“I know,” Elissa replied, her voice breaking as she lowered her eyes. “But I can’t stop myself from wishing for it.”

“Elissa,” Hadley said, her tone tender as she reached out to comfort her friend. “You’ll still see Locke, and the bond you share with him will never fade.”

Elissaremained silent, her tears falling faster, each one carrying the weight of her unspoken longing. “But… I’ll never hear him call me Mom.”

She and Ernest had been so close to marriage, so near to a life where Locke might have called her his mother for real.

“We were almost there,” Elissa whispered, her voice trembling. “Just one step away…”

Just a block away, Ernest’s car stood in plain sight. Eric’s driver eased to a stop beside it.

Before the engine had even cooled, Locke flung open the door and bolted out, eyes locked on Ernest as he was stepping out of the other vehicle.

“Dad!”

Ernest crouched just in time to catch his son, lifting him into a tight embrace.

“You came too?” Locke’s voice was breathless with surprise. “I thought it was just Uncle Eric!”

“Yes.” Ernest gave a quiet nod, his voice low. “I just got here.”

With a reassuring pat, he gently guided Locke into the back seat. “Wait here. I need to have a quick word with your uncle, alright?” He shut the door with care, then turned.

Eric approached with a small smile. “Ernest.”

“Yeah.” Ernest tried for a smile but didn’t quite make it. His voice dropped. “Did she… say anything?”

Did he mean Elissa?

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Eric’s smile faded. He shook his head slowly. “Not really. She mostly cried.” Thinking of Hadley, Eric added, “When I saw her, she didn’t look good. Her eyes were red and swollen.”

Could she be crying all night?

Ernest stood still, brows drawn together in a silence that said more than words. Why had Elissa been crying? Yes, he had failed her… but hadn’t she made it clear she didn’t care for him anymore? Shouldn’t this have brought her relief—freedom, even? Then why did it feel like grief?

“Let’s get going.”

Ernest let out a slow breath. He didn’t press further. He didn’t want to.

“Alright,” Eric replied, turning toward his own car.

They were on their way to see Nyla—for a quiet meal, maybe a bit of peace.

At Hadley’s gentle urging, Elissa agreed to temporarily stay on Jewel Avenue. Lion Bay—heavy with sorrow and the ghosts of what once was—no longer felt like a place she could breathe. And as for her grandfather’s place… she didn’t really know how to face him, not yet.

Hadley did what she could, offering shelter and quiet support, but she understood the limits of her reach. Some battles—especially the ones within—Elissa had to fight alone.

Not long after, Hadley’s phone rang. It was Elvin. He had called personally to inform her that the contract for the new drama was officially finalized.

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