The room emptied, leaving them ensconced in their private world.
The day had stretched into evening by the time they exited the hospital.
Allie and Rafael planned to go to the airport, but Rafaelâs phone rangâa call from the police. âAre you a relative of Liza Romero? Please come to the police station to confirm a tragic event.â
Rafael hesitated at the entrance to the morgue, the scene inside too horrific for Allie to witness.
He entered alone and confirmed it was indeed Liza.
Within him, a torrent of memories surgedâblissful days when his family was intact: father, mother, and sister, all united, serene, and complete. But now, it was all gone.
Emerging from the morgue, he found Allie waiting outside, rising from where she had been crouching by the door.
LÉtÑst ϲhð¶ptÑrs ιn gðªlnovеâð.ð°ð¼ðº âAre you alright?â
A surge of sadness overwhelmed Rafael. He didnât like Allie, even hated her, blaming her father for his fatherâs death. Yet now, in his loneliest moment, she was the only one by his side, showing concern.
âIâm fine, letâs go,â he replied.
âOkay.â Allie took his arm as they walked out. She glanced through her fingers at the setting sun, a curious childlike wonder in her eyes despite the somber moment.
âRafael!â Belle called from behind. Rafael froze and turned to see her approaching, her eyes wide with sorrow.
âRafael, your sisterâ¦â
âSheâs dead,â Rafael stated flatly.
Belle clutched her handkerchief, struggling to hold back tears. Despite their past conflicts, she had loved Liza as her own daughter. Lizaâs death warranted her presence, a grim duty she could not ignore.
Rafael felt an urge to comfort her, yet he knew he couldnât stay. Belleâs gaze fell upon Rafaelâs and Allieâs linked arms. She nodded understandingly, waving her handkerchief in a gesture of farewell.
âItâs okay! I wonât interfere anymore. Go do what you need to do.â
Once they had parted ways with Belle, Allie turned to Rafael and inquired, âAre we heading to the airport?â
âNot now.â
âWhatâs the hold-up?â
Rafael fixed his eyes on Allie. âYou mentioned wanting to have a child, right?â
Catching on, Allie replied, âYou mean the child Wade claimed was Ryland?â
Rafael confirmed with a nod. âJoelle and Adrian already have Aurora, and they need to find Ryland. They donât have the time to take care of that boy.â
Rafael felt a deep sympathy for the child. No matter how the adults acted, the child remained innocent. Considering Allieâs wish for a child, he chose to adopt this one, fulfilling a commitment to the child and offering Allie a chance. Allieâs eyes sparkled with admiration and gratitude as she looked at Rafael.
The man she cherished was kind-hearted and always looked out for others. She admired how Rafael showed compassion and cared deeply for those around him. At times, she was puzzled by Joelleâs decision to leave Rafael for someone as rigid as Adrian.
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