Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

TWENTY SIX

Lada's fingers trembled as she gently touched Narin's shoulder, trying to steady her own shaking voice. "Narin, sweetie," she whispered, her words breaking with emotion, "we need to let Aunty Earn rest now. She's very tired and needs sleep to get better. If we want her to wake up and be strong again, she has to rest. It's the best thing we can do for her."

Narin's eyes were wide with fear and confusion. "But, Mommy... I don't want to leave Aunty Earn. I want to stay with her. I can help her wake up. I can tell her bedtime stories like she used to tell me."

Lada's heart ached at her daughter's innocent plea. She knelt to Narin's level, her own tears on the verge of falling. "I know, baby," she said softly. "I want that too. But right now, Aunty Earn needs us to let her rest so she can heal. We'll come back soon, and you can tell her all the stories you want."

Narin's lip quivered. "But what if she doesn't wake up, Mommy? What if she never wakes up?"

Lada swallowed hard, struggling to hold back her own tears. "Sweetheart, Aunty Earn is very strong. She's fighting to come back to us. But we need to be strong too. That means we have to give her time and space to get better."

Seeing the fear in Narin's eyes, Lada gently cupped her face, brushing away a stray tear. "You need to rest too, my love. If you get sick, you won't be able to spend time with Aunty Earn when she wakes up. She'll need you to be healthy and strong too."

Narin's small sobs broke Lada's heart as she clung to her mother. Lada held her tightly, feeling Narin's heartbeat against her chest. "We'll be back soon, sweetheart," Lada whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Aunty Earn will be so happy to hear your stories when she wakes up."

As Aunty Sum arrived to take Narin home, Lada's heart shattered a little more. She hugged Narin tightly, her voice breaking. "I love you so much, baby."

Narin looked up with tear-filled eyes. "I love you more, Mommy."

Lada forced a small smile through her tears. "I love you most, my princess." She watched as Aunty Sum gently led Narin away, her heart aching with every step.

Outside the ICU, Lada's gaze fell on Atid, who was waiting nearby. His red, swollen eyes spoke volumes.

"Hi Lada. How is she? Is there any news?" Atid asked, his voice strained.

Lada looked at him, her own tears spilling over. "Earn... she's still unconscious. The doctors are doing everything they can, but... it's a waiting game. I'm so scared, Atid. I don't know how long this will last or if she even know we're here."

Atid placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I understand. It's incredibly hard to wait for news. But you're not alone in this."

Lada nodded, her voice breaking. "Thank you. I just hope she knows we're here, that we're all fighting for her. I never imagined it would come to this."

Lada's eyes locked onto his, her heart pounding in her chest. "What actually happened, Atid? Please. I need to know. I can't make sense of any of this."

Atid's eyes were filled with empathy. "Earn discovered the truth after receiving anonymous letters about your family's past. It shattered her."

Tears welled up in Lada's eyes. "I didn't know. I would never have wanted to hurt Earn."

Atid continued softly, "Bella got involved and convinced Earn that you knew about everything and used her. Bella's motives were unclear to me, but she managed to drive a wedge between both of you. Earn believed you were part of the betrayal."

Atid's gaze softened. "Earn was deeply hurt and saw leaving as an escape. When the modeling offer came, it felt like a chance to distance herself from the pain."

Lada sobbed, clutching her chest. "And Narin? She loved her so much... How could she leave her behind?"

Atid's voice was gentle. "It was the hardest decision for her. She left to heal, but it broke her heart to leave Narin and you. She missed you both terribly."

Atid continued, "Earn still had all those memories with Narin. She kept videos and photos, never letting go. When Narin was kidnapped, she came back, risking everything because she still cared deeply. It wasn't just about Narin; she never stopped loving you."

Lada's sobs became uncontrollable. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Atid said softly, "Earn was drowning in pain, trying to rebuild her life. She thought distance might help her heal."

Lada wiped her tears with shaking hands. "And now she's fighting for her life. I should have known. I should have been there."

Atid's voice was filled with compassion. "You didn't know, Lada. None of this is your fault. But now, you have the chance to be there for her. Show her that she's loved, that she's not alone."

"You have to be patient," Atid continued. "Healing takes time. But I believe Earn will let you in again eventually. It might take a while, but she'll come around."

Lada nodded, determination flickering through her sorrow. "I'll be there for her. I'll show her she's loved. We can face this together."

As Lada prepared to return to Earn's side, her heart felt heavy with the weight of the truth. The road ahead would be challenging, but she was ready to face it with courage and love. She would be there for Earn, helping her heal from the wounds of the past.

With a final look at Atid, Lada walked back towards the ICU, her tears drying as her resolve hardened. No matter what, she would be there for Earn, ready to fight for their future.