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Neri had made a life with a man who’d helped heal her.
Someone alive after the funeral she’d held in my name.
She’d put me to rest.
She’d said goodbye.
She’d moved on.
What the fuck am I doing here?
“I-I have to go.” I ripped my hand from Anna’s.
“Her name is Ayla,” Anna rushed. “And she’s yours, Aslan.”
My heart threatened to snap.
“How did you know she had a daughter?” Jack asked quietly.
I didn’t have the capacity to answer him. “Ayla is mine?”
“She is.” Anna nodded with a smile. “She’s bilingual and wonderful and looks exactly like you.”
My knees threatened to give out. I wanted to ask so many things. I wanted to know her, touch her, to catch up on all the years I’d missed.
But just because Ayla was mine didn’t mean Neri was raising her on her own. She could’ve given my daughter a new father—a father who’d stepped in when I couldn’t and supported Neri in parenthood.
My head turned woozy.
I couldn’t stop shaking. “Just tell me she’s happy and that’s enough.”
“You can see for yourself,” Jack said.
Nonsense questions tumbled out of my mouth, driven by fear. “Did she move back here after she finished studying in Townsville? Did she meet someone in the same field? Does she still swim every day? Did she make her dream come true with Lunamare? I-Is she okay?” I shut myself up, breathing hard.
Jack closed the sliding doors but didn’t bother to lock up. “She didn’t finish her degree.” He gave me a watery smile. “The loss of you prevented her from being able to. And, well...she was pregnant.”
My chest spasmed. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m so sorry.”
“You’re back now.” He smiled and patted my shoulder. “How? I have no idea. And I want to hear the full story. I have so many questions. So many, many questions. But...before you tell us everything, you need to see her before you have a heart attack.”
I winced at how true his words were.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe without her.
Like my heart was one beat away from stopping for good if it couldn’t have her.
Being here?
In this country? This garden? This place? It haunted me with memories of her. It drove me mad with want and need, and I honestly wouldn’t survive if she’d replaced me.
I’d break in ways Cem had never been able to break me.
I’d waste away all while being so fucking grateful she had someone else to love.
Someone who looked after her when I couldn’t.
I was in his debt, whoever he was.
