The Red Bow [Chaelisa]

Bonus (1)

September 12, 2024. - New York, NY.

Manoban-Park Ranch.

It was rainy outside the small family's ranch. Although three years have passed, few things have really changed where it all started, in a way. There was now a fenced fiber pool at the bottom of the mansion, a tree house built on Harry and Sarah's old tree, next to the lake. There was a new horse too and his name was Rex.

I think you can guess whose horse it was.

Chaeyoung's old car had been replaced by an SUV while the Mustang was also kept in the garage. Some things just didn't need to be changed.

Married life had not fallen into the routine as most couples complain after marriage, but it would be a lie to say that there were not their heated arguments where even divorce was mentioned. Lisa was a difficult person to deal with, and Chaeyoung was too sentimental a woman to handle certain moments. Putting eight and eighty together, they discovered that love is not always about good times. But there was something that brought them back into orbit whenever things got out of hand: a little curly-haired boy, now seven years old.

Besides, the red wall would always be there to remind them why they were together.

So that's what love is all about. Recognize your mistakes and give in even when you're right. It's about choices, it's about choosing between letting yourself be carried away by the bad times and remembering the good ones.

And as always, Chaeyoung and Lisa always found balance in each other. That's how soul mates are.

Rain crackled on the old wood of the mansion's roof. The lights in the house were partially off, giving the small family privacy for an afternoon nap. Chaeyoung needed this now that she had returned from a two-week tour in London; she needed her family and a nice day of rest.

When she opened her eyes, she couldn't help but sigh passionately at the first sight she'd had: Lalisa Manoban was sleeping peacefully on her stomach right in front of her eyes, like a beautiful angel who would never lose her halo.

It is incredible that, even after all these years, together and apart, the blonde was aware that she would never get used to the presence of that woman who was a strong presence. Lisa was a much sought-after lawyer in New York, a great friend who always made a point of keeping our circle of friends close, a doting mother, and a wonderful companion.

But for Chaeyoung, she would always be all those things and more. Lisa would always be the insecure girl who feared her father and cared about other people's opinions. But she would also always be the selfless girl who gave up her own love for the happiness of her loved one. Many people would call her a coward; Chaeyoung calls her her hero. If not for the Thai woman, she would have given up on Juilliard and might never have had more time with her father. Her dream would sink, her heart would be taken with her father, and there would be nothing left for her in the end but what would be left of a broken Chaeyoung.

There would be pain one way or another, and she made her choice. And, as much as fate had crossed them again years later, the blonde knew she also did the right thing by giving up everything for the second time, thinking of Ethan's safety. She didn't understand it then, but today her eyes are open, and she wonders if she would dare to put other people first like Lisa does.

She brushed back a strand of dark hair that covered her serene face. Her hair was shorter now, and the features of her face had matured over those three years. Lisa had definitely become a woman, in every way. The blonde's curious fingers trailed from her white face to her bare shoulder, pale skin and small red marks, a small reminder to cut her nails as quickly as possible.