A Eternal Love

chapter 31

The morning light streamed softly through the curtains when Mia stirred awake. For a heartbeat, she thought she was alone-then she felt the steady warmth beside her and turned. Daniel was propped on one elbow, watching her with a smile that made her cheeks flush.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he teased, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

Mia stretched lazily, then snuggled closer. "You didn't leave me."

"Of course not," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "Where else would I be?"

They lay there for a moment, wrapped in their own little world. Daniel traced idle circles on her arm, and Mia smiled at the tenderness in his touch. But soon her thoughts drifted back to the hospital, to her grandmother lying there, injured because of her.

"I want to see Grandma," she whispered.

Daniel's hand stilled. "Mia, you should rest. Last night was... a lot." His eyes softened with both worry and the unspoken memories of their closeness.

But she shook her head. "Please, Daniel. I need to see her with my own eyes. I won't be at peace until I do."

He sighed, knowing that stubborn spark in her couldn't be dimmed. "Alright. But you're not overdoing it."

When Mia tried to get up, a sudden ache rippled through her body, and she winced, gripping the sheet. Daniel immediately leaned forward, concern etched on his face.

"See? You're pushing yourself."

"I'm fine," she muttered, embarrassed.

"No, you're not." Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms. "Let me take care of you."

Mia blushed furiously, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You can't carry me everywhere."

"Watch me," he said with a grin, striding toward the bathroom. He helped her freshen up, his hands steady and gentle, his presence turning even the smallest tasks into something intimate.

Soon after, they sat down to breakfast in the sunlit dining room. But the lightness of the moment shifted when they found Christian already there, casually sipping coffee as though he belonged to the house itself.

"Good morning, Mia," Christian said smoothly, flashing a smile that was almost too sharp. "You'll be happy to know your grandmother is doing well. Strong woman, your grandmother. Took that hit like a warrior."

Relief softened Mia's expression. "Thank you for telling me."

Their exchange even drew a laugh from her as Christian threw in a few dry, humorous remarks about hospital food and nurses who treated him like a delinquent. For a brief second, it almost felt like family banter.

But Daniel's jaw tightened. He hadn't even touched his plate.

When Mia excused herself to go get ready, the air changed instantly. Daniel's eyes followed Christian, his tone low and edged. "How are you really, Christian?"

Christian chuckled, folding his napkin with deliberate ease. "Oh, I'm thriving. While you've been busy being... let's call it 'lovey-dovey,' I've been handling business." He stood, adjusting his cuffs. "Meetings, contacts, little details you seem too distracted to bother with."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Say what you want, but Mia comes first."

"Oh, I know," Christian said, voice smooth as steel. "And that's exactly why I told you-I caught the one who attacked her that night. Thought you'd want to pay him a visit after the hospital."

Daniel froze, the weight of those words settling heavy. "You... caught him?"

Christian gave a sharp smile, already walking toward the door. "You're welcome. But remember this, brother-Mia is family. Reese is not. Whatever promise you cling to, whatever guilt you carry, it changes nothing for me."

With that, he strode out, his parting words lingering like a shadow.

Daniel's fists clenched, torn between brother and mia. He whispered to himself, almost as if promising Mia, "I'll protect you and him also."

The car rolled to a stop in front of the hospital, its tall glass windows reflecting the morning sun. Mia's pulse quickened-part relief, part nervousness-as she spotted Rebecca standing at the entrance.

Her sister rushed over and opened Mia's door. "You're here. Thank God." Then her eyes darted to Daniel in the driver's seat, tension flickering across her face. "Listen, Daniel... our parents don't know about you yet. It might be better if Mia comes with me. Less... drama."

Mia hesitated, her fingers tightening on the strap of her bag. She turned to Daniel, who met her gaze with calm reassurance.

"It's alright," he said softly. "Go with Rebecca. I'll wait."

Mia reached over and touched his hand briefly. "I'll see you soon."

He gave a faint smile. "I'll hold you to that."

Inside the hospital, the atmosphere felt different-less suffocating, more hopeful. Her parents were waiting outside the room. The moment her mother saw her, she rushed forward and pulled Mia into a tight embrace.

"My baby... you're safe," her mother whispered, her voice cracking.

Mia blinked back tears as her father's hand rested on her shoulder, steady and proud. "It's been too long since we were all together like this."

But the weight in Mia's heart only eased when she stepped into her grandmother's room. The older woman sat propped against pillows, pale but alert. Their eyes met, and in that instant, years of unspoken anger and bitterness melted.

"Mia," her grandmother said, her voice trembling. "All I ever wanted was to protect you."

Mia's throat closed. She crossed the room in two quick steps and wrapped her arms around her grandmother. For the first time in years, she held her close, and tears streamed down her face.

"I hated you," Mia whispered, her voice breaking. "But all this time, you were protecting me."

Her grandmother stroked her hair gently. "The truth is complicated, child. Jeeya... she didn't do it out of malice. She was hypnotized, controlled. Everything she did, she was forced to."

Rebecca and their parents exchanged glances, relief settling over them as the feud that had fractured the family for years finally cracked and healed.

For the first time in so long, Mia felt like she belonged.

But miles away, in the shadows of an abandoned warehouse, another truth was being carved out in cruelty.

Christian leaned casually against a steel chair, sleeves rolled up, while the man bound to it bled and trembled. The smell of iron filled the air.

"You've been brave," Christian said smoothly, tilting his head as though speaking to a friend. "But we both know bravery doesn't last under pressure."

The man's swollen lips trembled. "I-I wasn't after her... I swear. It was her grandmother. The old woman was the target."

Christian's eyes glinted, his smile sharp. "And Mia was just... in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The man nodded frantically, sweat dripping down his face.

"And who paid you?" Christian's tone was velvet, but the cruelty beneath it was undeniable.

The attacker flinched as Christian pressed harder-psychologically more than physically, weaving lies and truths together until the man broke.

"I don't know his name," the man finally spat out. "But he has a partner. He's the one who arranged everything. Paid me. Watched me fail."

Christian's smile widened. "Good boy. That's all I needed."

He straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his hands, his mind already turning to strategy. The partner was still out there, and if there was one thing Christian excelled at, it was setting traps.

"Time to catch a bigger fish," he murmured, leaving the man trembling in the dark.