lelanidebbiee

After a fleeting one-night affair with a stranger, the wealthy and beautiful Lani  Carlisle finds herself the target of public scorn. The situation worsens when her father drove her out of the house. Driven by the pressure, Lani becomes a workaholic and hires a personal assistant to care for her kids. But everything changes when her daughter becomes deeply attached to him, even wishing he were her father.

As Lani unexpectedly falls for him, she faces judgment from both her family and society. Will she accept her fate, or fight for the love she desires?

Find out in "Unbreakable Ties"

Unbreakable Ties

Morning came, but Elias was still nowhere to be seen.

Lani barely slept, her thoughts racing the entire night. She kept checking her phone, hoping for another message, but nothing came. The uneasy feeling in her chest only grew heavier.

Lily, however, woke up cheerful, stretching her little arms as she looked around. "Did Daddy come back?" she asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Lani hesitated before shaking her head. "Not yet, sweetie."

Lily pouted. "But he promised he wouldn't leave again."

The disappointment in her daughter's voice made Lani's heart ache.

Determined to get answers, she picked up her phone and called Elias again.

She immediately knew something was wrong. "Where are you?"

There was silence before he finally muttered, "I'm at the hospital."

Luca, who had been listening nearby, stiffened. Lily, not fully understanding the situation, simply tilted her head.

"The hospital? What happened?" Lani's voice was sharp, filled with worry.

Elias sighed. "It's nothing serious. I just… I collapsed when I was visiting my mom."

Lani didn't waste another second. "Which hospital?"

Elias tried to protest, but Lani wasn't having it. Within minutes, she was gathering her things, grabbing her car keys, and heading for the door.

"I'm coming with you," Luca said suddenly, standing in front of her.

Lily immediately got up as well. "Me too!"

"Mom." Luca's voice was firm. "We need to see him."

The determination in his eyes made it clear that he wasn't going to back down. Lani nodded, and without another word, they all got into the car and headed straight for the hospital.

When they arrived, Lani rushed inside, her heart pounding. Luca and Lily followed closely behind her.

The receptionist directed them to Elias's room, and when they got there, Lani hesitated before pushing the door open.

Elias was lying in bed, looking pale but still managing a weak smile when he saw them. "You guys didn't have to come."

Lily ran straight to him, grabbing his hand. "Daddy, are you okay?"

He winced slightly but nodded. "I'm fine, princess. Just a little tired."

Luca stood near the door, watching him carefully. His sharp eyes caught the IV drip, the heart monitor, and the way Elias looked weaker than usual.

Lani, on the other hand, was fuming. "You collapsed and didn't think to tell me?!"

Elias sighed. "I didn't want to worry you."

Lani crossed her arms. "Too late for that."

Lily climbed onto the bed, curling up beside Elias. "Daddy, you scared me," she whispered.

Elias gently ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

Luca finally spoke. "How bad is it?"

Elias flinched slightly at the question. "It's… getting worse."

Lani's heart clenched. "What does that mean?"

Elias exhaled deeply. "It means I don't have much time left unless I get the transplant soon."

Lily hugged him tighter, and even Luca's expression softened slightly.

Lani swallowed the lump in her throat before sitting beside the bed. "Then we'll do whatever it takes to get you that transplant."

Elias smiled weakly. "You don't have to—"

"Stop," Lani interrupted. "You're family. We're not going to let you go through this alone."

Elias looked at her, then at the kids, and for the first time in a long time, he felt something he hadn't let himself feel before.

Chapter 41: The Truth Lurking in the Shadows