Love And Murder

49. A Sweet Lullaby

Two months later (February 2019)

It's already the start of the new year, and Marina's baby bump continues to grow, knowing her beauty glows in the eyes of her dear brother and her loving husband. 

She remains at home, resting with ease and each time she stops by the newly decorated nursery room, Marina becomes impatient to have her baby girl in her arms already.

She was very happy at how the nursery room was completed with several final touches here and there, from a few of her old yet new plushies inside the crib, and books that were organized are all stacked on a single bookshelf. 

Even her painted art of the wishing tree came out perfectly as she imagined before the new year began.

As Shawn is currently at work, Marina could only sit on a rocking chair, as she looks out the window, while her hand smoothes over her perfect baby bump. 

She lightly hums a soft melody tune, a familiar lullaby her mother once sang to her during times Marina would often cry a lot. Just near the nursery room, from across a door away, Minhyuk was taking a nap in his bedroom.

He had taken the day off from work for today, worried for Marina, especially how close she was about to give birth soon. 

Just a couple more weeks or longer until his baby niece is welcomed to the brutal world they live in. A city that was once happy and safe until Marina completely destroyed the loving city of Marigold with fear and emptiness, filled with misery and pain.

As Minhyuk tried to sleep the fear away... a frightful memory he was slowly remembering returned to him.

"Dad!" Minhyuk, who was eight at the time, drops his book bag, running straight towards his father, Derek Gomez. 

He takes a big leap into his dad's arms. As Derek carefully puts Minhyuk, he gently picks up Minhyuk's school bag. 

Unaware of Minhyuk's pride over his father being able to pick him up from school, as this was a rare occasion for Derek, there was something bothering the man.

Derek had a secret he was hiding behind his wife's back and he hated keeping it so secretly behind his two children's back. 

Though his son is young to understand his situation, for now, Derek could only trust his son more than his wife. 

Derek knows what she's suffering and telling her would be the worst-case scenario, despite the several red flags coming from his friends who all spoke badly of Elizabeth.

After Derek takes Minhyuk back to his car, he safely tucked Minhyuk in his car seat before he closed the door shut and walked over to the driver's seat. 

He shortly began to drive around a small curb and through a tunnel underneath a small bridge. 

"Hey, buddy, there's something I should tell you about," Derek began to speak, taking glances between the road and at Minhyuk through the rear mirror.

Minhyuk looks over at his father, his ears perked up as he's ready to listen to what his father has to say. 

"Son, as man to man," Derek starts, and even though his son is still young, Derek hoped Minhyuk would understand and realizes that in the future, Minhyuk can understand when he's grown up. Derek knows he's running out of time and that his fate will soon reach him.

"Minhyuk, you and your sister have another brother... not from your mother, but... he's your half-brother," Derek heavily sighs. 

"Dad?" Minhyuk was beyond confused, yet he understood quite a bit as he heard his father mention an unknown brother of theirs.