The doctor walked into Aurora’s room with a bright smile, holding a clipboard. “Good news,” he said warmly. “Aurora is ready to go home. We’ve completed all the necessary checks, and both mother and baby are healthy.”
Aurora looked up from where she was sitting, cradling her baby. Relief washed over her face as Damian, standing nearby, smiled. “Finally,” he said softly. “We can take you home where you’ll be more comfortable.”
Luna clapped her hands together in excitement. “That’s wonderful! I’ll go and help with the discharge process,” she said, already moving toward the door.
Aurora glanced down at her baby, a soft smile on her lips. “Home,” she whispered. “That sounds perfect.”
After a few hours of preparations, Damian, Aurora, Raphael, Luna and the baby were ready to leave the hospital. Luna helped gather their belongings while Damian carried the baby in a soft, secure carrier. As they walked out to the car, Damian placed a protective arm around Aurora’s waist, guiding her gently.
The ride home was peaceful. Aurora leaned her head against the window, watching the passing scenery. The baby slept soundly in her carrier, her small hands curled into tiny fists. Damian occasionally glanced at Aurora in the rearview mirror, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“We’re almost there,” he said softly.
Aurora nodded, her hand resting lightly on the baby’s carrier. “I can’t wait to lie down in our bed,” she said with a tired but happy smile.
Luna, sitting beside Aurora, reached over to squeeze her hand. “You’ll feel so much better once you’re home,” she said encouragingly.
Meanwhile, at a quiet cafe in the city…
Aurora’s mother sat at a small corner table, her hands fidgeting nervously. She glanced at the entrance every few seconds, her heart racing. It had been years since she had seen Taylor, and the thought of facing him again stirred up a mix of anger and anxiety.
The door opened, and Taylor walked in, his tall frame and commanding presence instantly drawing attention. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on her. He walked over with a steady, confident stride, stopping in front of her.
“Hello,” he said, his voice calm but firm.
Aurora’s mother looked up at him, her jaw tightening. “So, you actually came,” she said coldly.
Taylor sat down across from her, leaning back in his chair. “Of course, I came. I always keep my word.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh, really? Because it doesn’t seem like you kept your word all those years ago.”
Taylor tilted his head slightly, studying her. “I know you’re angry,” he said, his tone measured. “But this meeting isn’t about the past. It’s about Aurora.”
At the mention of her daughter, her hands clenched into fists. “How did you even get my number?” she demanded. “After all these years, how did you suddenly decide to show up?”
Taylor shrugged, his expression unreadable. “I have my ways,” he said simply.
Her eyes flashed with fury. “Your ways?” she repeated, her voice rising. “If you had your ways, why didn’t you use them to reach out to me when I needed you the most? When I was struggling to raise a child alone? When my own family abandoned me because of you?”
Taylor leaned forward, his eyes steady. “I left because I thought it was the best thing for you and Aurora,” he said. “I didn’t want my life-the danger, the chaos-to touch you.”
She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “The best thing?” she said. “Do you even hear yourself? You left me to deal with everything alone. Do you know what that was like? To have nothing? To be judged and cast aside by everyone I knew?”
“I made a mistake,” Taylor admitted, his voice quieter now. “I thought I was protecting you.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but her anger didn’t waver. “You didn’t protect me,” she spat. “You destroyed me. And when Aurora came along… I couldn’t even look at her without feeling like my life was over.”
Taylor’s expression hardened. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone sharp. “What did you tell her?”
She hesitated, guilt flickering across her face. “I couldn’t take care of her,” she admitted. “I hated her because I felt like she was the reason my family abandoned me. She was a constant reminder of everything I lost.”
Taylor’s hands curled into fists on the table. “So, you sold her?” he asked, his voice dangerously low. “You sold our daughter because you hated her?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she didn’t look away. “I didn’t know what else to do,” she said. “I was desperate. I thought… I thought someone else could give her a better life.”
Taylor’s jaw tightened, his anger barely contained. “You didn’t give her a better life,” he said coldly. “You gave her to Damian Wolfe’s family. Do you have any idea what she’s been through because of that decision?”
Her face crumpled, and she buried her head in her hands. “I didn’t know,” she whispered. “I didn’t know where she ended up. I just wanted her to have a chance… a chance I couldn’t give her.”
Taylor stared at her for a long moment, his emotions a turbulent mix of anger, regret, and sorrow. Finally, he leaned back in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. “We’ve both made mistakes,” he said. “But right now, Aurora and her child need us. That’s all that matters.”
She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy. “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Taylor said honestly. “But you’ll never find out if you don’t try.”
They sat in silence, the weight of their shared guilt hanging heavily in the air. For the first time in years, they were united by a common goal: to make things right for Aurora.