Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan)

Chapter 132

When 1 woke up the next day, the sunlight was straining through the curtains. I reached out, expecting to hnd Ryan, but the space beside me was empay. For a moment, panic flickered through me, bad then I remembered where i was and took a deep breath

i stretched, feeling the remnants of soreness fan also a renewed strength. After a quick shower, 1 dressed and made my way downstairs, the smell of breakfast wafting through the air.

Asi reated the bottom of the stairs, I saw them my boys, my precious tripletsNoah, Liam, and Ethan. They were gathered around the dining table their chatter filling the room. The moment they saw me, their faces lit up with pure joy,

“Moin!” they shouted in unison, scrambling out of their chairs and running towards me.

i dropped to my knees, opening my arms wide. They barreled into me, their little bodies warm and endid, and I wrapped my arms around them tightly. Tears streamed down my face, and I didn’t

“Oh, my babies, I cried, holding them close, feeling their familiar weight and warmth. “I missed you so much”

They hugged me back fiercely, their small hands clutching at me as if they were afraid I’d disappear again. “We missed you too, Mom Noah said, his voice muffled against my shoulder.

“Are you okay. Mom?” Liam asked, pulling back slightly to look at me with his big, concerned eyes,

I nodded, smiling through my tears. “I’m okay now I’m so much better now that I’m with you.”

Noah, always the quietest, held onto my hand tightly, his face buried against my side. “We were so worried, he whispered.

“I know, sweetheart. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. But I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere, I reassured them, kissing the tops of their heads.

We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, the relief and love between us evident. Finally, I pulled back slightly, looking at each of their faces, memorizing every detail,

“Let’s go have some breakfast,” I said, my voice shaky but filled with happiness. “And then you can tell me everything I missed”

They nodded eagerly, and we made our way back to the table, hand in hand. As I watched them chatter excitedly, their faces animated and bright, feh a deep sense of gratitude. We were together, safe, and that was all that mattered.

Ryan appeared in the doorway, a soft smile on his face as he watched us. I met his eyes, silently thanking him for everything. He nodded, as if to say. “I’m glad you’re home.”

As I sat with my boys, soaking in their presence and their animated stories, I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up to see Richard and Sarah, Ryan’s parents, standing in the doorway. Their faces were filled with warmth and relief.

“It’s nice to have you back home, Lily,” Sarah said, her voice gentle and sincere.

Richard nodded in agreement, his eyes kind. “We were all so worried about you. It’s a relief to see you safe and sound.”

I stood up, feeling grateful for the support they offered to Ryan and the boys. “Thank you, Richard, Sarah. I can’t even begin to express how much your support means to me.”

Sarah stepped forward and wrapped me in a warm hug. “You’re family, Lily. We’re just glad you’re here and okay.”

Richard joined in, patting my back reassuringly. “We’re all here for you. Whatever you need, just let us know.”

Tears threatened to spill again, but they were tears of gratitude and relief. I pulled back and smiled at them. “Thank you, really. I don’t know what I would’ve done without all of you.”

Ryan walked over, joining us. “We’re just happy to have you back where you belong.” he said, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.

I glanced at the boys, who were now happily digging into their breakfast, their faces bright and carefree. Then I looked around at Richard, Sarah, and Ryan–my family.

“Home,” I said softly, the word tasting sweet on my tongue. “It’s good to be home.”

After breakfast, the boys ran off to play, their laughter echoing through the house. I stayed at the table, savoring the moment of peace. Ryan came over, a serious expression on his face, and sat down beside me.

“Lily, there’s something we need to talk about,” he began gently, taking my hand in his.

I nodded, bracing myself. “What is it?”

He squeezed my hand reassuringly. “We need to return to New York, at least until after Jake’s case is handled. It’s important for your safety and to ensure everything is settled properly.”

I took a deep breath, processing his words. “I understand,” I said quietly. “It makes sense.”

Ryan nodded, his eyes searching mine. “Once everything is taken care of and Jake is no longer a threat, we can come back. You can regain your position at the hospital and pick up where you left

off.”

Returning to my job at the hospital, to the life I had worked so hard to build, seemed like a distant dream. But with Ryan’s support, it felt attainable. “I want that,” I said. “I want to get back to our lives.”

III

He smiled, leaning in to kiss my forehead. “We’ll get there, Lily. One step at a time”

I nodded, “When do we leave?

“As soon as possible,” Ryan replied. “We need to make sure the boys are sealed and safe, and them we can focus on the legal matters. Richard and Sarah will help us with helping you back at the hospital

I looked over at Richard and Sarah, who were watching us with supportive smiles. “Thank you both,” I said, feeling deeply grateful for their effor

Sarah nodded. “We’ll take care of everything here. Just focus on getting things sorted out in New

York.“.

Richard added, “We have a lot of people here who help handle your issue here, Lily. We’ll make sure everything is ready for your return.”

“Alright,” I said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s do this.

Ryan’s hand tightened around mine. “Thank you.”

“Ryan, what about Stephanie’s funeral?” I asked softly, knowing her passing had occurred under tragic circumstances.

Ryan’s expression remained stoic. “Angelo attended on behalf of the family? he replied matter factly. “They’re dealing with it in their own way.”

I nodded, feeling a twinge of sadness for Stephanie’s loved ones, even though she hadn’t been a close friend. Her death had been a shock, but it didn’t evoke the same emotions as losing someone dear.

Sarah interjected with a troubling piece of information. “Lily, there’s something else you should

know.”

I turned to her, curiosity mingling with apprehension. “What is it?”

“Stephanie’s mother is blaming Ryan for her death. She revealed.

My eyes widened with shock. “Has she lost her mind?!”

Ryan’s mother interjected, her voice firm. “She’s been spreading lies and accusations. If she persists. I’ll have no choice but to sue her for defamation of character.”

The news left me reeling. While Stephanie’s passing didn’t elicit sadness from the family due to her troubled history, being unjustly accused of her death was a bitter pill to swallow. I exchanged a glance with Ryan, silently offering my support in the face of such baseless accusations.

“It’s absurd,” Ryan declared, his frustration evident. She knows as well as we do that I had nothing to do with Stephanie’s death.”

I reached out to grasp his hand, offering a reassuring squeeze. “I’m sorry you’re having to deal with

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this, Ryan.”

“Don’t be, she’s going to regret doing that.”

“We won’t let her tarnish Ryan’s reputation. We’ll put an end to this.” Sarah chimed in.

“Stephanie’s mother is crazy,” I said, shaking my head, “Jake told me that Stephanie stabbed herself with a pen.”

Ryan’s eyes darkened, and he nodded. “It’s true, Stephanie was unstable, and that incident was one of many. She had a lot of issues, and her mother’s denial only made things worse,

I felt a chill run down my spine, recalling Jake’s account of the incident. “It’s just so hard to believe that she would do something like that to herself.”

“She was troubled, Lily. There were many things that her parents couldn’t help her with, and in the end, she became a danger to herself and others.”

Her story was really a tragic one. Standing up, I packed up the dirty plates on the table. “I’ll drop this in the dishwasher and join the boys outside.”

I’ve missed them so much and I’m more than certain they’ve missed me too, so I intend to spend more time with them as much as I can to make up for the missing time,

“I’ll join you too.” Ryan chimed in, helping me with the rest of the plate on the table, “I’ve missed having my family together.”

I smiled widely at him. “Me too.”