Chapter One Hundred And Ninety Three

Chapter One Hundred And Ninety Three
Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Three

“Dad, I found them,” Adam said as he sank onto the couch, running a hand through his wet hair.

On the other end of the line, Mr. Black’s voice came firm and calm. “Then what are you waiting for, son?”

Adam sighed deeply. “Tia…”

“What about her?”

“She’s still hurt,” Adam said quietly. “She hasn’t healed from what I did. She’s… broken. I broke her, Dad.

I told her to stop loving me back then and she did. Now she doesn’t even want to look at me.”

There was silence for a moment. Then his father spoke again, his tone gentle but filled with weight.

“I saw that coming, son. But let me tell you something. When you truly want something, you don’t walk away from it because it hurts. You hold on tighter. You fight for it even when it doesn’t make sense. You treat it special and never let go.”

Adam swallowed hard. “Yes, Dad… I’ll never give up on her.”

“That’s my boy,” Mr. Black said softly. “Go get your love, son. Go bring her home.”

Adam felt a tear slip down his cheek. Mr. Black had always been more than a father—he was his backbone, his voice of reason. He nodded even though his father couldn’t see him.

“Okay, Dad,” he said, voice shaky. “I’ll bring her home.”

“Good. I trust you, son,” his father replied before hanging up.

Adam sat there for a while, staring blankly at the wall. The thought of Tia her smile, her voice, the pain in her eyes filled his mind. He rubbed his chest, feeling the ache that refused to leave.



Later that night, a storm hit.

Thunder roared across the sky, followed by flashes of lightning that lit up the small cottage. Rain poured heavily, the sound loud enough to drown every other noise.

Inside, the power went out. The lights blinked twice before darkness swallowed the entire place.

Tia froze. Her heart started to race. The sound of thunder terrified her. Darkness had always been her biggest fear. She hugged herself tightly, looking toward the sleeping Andy, trying not to panic.

She reached for the flashlight, but it didn’t turn on. Her hands trembled as she tried again. Nothing.

And then there was a knock at the door.

She turned sharply, her breath uneven. The knock came again, louder this time.

She slowly walked to the door, her cream nightdress brushing her knees. Rain hit the window hard. When she peeped through the small curtain, she saw him.

Adam.

He was drenched from head to toe, his white T-shirt clinging to his chest. His hair was soaked, drops of rain running down his face.

Tia hesitated, her heart thudding fast. But something inside her told her to open the door.

The moment she did, the wind rushed in, carrying the scent of rain.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked, his voice firm yet gentle.

She shook her head slowly. “No.”

He didn’t need more words.

He knew. Darkness always scared her. He remembered how she used to hold onto him during storms, how she couldn’t sleep until he whispered to her.

“Can I come in?” he asked softly.

“...Yes,” she said in a small voice.

He stepped inside and shut the door. His clothes were dripping wet, but he didn’t care.

Tia was shaking slightly. The fear was clear in her eyes. Adam walked closer and pulled her into his arms without saying anything.

She clung to him tightly, her face pressed against his chest. His warmth calmed her.

“Please don’t leave,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, rubbing her back gently. “I know you’re scared.”

She looked up at him through teary eyes. “You didn’t forget.”

Adam didn’t reply. He just stared at her, his heart heavy with emotion.

A few minutes later, the lights came back on.

Tia slowly stepped back from him, wiping her eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured.

He gave a small nod. “Alright… I’ll take my leave.”

She looked toward the window. The rain was still heavy, slapping hard against the glass. “It’s raining too much,” she said, trying to sound casual though her heart was racing. “You can stay until it’s over.”

Adam looked at her for a second, then nodded. “Alright.”

He sat across from her on the couch while she sat on the edge of the chair. The sound of rain filled the silence between them.

After a while, Adam spoke. His voice was low. “Tia… please. Come home with me. Dad really wants to see his grandson.”

She froze at his words. Mr. Black had always been kind to her gentle, understanding, never judging her for anything. Just hearing his name softened something in her chest.

“Adam…” she said after a pause, “I want peace. I like it here. I like the quiet, the air, the calm. I want to start a new life with my son. No noise, no memories, no pain.”

Adam looked down for a moment. His jaw tightened, but his tone remained calm. “Okay. I understand. But Tia… please.

I’m not asking you to come back to me. I just want you to come back for Andy. Let him grow up with both his parents. Let him feel what it’s like to be loved by both of us.”Adam said .

She kept silent, staring at her hands.

“I promise,” he continued, “I won’t cross any line. I’ll respect your space.

You can move on, fall in love with whoever you want I’ll never stop you. But just come back to New York. Let’s raise him together.”

She glanced at him, searching his eyes.

For a second, she saw the same man she fell in love with years ago the one who made her laugh, who stayed up all night just to listen to her talk. But then she quickly looked away.

“I’ll… think about it,” she said softly.

“Please,” Adam said again, leaning forward. “I wouldn’t bother you about us anymore. Just think about our son.”

She nodded faintly. “Okay.”

The storm began to calm. The sound of thunder faded into soft rainfall. Adam stood up, his wet shirt sticking to his chest.

“Have a good night’s sleep,” he said, forcing a small smile.

Tia didn’t answer. She just watched him as he opened the door. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but he still looked soaked and tired.
.

For a moment, she wanted to stop him. She wanted to tell him to stay the night, to sit beside her again. But pride and pain held her back.

Adam looked back at her before stepping out. Their eyes met for a second that felt longer than it should.

Then he left.

.
Tia stood by the door long after he was gone. Her heart felt heavy, her mind torn between love and pain.

She looked toward Andy’s room, where he was sleeping peacefully, and smiled weakly.
.

“Your dad still loves you,” she whispered to herself. “Maybe… he never stopped loving me either.”

The rain finally stopped, but sleep didn’t come easy for her that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Adam’s face the sadness in his eyes, the softness in his voice.

And though she tried hard to deny it… deep down, a small part of her still loved him so much.