Chapter 289

Darkness stretched across the neighborhood, and the silence was broken only by the faint, uneven chorus of crickets. Silver light spilled from the moon, sketching out the outlines of Verena and Isaac's home at Seraphina Villas, giving the house a ghostly glow.

At the bedroom window, Verena stood with her arms folded, her slim figure etched sharply against the pale shimmer of the night.

Her eyes lingered on the cypress tree swaying gently in the yard, though her mind was somewhere far beyond what she saw.

Isaac rolled out of the bathroom with a towel in hand, running it lazily over his damp hair after finishing his nightly routine.

He noticed Verena immediately. She looked lost by the window, her delicate frame swallowed by the quiet glow.

"Verena, it's late. Why don't we head to bed?" he asked, his tone light and coaxing.

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But she gave no sign of hearing him. Her stare stayed fixed on the night outside, as though she had slipped into another world entirely.

A faint crease formed on Isaac's brow, unease creeping into his chest.

He wheeled closer, raised his voice a little, and called out again, "Verena, come on, it's time to sleep."

Still, she didn't move. The stillness in her body made his heart tighten.

Resignation flickered in his eyes before he reached for her hand. His palm closed around her cold fingers,pressing warmth into them.

"Verena," he said again, this time lower, steadier.

The heat of his palm against her cool skin snapped Verena out of her daze. She slowly turned to him, her eyes clouded with uncertainty as she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Isaac met her gaze with a quiet calm."All through dinner, you looked miles away. I called your name a few times just now, but you didn't hear me. Tell me, what's going on?"

His words were soft, yet his hand clasped hers a little tighter, as though he feared she might slip away again.

Her mouth opened, and the hesitation in her expression gave her away. After a pause, she whispered,"Isaac, will you come somewhere with me tomorrow?"

Her voice carried the weight of unspoken feelings-nervousness, hope, and a trace of fear she couldn't hide.

A storm of emotions churned inside Verena at the thought of finally meeting the woman tied to her by blood.

She had grown up in a house where she always felt like an outsider, carrying the weight of silent slights and a loneliness that never lifted.

Now that the truth of her birth had come to light, the chance to see her real mother stirred both hope and dread within her.

The idea of standing face-to-face with a stranger who was, at the same time, her own flesh and blood filled her with unease.

She dreaded the possibility of finding a woman broken down by time and the sorrow of years spent apart.

Even more terrifying was the thought of not knowing what to say, how to bridge the gap of years that had already slipped away.

In this moment, one thing was certain-she needed Isaac with her.

For a long time, he had been her anchor, the one person she could lean on without fear of being pushed aside.

When Isaac caught the redness in her eyes and the turmoil that clouded her expression, his chest tightened.He didn't press her for answers. Instead, he wrapped her gently in his arms and whispered, "I'll go with you. Whatever happens, you're not facing it alone."

The next morning, the shrif ring of the phone broke the quiet. Verena lifted the device, and Luis' voice came through. "Verena, everything's ready. You can come now."

"We'll be thee soon," she said, her voice steady though her heart was racing.

She hung up, drew in a deep breath, and turned to Isaac. "It's time. Let's go."

Isaac answered with a firm nod. Together they left the house, slid into the waiting car, and set off toward the hospital.

During the ride, Verena stared out the backseat window, the blur of passing scenery doing nothing to calm her.

Her palms grew damp as she clenched her fists, her mind replaying the imagined moment over and over-the first mneeting with the mother she had never known.

Isaac noticed the stiffness in her shoulders and brushed his hand over hers, a quiet attempt to ease her nerves.

Moments later, the car slowed to a stop in front of the hospital entrance.

Verena stepped out first, tilting her head upward to find Luis already waiting in front of the main hospital building.

He stood straight and alert, his eyes fixed on the entrance until they caught sight of her. The moment he recognized her, he walked quickly in their direction.

"You're here, Verena," Luis said. His gaze flickered briefly toward Isaac before settling back on her."Try not to overthink it. When you go in, stay with her for as long as you can."

Isaac joined them, surprised to find Luis waiting for them, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the way Luis spoke.

He spoke with the ease of someone who knew her well. When had Verena gotten that familiar with Luis? Still, Isaac's sharp instincts told him there was nothing romantic in their exchange-just the easy recognition of two people bound by circumstance.

Choosing not to interfere, he kept beside Verena in silence.

Verena tilted her head toward Luis, her voice calm but firm. "Let's go in."

Luis gave a short hum of ackhowledgment before guiding them into the hospital.

At the far end of the corridor, they stopped in front of a door marked for VIP patients. Luis lifted a hand and said quietly, "This is the one."

Verena's chest tightened, her breath catching as the weight of the moment bore down on her. Forcing herself to draw in a steady breath, she edged closer to the door.

Through the small glass panel, she looked inside, her body going rigid as though her feet had rooted to the floor.

Inside, a woman sat on the edge of the bed, middle-aged and fragile, clutching a pillow as though it were her lifeline.

Her lips moved in a soft lullaby, broken now and then as she whispered, "Sleep well, my sweet girl. Such a good child..."

Nearly all her hair had turned silver, streaked with just a few strands of black. Deep lines carved her face,the years etched into every crease.

Even so, Verena could still see the trace of elegance that had once defined her,the beauty that lingered beneath time's cruel hand.

What struck Verena most were the woman's eyes and brows-so much like her own it was as though they had been stamped from the same mold.

Beside her, a weary-looking man sat peeling an apple with deliberate care.

His shoulders slumped under the weight of years, his face lined and tired, and in his features Verena saw where Luis had gotten his resemblance. Verena had toId herself she would face this moment with composure, but the instant her gaze fell on the pair, her vision blurred and her eyes filled.

Her hand flew to her mouth, desperate to hold back the sob that threatened to break free.

Luis had warned her their mother's mind was no longer sound, yet nothing had prepared her for this sight.

Even lost in confusion, her mother had been waiting for her, still calling out to a daughter she had not seen for over two decades.

The pain etched across Verena's face was enough to make Isaac's chest ache.

He reached for her hand, his voice low. "Verena... who are those people inside?"

Through a shaky breath, she answered, "They're my real parents."

Isaac froze, his eyes widening as though he hadn't heard her correctly.

Her real parents?

The words tumbled around in his mind, leaving only disbelief behind.

Catching the bewilderment in his expression, Verena steadied herself and added, "A DNA test proved it.Alec and Laura aren't my biological parents. Those two are. And Luis...he's my brother."

The revelation hit Isaac like a blow, astonishment breaking through his usual calm.

Luis finally stepped forwvard and interjected, "There's a lot to untangle, and it's not something we can explain in a few sentences. But what matters is the truth, and we just discovered it ourselves. All we want now is for our mother to recover, so maybe this family might be whole again."