Dawn of Spring

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The birthday didn't end in total disaster. 

Well, unless you counted little Gia blowing out the candles before anyone else could and smashing her tiny hands into the cake. Not content with merely ruining the aesthetic, she took it further, smearing frosting all over her face, hair, and clothes like a pint-sized performance artist. She was too eager to wait for plates, or logic.

That's how she learned the word of the day: smashing. With absolute dedication, she mashed, smashed, and trashed her way to cake glory.

Later, Ahana realized Riya and Gia were a diabolical duo. If Gia was a pint-sized troublemaker, Riya was her overgrown partner-in-crime, except worse because Riya could plan her chaos. Together, they pestered Ahana relentlessly, like a pair of gremlins with unlimited energy and zero accountability.

"C'mon, Hana!" Riya whined dramatically, grabbing Ahana's arm like a toddler begging for candy. Ahana was furiously scribbling notes for her class, her pen scratching frantically across the page, her letters wobbling thanks to Riya's incessant poking.

"The show ends today! We have to go!" Riya persisted, her voice bordering on a tantrum.

"I'll think about it," Ahana said flatly, her eyes glued to the screen in front of her.

"You said you'd make it up to me," Riya reminded her, feigning heartbreak.

"I already did," Ahana countered, shooting her a quick glare. "Do choco-chip cookies ring a bell?"

Riya dramatically slapped her hands over her ears and shook her head like a toddler caught in denial. "That was the interest. This... this is the principal! Big difference!"

"Great. We've got a new Don in the city." Vivaan entered the room holding bunch of candies.

"Pew, pew!" Riya used her fingers like she was holding a gun.

Gia, who had been happily rolling around on the bed like a very excitable puppy, caught sight of the candies and froze. Her little face lit up with a grin so wide it was like Christmas, her birthday, and every Disney princess movie combined. With newfound confidence, she got to her feet and toddled over to Vivaan, each step a triumphant reminder of how far she'd come since her arrival.

Vivaan softened at the sight. The memory of what Gia had endured before entering their lives still haunted him, deprived of basic care, love, and safety during her first three years. The fact that doctors thought she might never walk had gutted him. Here she was now, shuffling toward him with determination, her tiny hands outstretched for the candy treasure like a pirate claiming gold.

The real story behind Zoya and little Gia was something none of them imagined. Three years ago, Zoya [whose real name remains unknown], found six-month-old Gia crying on the roadside after the toddler's biological mother died in a tragic accident. Instead of rescuing the baby out of compassion, Zoya saw an opportunity. She took in the baby and crafted a façade, pretending Gia was disabled to gain sympathy as a struggling single mother. For years, she used this charade to shield her darker dealings, even placing Gia in a boarding preschool to avoid suspicion while conducting her activities in secret.

However, Zoya's world crumbled when someone threatened her, forcing her to flee and abandon Gia. Authorities eventually tracked her down, and in exchange for leniency, Zoya exposed key figures in her criminal network. With no father in the picture and no biological family left, Gia's path to adoption was cleared. Despite the horrors of her early life, Gia was finally given a chance at a new beginnings. 

The news had arrived nearly a week ago, but even now, Ahana couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through her as she recalled it.

"Caaa-dies!" Gia squealed again, her voice a mix of wonder and pure glee. "CADIES!"