A New leaf : A new beginning

Her brother continued to visit her daily, bringing cereal, ice cream, and fruits for her. She was

grateful to him and her friends for all they had done for her. After a week, she was discharged and returned home, despite her brother's insistence that she stay with him. However, she made it clear that she did not wish to see her parents.

At home, she was the only one to take care of the baby. She held him and started crying, asking herself if she should give him up for adoption as she had promised her parents. She couldn't understand her motherly feelings, which made her confused as to why she couldn't give the baby away. Eventually, she decided not to give the baby up for adoption. She named him Justin.

The baby melted her heart with his smile, and after three weeks, she became completely attached to him. She would hold him through the nights though she couldn't escape the memory of that scary night.

When Alayna shared with Max her decision to keep the baby, he questioned why she wouldn't consider placing the child in an orphanage. He believed that, as a single mother, she would be deprived of her youth if she chose to raise the baby. Alayna, however, firmly stated that she was capable of providing for her child as a mother, and she didn't want her baby to suffer for something that was not their fault. "I cannot forget what happened to me and how my life changed in just one night. Seeing him reminds me of that night, repeatedly. But he is my child, and I cannot imagine my life without him," she passionately exclaimed. "I don't know who that monster was, and yes, he is his child, but he is mine too. I will choose to leave the past behind and strive to build a new life with Justin," Alayna declared resolutely. Despite Max's disapproval, he felt powerless in the face of his sister's unwavering decision.

One year later, she embarked on her journey as a resident in the esteemed neurosurgery department at the very same hospital. One fateful day, the hospital welcomed the arrival of Dr. Edward, a prodigiously gifted and remarkably handsome neurosurgeon who had already earned global recognition at the young age of 30. Dr. Edward, of Asian descent, possessed an undeniable charm with his chiseled features, radiant smile, and captivating eyes that exuded intelligence and confidence. His reputation as one of the world's top neurosurgeons preceded him, and his arrival at the hospital caused quite a stir among the medical community. His mere presence seemed to command respect and admiration.

Everyone surrounded him, talking about his achievements, except Alayna, who was not interested. But as he was her senior, she had to assist in his surgeries. Everyone went to the welcome party arranged by the hospital faculty. Alayna told them that she must go home early because her baby was still in daycare, and she couldn't leave him for the night.

Edward was happy about the welcome party, but he asked them to wrap it up because they should not leave the patients unattended and relieve the staff at the hospital. He asked them if everyone from the department was there. They told him all of them were there except Alayna, a resident of their department who did not join the party because she had some urgent work at home.