Chapter 220
\nThree Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 220<\/p>\n
Bonnie rubbed her eyes and gave an apologetic smile. \u201cSorry, I didn\u2019t know your dad died in the line of duty. I hope we didn\u2019t upset you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all,\u201d Aiken said. His voice was calm, steady, like talking about someone else’s story instead of his own. \u201cIt\u2019s been ten years. My mom and I moved on a while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie always struggled with finding the right words. She glanced at Aiken, with his strong, open expression, and said, \u201cIf your dad knew you followed in his footsteps and became a cop, he\u2019d be proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aiken chuckled, remembering his dad\u2019s stubborn streak. \u201cHonestly, if he knew, I bet he\u2019d show up in my dreams just to say, \u2018So, did you use my service medal to get into the academy? You better watch yourself or I\u2019ll have your hide.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
That got a burst of laughter out of Bonnie. She quickly tried to stifle it, but her cheeks turned bright red. Aiken grinned, clearly enjoying her reaction. Before he could joke about it, his phone rang.<\/p>\n
The caller ID flashed the station\u2019s number.<\/p>\n
Aiken sighed as he picked up. It was exactly what he expected. The snow had made things busier and they needed all hands on deck.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just part of the job,\u201d he said, slipping his phone away. \u201cWe\u2019re never really home for our families. My dad missed so many family dinners. He wasn\u2019t even around when I was born. Sometimes I wonder if people like us should even start families in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Something twisted in Bonnie\u2019s chest. Without thinking, she stepped forward and hugged him. It only lasted a second, but it was enough to leave Aiken frozen in place, caught off guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s because of people like you, all those holiday tables have someone coming home. Families get to be together because you protect them,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n
Bonnie gave him a sunny smile, bright and hopeful as a winter morning. \u201cWhen I finish my grad school exams, if you\u2019re free, let\u2019s go skiing together.\u201d<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n
She used to tell Odette she wanted to see her daughter become the hardest-working, brightest star on the stage.<\/p>\n
That never happened. Jeniffer died unexpectedly. Odette would never forget the look in her friend\u2019s eyes at the very end. It was a mix of relief and sorrow, like she was letting go but leaving regrets behind.<\/p>\n
From that day on, Odette promised herself she\u2019d treat Hannah as her own daughter. She\u2019d love her, guide her, and give her everything she could, for Jeniffer\u2019s sake and her own.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just because Jeniffer had saved Lawrence. Jeniffer was her closest friend, and her unfinished wishes had become Odette\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n
What she never saw coming was this lonely outcome. Hannah, who should have been dazzling on her stage, now lay fading in this sterile room.<\/p>\n
Odette blamed herself. She wondered if she had led Hannah astray, made selfish mistakes, ignored what was best for her. She was heartbroken over what Hannah had suffered, but she also couldn\u2019t accept Hannah crossing the line, bringing trouble and pain into Bonnie\u2019s life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-888","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}