For a few seconds he stood motionless, unsure if his mind was playing tricks. Finally, he stepped closer. Elena looked up, startled at first, then quickly looked down, as if ashamed.
“Liam,” she said quietly.
“Elena,” he replied. His voice carried both surprise and guilt. “What happened to you?”
Her lips trembled before she answered. “Life happened.” She tried to smile, but her voice cracked. The youngest child began coughing, and she pulled him close, whispering softly to comfort him.
Liam took off his wool coat and placed it gently over her shoulders. “Come with me,” he said.
She hesitated. “I cannot just leave.”
“Yes, you can,” he said firmly. “You are not staying here another minute.”
And that moment marked the beginning of everything that would change for both of them.
Inside a small diner nearby, the warmth of coffee and pancakes filled the air. The children, named Maya, Lucas, and Ben, ate quietly but hungrily, while Elena held her cup of tea with shaking hands.
“When you left for San Francisco,” she began, “I found out I was pregnant. I tried to call you, but your number had changed. I even sent letters, but they came back unopened.”