Emily—now Hazel—walked into the dining hall with steady steps, but inside her stomach twisted with nerves.
David was already there.
The table was set neatly, two plates across from each other, silverware glinting under the soft chandelier light. The aroma of warm soup and freshly baked bread filled the air.
He didn’t greet her.
Didn’t look surprised.
Didn’t even lift his head fully.
But she saw it.
A flicker.
A shift in his posture.
A silent question: Why is she here again?
Hazel took her seat quietly.
No complaints.
No insults.
No cold stares.
Just… silence.
Only the gentle clink of cutlery broke the air.
David ate slowly, without making any unnecessary noise, refined in a way that told her he had spent years keeping himself small, polite, unobtrusive—because Hazel hated his presence.
Emily’s heart squeezed painfully.
Real Hazel had been cruel.
And David had learned to live with the cruelty.
She lifted her spoon carefully, trying not to disturb the fragile balance.
That’s when her phone vibrated in her lap.
Kiara calling.
Hazel excused herself softly, stood, and stepped a little away from the table—but not out of the room.
David looked up.
Surprised again.
Hazel never had the courtesy to leave the table to take calls.
Emily pressed accept.
“Hazel!” Kiara’s voice blasted loudly, full of her usual chaotic energy. “Listen, babe—I need a huge favor.”
Emily softened her voice. “What happened?”
“I have something urgent tomorrow. Super urgent. I can’t take Lily with me, and you know how she gets if I hire a sitter.” Kiara sighed dramatically. “Sooo… I’m dropping her at your place in the morning. Only till lunch. Please take care of my baby girl.”
Emily blinked.
Lily.
Kiara’s five-year-old daughter.
Warm memories surfaced—Hazel spoiling the child with toys, candies, and dresses.
The only person the real Hazel didn’t treat coldly.
Emily didn’t hesitate. “Okay. Bring her. I’ll take care of her.”
There was a stunned silence on the other end.
“…Hazel? You agreed so fast. Are you sure you’re okay? Did someone switch your soul or something—”
“Kiara,” Emily cut in gently. “It’s fine. Just bring her.”
Kiara sounded relieved, though still confused. “Alright! I’ll be there at nine. Love you!”
Emily paused, unsure how Hazel usually responded.
“…Love you too.”
Kiara gasped. “Okay, something is definitely wrong with you but—BYE!”
The call ended.
Emily exhaled slowly and turned back toward the table.
David was watching her.
Not openly, not boldly—but she caught him.
His eyes followed her carefully, analyzing her like a puzzle he had already given up on but suddenly didn’t recognize anymore.
His voice was low, almost hesitant.
“Kiara… is bringing Lily tomorrow?”
Emily blinked. “Yes. She said she has something urgent.”
David nodded quietly, lowering his eyes back to his plate.
But she saw it again—
the faintest shift in his expression.
A softness.
Just for a second.
He knew Lily too.
Hazel had once treated the child with genuine affection, and even David wasn’t immune to Lily’s sunshine-like presence. She had once gifted him a drawing of him in a superhero cape, telling him, ‘You’re strong even if your legs are sleeping.’
Emily felt warmth spread in her chest.
The silence stretched again—but this time, it felt less cold.
Calmer.
Almost peaceful.
David didn’t ask questions, but his gaze lingered on her a little longer.
Hazel Walker had changed.
And David Wilson wasn't sure whether to believe it…
or prepare for another heartbreak.
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