him work, his focus sharp, his professionalism evident. Then she spoke again.
“Are you going anywhere today p>
Ryan lifted his head, shaking it lightly.
“No, not really. I intend to remain here until I’m needed elsewhere p>
Amelia’s lips curved faintly.
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“Good.” She straightened slightly. “We will be going shopping together then p>
Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Shopping p>
Amelia gave him a disgusted look and scoffed.
“Hey, not the kind of shopping you are thinking p>
He blinked. “Oh p>
“To the stock market, Ryan. Where I get most of my clothing for sales,” she clarified.
“Ohhh.” His mouth formed a small circle as understanding dawned.
“Yeah. Get ready.” Amelia pushed herself up slowly from the couch.
Before she could steady herself, Ryan shot up from his seat and moved quickly to her side, extending his arm.
“Careful,” he said, supporting her.
“Thank you,” Amelia said softly.
“You are welcome, ma’am,” Ryan replied, his tone respectful.
With his help, Amelia steadied herself. She gave him a nod before making her way toward her room, each step deliberate, slow and steady.
Ryan stood by, watching to ensure she was fine until she disappeared into the room, the quiet hum of the house settling back around him.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.