“Are you cooking something?”


    “I’m making grilled ribs. Would you like some?”


    “Of course, I would.” via followed her mother to the kitchen. The woman was now busy with the griddle and the marinated ribs.


    “How was your vacation?” Her mother asked without turning around.


    “Tiring,” via replied briefly.


    “Tired from sightseeing or…”


    “Let’s not talk about it.”


    via returned with steamed vegetables, pouring them onto a te. “I know, you’re still newlyweds, must be in the honeymoon phase,” teased ire, which made via frown in annoyance.


    Therge grilled ribs were served with chili sauce and vegetables. They ate apanied by conversation about via’s vacation.


    After the meal, via invited her mother back to the sofa. She had to discuss her decision and find someone who would support it.


    via began by recounting the agreement she had made with her mother-inw. Who was none other than ire’s biological mother.


    “Oh God. Is my mother really that heartless?” ire was shocked after hearing via’s entire story. Her eyes welled up with tears, looking at via with a mix of shame, disappointment, and sadness. “I don’t know what to say. Apologizing feels useless.”


    “You don’t need to apologize. I also understand what Grandma wants. She’s not wrong. She just wants me and via to be happy. And like Grandma, I also want to be happy with Uncle.” via replied confidently. There were no tears. She couldn’t afford to be sad right now.


    “So? Have you made a decision?”


    via nodded. She exined the choice she had made and her ns for the future. “Only you and Abigail know my decision. Abigail agrees with my choice, and I hope you do too. Even though it will indeed hurt Uncle more.”


    ire reached for via’s hand, squeezing it gently. “It’s not just dwin who will suffer, but you too, dear. Five years of your time wasted, and now another test hase. I know this isn’t an easy choice, but I agree with your decision. I’ll support you,” she said reassuringly.


    via looked at her stepmother. Oh God, there were no words to express how lucky she was, how happy she was to have a mother like ire. There were no tales of wicked stepmothers in via’s life. Because her stepmother was truly an angel-hearted woman, a vision of grace.


    Tears welled up in via’s eyes. Not because she was sad about the decision she had made, but because she was happy to have Abigail as a friend and cousin, and ire as her mother.


    “I’m sorry, Ma. I’ve been nothing but a burden all this time,” she whispered. ire shook her head, enveloping via in her embrace.


    “No, dear. You’ve never been a burden at all. I feel happy and grateful to have you,” ire said, releasing her hug. “After getting a handsome husband, even though he’s aging, I also got a bonus of a beautiful daughter like you, who is as kind as you are. I’m the luckier one for having you both,” ire replied with her smile. via smiled and hugged her mother again.


    Later that evening, via told dwin that she would spend the night at her parents’ house. Something she had never done since they got married. dwin said he would join her after finishing work.


    That evening, via spent time ying with Ignazio and Francisca. And coincidentally, the twins Falisha and Geremia were also there. The house became even livelier in the evening with the arrival of Abigail, Adaline, and Altezza.


    Finally, that night they had an impromptu barbecue party in the backyard. The youngest duo, Meizar and Rayyan, enlivened the atmosphere with their typical toddler chatter. “I always remember Gian, who used toin when we entrusted Falisha and Geremia to him,” Altezza said with a wistful look, watching the two toddlers who were learning to stand and walk.


    “What’s wrong with Uncle Gian?” Ignazio asked, curious.


    “Your uncle always gets annoyed because Falisha and Geremia always make a mess of the house. Not to mention Geremia who always cries, and Falisha who always teases Geremia,” via exined.


    “Dad, I’m not teasing!” Falisha protested to her father with her cute pouty face. The ten-year-old girl looked even more beautiful. Her adult teeth had grown, disying her rabbit-like teeth that added to her beauty.


    “Yeah, yeah. You’re not teasing. You’re Papa’s prettiest, kindest, and most diligent daughter, aren’t you?” her father teased, making Falisha pout even more.


    Themotion between Falisha and Altezza was amon sight in their family. Falisha always indulged her father and mother, considering she was the only daughter in her uncle’s family. The twins were born from a contract marriage between their parents. via never thought her uncle and aunt’s past was not as beautiful as the scene she saw now.


    She looked at her parents. Her parents’ marriage wasn’t easy either. They also faced challenges before everything became beautiful. And this made via even more convinced of her choice.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    So when Adaline, Altezza, and the twins went home, via canceled her n to stay overnight and invited dwin to return to their apartment. Meanwhile, Abigail chose to stay at Antony’s house because she felt too tired to move and drive home.


    No one suspected her reason. In fact, Abigail didn’t feel tired at all. She just wanted to give via time alone with dwin. To spend the remaining time via could give to her husband before the decision was implemented.


    via was already at the apartment. While dwin was showering, via prepared a change of clothes for her husband. And via herself had changed into her pajamas by the time dwin came out of the bathroom.


    As usual, they slept while embracing each other. via rested her head on her husband’s chest while her right hand gently stroked dwin’s chest. It wasn’t meant to tease, just a habit of touching each other. Meanwhile, dwin stroked via’s back and yed with her long hair, which was usually spread out when sleeping.


    “Darling.”


    “Hmm…”


    via lifted her head, gazing at her husband’s face, his eyes half-closed with drowsiness. “I looooove you so much, Doctor dwin Hampton. The husband of via Quirino.” dwin smiled without opening his eyes, but his embrace tightened around via’s shoulders.