Meant to be yours

Starting over

The night air on the hospital balcony was cold.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Below-
the city glittered.
Cars moved.
People laughed.
Life went on.
And on the balcony-
Melanie Rose stood with both hands gripping the railing so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
Her shoulders were tense.
Her breathing uneven.
Her face turned away.
Trying.
Trying so hard-
to look normal.
Behind her-
Ishika watched silently.
For a moment-
she said nothing.
Because she knew this woman.
The sarcastic professor.
The ruthless businesswoman.
The woman who always had an answer.
Always had a smirk.
Always had control.
And right now-
Melanie had none.
Finally-
Melanie cleared her throat.
Still not turning.
Her voice came almost normal.
Almost.
"Shouldn't you be inside?"
Ishika didn't answer.
Melanie forced a small laugh.
"The baby's probably already wrapped your wife around his finger."
Silence.
Another shaky breath.
"Anamika will deny it, obviously-"
Before she could finish-
Arms.
Warm.
Sudden.
Tight.
Ishika wrapped both arms around her from behind.
And held on.
Firmly.
Melanie froze.
Completely.
Her fingers stopped gripping the railing.
Her breathing caught.
"Ishika..."
Her voice shook.
For the first time-
truly shook.
Ishika tightened her hold.
Resting her cheek against Melanie's back.
And whispered-
Soft.
Certain.
"Just let it all out."
That-
was it.
That was all it took.
Melanie's entire body trembled.
Once.
Twice.
And then-
A sound escaped her.
Small.
Broken.
A sob.
Her hand flew to her mouth-
as if trying to stop it.
But it was too late.
Years-
years of grief...
of loneliness...
of holding everything together...
of never falling apart...
finally cracked.
Another sob.
Then another.
And suddenly-
Melanie Rose completely broke.
She turned abruptly-
and Ishika caught her instantly.
Melanie clutched her shirt with trembling fingers.
And cried.
Not quietly.
Not gracefully.
Not controlled.
She cried-
like someone who had been holding her breath for years.
Like someone who forgot what it felt like to be held.
Like someone whose heart had finally become too heavy.
Ishika held her tighter.
One hand in her hair.
The other on her back.
Not saying anything.
Just...
there.
Melanie buried her face in Ishika's shoulder-
her sobs growing harder.
Her body shaking violently.
And for nearly five minutes-
the balcony heard nothing but heartbreak.
Eventually-
Ishika spoke.
Softly.
Gently.
And for the first time-
informally.
Without titles.
Without distance.
Without teasing.
"What happened..."
She stroked her hair.
Then whispered-
"...Meli?"
Silence.
And suddenly-
Melanie froze.
Her sobs stopped for a moment.
Her grip tightened.
Her breathing hitched.
Because-
Meli.
Only one person had ever called her that.
Her mother.
Her mother-
gone for years.
Melanie pulled back slightly.
Her red eyes widened.
And for a moment-
she looked younger.
Smaller.
More vulnerable than Ishika had ever seen.
Her lips trembled.
"...What did you call me?"
Ishika smiled softly.
No teasing.
No sarcasm.
Just warmth.
"Meli."
And that-
broke her all over again.
Fresh tears spilled.
Melanie let out another broken sob-
and collapsed back into Ishika's arms.
Her voice came muffled.
Shaking.
Childlike.
Almost afraid.
"Ishu..."
Ishika's heart clenched.
Because Melanie Rose-
the woman who intimidated billionaires-
sounded like a scared little girl.
Then-
through sobs-
through broken breaths-
through tears-
Melanie finally whispered-
The one thing that had been destroying her.
The one thing she couldn't stop hearing.
Couldn't stop fearing.
Her fingers clenched tighter around Ishika's shirt.
And in a voice so broken it barely sounded like her-
she asked-
"You... won't doubt me... do you?"
Silence.
Ishika's eyes softened instantly.
Melanie's shoulders shook.
Her voice cracked harder.
"I wasn't pretending..."
Another sob.
"I wasn't waiting..."
Tears.
Unstoppable.
"I didn't touch her because I wanted something..."
She looked up.
Eyes swollen.
Destroyed.
Terrified.
"I loved her..."
Her voice shattered.
"God..."
A broken laugh escaped.
Painful.
"I love her so much it hurts."
Ishika's own eyes began to sting.
But she didn't look away.
Melanie's lips trembled.
Like a child asking for reassurance.
Like a woman terrified of being misunderstood by everyone she'd ever let close.
And once more-
barely above a whisper-
she asked-
"You believe me... right?"
The hospital balcony had grown quieter.
Inside, a newborn baby had become the center of everyone's world.
Outside-
two women sat on a wooden bench beneath the night sky.
One trying to hold herself together.
The other helping her do it.
Melanie Rose sat with her hands clasped tightly together.
Her eyes were red.
Her cheeks still wet.
Beside her-
Ishika remained close enough that Melanie knew she wasn't alone.
For several moments neither spoke.
Only the distant sounds of the city below filled the silence.
Then Ishika gently nudged her shoulder.
A small smile.
Soft.
Comforting.
"I believe you, Meli."
Melanie closed her eyes.
A shaky breath escaped.
Relief.
Pure relief.
Not because the words solved anything.
But because somebody believed her.
Without conditions.
Without proof.
Without explanations.
Ishika squeezed her hand.
"Now tell me."
Her voice remained gentle.
"What happened between you two?"
Melanie stared at the city lights.
For a long time.
Then finally spoke.
Quietly.
"As stupid as it sounds..."
A weak laugh.
"I think she was trying to protect herself."
Ishika frowned.
"By hurting you?"
Melanie nodded.
"Yes."
The answer came immediately.
Without hesitation.
Because she already knew.
"I saw it in her eyes."
Another pause.
"She wasn't angry."
"She was terrified."
Ishika listened carefully.
Melanie continued.
"When Rebecca left..."
Her voice softened.
"Jazz survived it."
A bitter smile appeared.
"Barely."
Silence.
"I watched her convince everyone she was okay."
"Watched her joke through pain."
"Watched her pretend she wasn't waiting for messages that never came."
Ishika's expression darkened.
Melanie sighed.
"The thing about abandonment..."
She stared at her trembling hands.
"...is that it teaches you to expect it."
The words hung heavily between them.
"And when someone finally stays..."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"Sometimes that's even scarier."
Ishika remained silent.
Letting her speak.
Melanie laughed softly.
"No matter what I did..."
"She kept waiting for the catch."
"The condition."
"The moment I would leave too."
Her eyes glistened again.
"And when Rebecca showed up..."
A pause.
"Every fear she had ever buried came back."
Ishika slowly nodded.
Understanding.
Not agreeing.
But understanding.
Melanie rubbed her eyes.
"Then Rebecca came to my house."
The memory made her shoulders tense.
"She apologized."
"For everything."
"I listened."
"Nothing more."
A humorless smile.
"Honestly?"
She looked at Ishika.
"I was already figuring out how to send her away."
Ishika blinked.
"You were?"
Melanie laughed weakly.
"Of course."
The answer came so naturally that Ishika almost smiled.
Melanie shook her head.
"I wasn't interested."
"Not anymore."
A pause.
"Not when every future I imagined..."
Her voice softened.
"...had Jazz in it."
For a moment-
neither woman spoke.
The sincerity in those words needed no explanation.
Melanie swallowed hard.
"Then Jazz walked in."
Her jaw tightened.
"And before I could explain anything..."
"I watched every insecurity she had been carrying explode."
Her eyes closed.
The memory still hurting.
"Every fear."
"Every doubt."
"Every wound Rebecca left behind."
A shaky breath.
"And suddenly I wasn't Melanie anymore."
She looked away.
"I became another person who was going to leave."
Ishika's heart hurt hearing it.
Because she knew that feeling.
Knew what fear could make people believe.
Melanie laughed quietly.
"You know what the worst part was?"
"What?"
Melanie's voice broke.
"I wasn't angry."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I just wanted her to stop hurting."
Silence.
"I wanted her to stop looking so scared."
Another tear followed.
"And when she accused me..."
She looked down.
"I wasn't thinking about myself."
Ishika squeezed her hand.
Melanie smiled sadly.
"I was thinking..."
A pause.
"...how much pain must she be carrying to believe that."
For several seconds-
Ishika couldn't find words.
Because that wasn't heartbreak speaking.
That was love.
The kind that stays compassionate even when wounded.
Finally she asked quietly-
"Do you still love her?"
Melanie laughed.
A genuine laugh this time.
Though tears still remained.
"What kind of question is that?"
Ishika raised an eyebrow.
"Answer it."
Melanie shook her head.
Then looked toward the hospital room where Jazz and the baby were resting.
The softness in her eyes said everything.
But she answered anyway.
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
No conditions.
Just-
yes.
Ishika smiled faintly.
"I figured."
Melanie looked away.
Then admitted quietly-
"I loved her when she accused me."
"I loved her while she was breaking my heart."
"I love her now."
A small silence followed.
Then Ishika leaned against her shoulder.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Like family.
And for the first time that night-
Melanie didn't feel alone.
After a while, Ishika spoke again.
Softly.
"You know..."
Melanie hummed.
"You're an idiot."
Melanie stared at her.
Offended.
"What?"
Ishika nodded confidently.
"A complete idiot."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
That finally earned a laugh.
A real one.
Small.
But real.
Ishika smiled.
Then her expression softened.
"She'll realize it."
Melanie didn't answer.
Because she wasn't sure.
Not anymore.
But before she could say so-
the balcony door opened.
And both women turned.
A nurse stood there.
Smiling warmly.
"Ms. Rose?"
Melanie immediately stood.
The panic returning.
"Is everything alright?"
The nurse nodded.
"Everything's fine."
A smile.
"The mother is asking for you."
Silence.
Melanie froze.
And beside her-
Ishika smiled knowingly.
Then gently pushed her forward.
"Go."
Melanie looked uncertain.
For the first time all night.
Almost afraid.
"What if-"
Ishika interrupted.
Firmly.
Lovingly.
"Go."
A pause.
Then she smiled.
"She's asking for you, Meli."
And just like that-
hope returned.