BookToReadChapter 134
Christiana’s POV
The orang air was cool and crisp as | stepped out of the car. My heart was pounding, each beat echoing louder
than the last. Daniel's house stonel ahead of me, but it felt hauntingly lifeless. | couldn't stop replaying Mrs.
Brooks‘ words from the night before, her desperate plea, her tears, It wrighed onlike a burden Iconklu’t
shrug off
After dropping the kids at school, t'il promised myself | would do this. | owed it to Daniel. He was my friend.no,
more than that. He had been my conflant, niy safe space when everything else felt chamk
Mrs. Brooks greetedat the door. Her wrinkled face lit up with gratitude, though her eyes still carried the
sadnews of sleepless nights. “Christiana,” she whispered, pullingto a tight Ing. “Thank you for coming.”
I nodiled, my throat too tight to respond
inside. Daniel's younger brothers appeared. They both looked worn down, their usual charm replaced by visible
concern. One of them, Michael, ran a hand through his tousled hair and sighed. “He doesn’t cout,
Christiana. The second he hears our voices, he shuts us out. He hasn't eaten properly in days. If anyone can
teach him..it’s you.
The weight of their expectations pressed on me, but | tried to push it aside. This wasn’t about me. This way
about Daniel
Mrs. Brooks clutched my hand as we climbed the stairs. Her grip was firm, like she was trying to transfer sof
her strength toreached his door, she stepped back, her lips quivering. “We'll wait downstairs,” she said
softly, her voice trembling. “I trust you.”
| nodded again, taking a shaky breath. Then Etumed to the door.
When we
It looked so unassuming, just an ordinary wooden door, but it felt like a barrier | might not be able to break
through. My heart ached at the thought of what Ly behind it. Daniel, my friend broken, hurting and shunting out
the work.
| knocked gently at first. “Daniel” It's me, Christiana.”
No response.
| knocked again, a little harder this time. “Daniel, please. | need to see you. Can we talk?”
Still nothing. The silence was suffocating.
| rested my forehead against the door, closing my eyes as tears threatened to spill “Daniel, I'm sorry, |
whispered. My voice cracked, and | took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “If I've hurt you, if I've done
anything to cause you pain, I'm so sorry. Please, just talk to me. Letsee you.
The silence stretched on, thick and heavy, It was as if the room itself were holding its breath.
“Daniel,” | said again, my voice shaking, “I know | hurt you. | know I rejected you, and | know how much that
must have hurt. But please, don’t do this to yourself. Don’t shut everyone out. You mean so much to so many
people. To me. Please, don’t give up on yourself.”
Still nothing. It was like talking to a wall. My chest tightened, fear clawing at my heart. What if he wasn’t okay?
What if he was too far gone!
The thought was too much. Before | knew it, | was sobbing, my hands pressed against the door. “Please, Daniel
Lcried, my tears falling freely. “I can’t bear the thought of you like this. Please, cback. Please.”
Behind me, | heard footsteps. | turned slightly to see Mrs. Brooks and his brothers watchingfrom the
staircase. Their faces were of shock and sorrow. | realized how desperate | must have looked, but | didn’t care.
None of it mattered if | couldn't reach him.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
I stumbled back, startled, and then froze.
Daniel stood there, his frleaning heavily against the doorframe. His hair was disheveled, his clothes
wrinkled and stained. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot and sunken, but they were locked on
me.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Christiana,” he said hoarsely.
Before | could respond, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, pullinginto a tight embrace. |
stiffened at first, shocked, but then I melted into him.
“Don’t cry,” he murmured, his voice breaking, “I can bear anything, but not your tears. Please, Christiana, don’t
cry.”
My arms went around him instinctively, holding him as tightly as | could. “Daniel,” | whispered, my voice thick
with emotion. “I'm so sorry. I'in so, No sorry”
He shook his head, his grip ontightenings “It’s not your fault,” he said, his voice cracking. “It’s me. | didn’t
know how to handle it. I didn’t know
D
A
i plesating “Krane Chanel COE MUSCsee him. Maybe it he sets you at he hears your
g down onshe was depimas, beggingto du
Lindest Duty, though mom to ring Turin thing to cLull to bom du Shatever Foam to help.
unerring Klossy, the nolint, her sbookdern ugong humbet.
anw what elie vo il. You'm my laun bepe
That to her the making her to the top the flood ale but i was a glimmer of hope in her eyes have. Girs but
present,
fa i cloud mne dour tend her transpe, exhaling deply. My heart was heery, aut and unrany vering withinDairi
was
Judije Joes matter bone painful st
Lind hua way back UMBAL
12:16 PM
Chapter 131
how to let go
| pulled back slightly, just enough to look at him. His face was inches from mine, his expression raw and
vulnerable. “You don’t have to let go.“1 sald sofily. “Hut you can’t keep doing this to yourself. You're too
important, Daniel. To your family. To me. You can't give up.”
Tears filled his eyes, and he looked down, his shoulders shaking. “I don’t know how to fix this,” he admitted, his
voice barely above a whisper
“You don’t have to do it alone,” | said, my voice firm. “We'll figure it out together. But you have to try. Promise
He nodded slowly, and | hugged him again, holding him as tightly as | could.
Behind us. | heard a gasp. | turned slightly to see Mrs. Brooks clutching her chest, tears streaming down her face.
His brothers stood beside her, their expressions were of shock and relief
Daniel was finally out.
And | wasn’t going to let him slip away again.
| stayed. | couldn't bring myself to leave. Not after seeing the state Daniel was in and hearing the tremble in his
voice when he hugged me, | watched as his grandmother and brothers helped him to the bathroom, their
movements gentle and deliberate, as if he might shatter. Mrs. Brooks kept glancing back at me, her eyes
brimming with gratitude.
“You're a blessing Christiana, she whispered before following Daniel to make sure he had everything he needed.
Her voice cracked with emotion. “I don’t know what we would have done without you
Her words made my chest tighten. | didn’t feel like a blessing. | felt guilty so deeply guihy that it was hard to
breathe.
Daniel's younger brothers, Michael and Jason, hovered nearby, their eyes darting between the bathroom door
and me. They were clearly relieved to see him finally responding to someone, but there was a tension in their
movements, like they were afraid he might retreat back into himself at
any moment.
“Christiana” Michael said hesitantly, his voice low. “Thank you for coming. He he wouldn't even look at us. But
you.” He paused, swallowing hard. “You brought him back.”
| nodded, not trusting my voice.
| sat on the couch, my hands clasped tightly together, as the minutes stretched on. | could hear the faint sound
of water running, the occasional murmur of voices from the bathroom. My mind wandered, unbidden, to my own
past the cold, sterile walls of the orphanage, the loneliness that clung tolike a shadow. I'd always longed for
family, for connection, and maybe that was why | cared about Daniel the way | did. He wasn’t just a friend, he
was family, the kind I'd never had but always dreamed of.
When Daniel finally emerged, he looked better. His hair was damp, combed back, and he was dressed in fresh
clothes. The darkness in his eyes was still there, but it wasn’t as consuming. He looked at me, and for the first
tin what felt like forever, | saw a flicker of the Daniel | used to knone
“Hey,” he said, his voice raspy but steadier than before.
“Hey,” | replied, standing up instinctively.
Mrs. Brooks was at his side, her hand on his arm, her face was of relief and worry. “He needs to eat,” she said
softly, glancing at me
“Of course,” | said quickly. “Sit down, Daniel. I'll get you something.”
“No.” Daniel said, his voice firm but not harsh. “Sit with
Christiana. Please.”
| hesitated, but the look in his eyes made it impossible to refuse. | followed him to the couch, where he sank
down heavily. His brothers brought him a plate of food, but his focus was on me.
“You didn’t have to say,” he said after a moment, his voice quieter now | wouldn't have blamed you if you'd left.”
| shook my head, my throat tightening “I couldn’t leave, Daniel. Not like this.”
He managed a faint smile, one comer of his mouth lifting. “Always the stubborn one,” he said, his tone light but
tinged with something deeper. “How are the kids?”
The question caughtoff guard, 1 blinked, my heart clenching. Even in his state, he was thinking about my
children.
“They're good.” | said, my voice soft. “They miss you. Ethan keeps asking when you'll visit again.””
Daniel's smile wavered, and his eyes grew distant. | miss them too,” he said quietly.
D
12:15 PM
Chapter 131
Without thinking, | reached out and took his hand. His skin was warm but slightly rough, and | stroked it gently
with my thumb. “Daniel,” | said, my voice trembling, Tm so sorry. For everything. For hurting you. For not
realizing
He shook his head, cutting me
6. “It's no
not your fault, Christians. I just.. I didn’t handle it well. | let it get to me.”
“But you didn’t deserve to feel like this,” | said, my voice breaking. “You're too important, Daniel. To your family.
To me
His eyes
es met mine, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. There was a heaviness in the air, but also something else
an unspoken understanding
“You're too hard on yourself,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
“And you're too hard on yourself,” | countered, managing a small smile despite the tears that still threatened to
fall.
His lips quirked upward, just slightly, and he squeezed my hand. “lll try,” he said. “For you. For my family
Mrs. Brooks was standing nearby, her hand pressed to her chest, tears streaming down her face. Jason and
Michael exchanged looks, their expressions were of relief and disbelief.
q ) op a
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm| didn't leave Daniel's side for the rest
of the day. We talked about the kids,
about life, about nothing and m
; 0)
everything, expept Alef tas t
uch. BUR was a start. And as | sat
there, holding his hand, | made a
silent promise to myself | would be
there for him, just as he had always
)
been there for me. Because that's
what family does. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
. INT]
As | finally stepped out of Daniel's
house, the crisp morning air hit me,
an opposite to the warmth insider
closed the doprganth behing me.
ling out a heavy sigh. My emotions
were all over the place. relief that
Daniel seemed better, guilt for what
he had gone through, and exhaustion
from the weight of it all, The content
is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
But as | turned to leave, my heart stopped.
There he was
Alex stood a few feet away, leaning
against his car with his arms
crossed. His sharp gaze locked qn
me, and the cold, uifehdatite
A on his face sent a chill
down my spine. It was the kind of
look that could cut through steel, the
kind of look | had only seen him wear
in the presence of his most
dangerous rivals. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
“Alex,” | whispered, stunned. “What.. what are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pushed off the car, his towering frclosing the distance between us.
The closer he got, the more | could see the tension in his jaw, the fury on his face.
“Have you been out here all along?” | asked, my voice shaky.
“Why are you still visiting him, Christiana?” Alex's voice was calm, too calin. It only made his words hit harder.
“The man you claimed doesn’t matter. The man you said you had nothing with
| opened my mouth, but nothing cout. My breath caught in my throat, and for the
first tin a long time, | didn’t know what to say
His piercing eyes!
s bore into mine, waiting, demanding an answer | wasn’t sure | could give.
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
