Chapter 465 The Ring
Only three days remained until Antonio's birthday, but the festive spirit had been drained from the household, especially within Sarah.
The pain in her heart was tangible, compounded by Harper quietly showing her the heartfelt, handcrafted gift they had all made for their father.
Their effort was evident, a testament to their love. And the invitations, the venue, everything had been meticulously organized by Brian, ready to go at a moment's notice to throw the perfect birthday bash for Antonio.
Sarah couldn’t bring herself to say "let’s cancel." Disappointing the kids was one thing; letting Antonio down was another. With her brother's fate hanging in the balance, she was determined to cherish those around her.
In that moment, Sarah’s phone vibrated—a message from the jeweler she had been in contact with.
"Ms. Miller, the ring you ordered is ready! I just wanted to confirm that the address you provided is correct. If so, I'll ship it out to you. Please keep an eye out for the delivery."
A tightness seized her chest. The sudden catastrophe with her brother had almost made her forget...
She looked at her children—a sign, perhaps? The ring's completion seemed to whisper to her to proceed with the original plan, to give Antonio a joyful birthday.
Softly caressing her daughter's cheek, her heart melted just a bit. "Let's go home," she decided.
If she stayed away, the kids would insist on staying in the hospital too, and she couldn't bear that.
When Antonio heard that Sarah wanted to come home, relief washed over him. To reassure her, he immediately arranged for additional caretakers for Brady, ensuring round-the-clock supervision.
Deep down, Sarah knew that her presence wouldn't change the outcome of her brother's condition, but the near loss had filled her with panic. The fear that the brother who loved her could be gone in the blink of an eye was overwhelming.
Antonio spoke to her gently, coaxing her to rest. “You just get a good night's sleep tonight, rest up, and we'll visit your brother at the hospital together tomorrow. The nurse will keep me updated on his condition, so you don't need to worry about a thing.”
Sarah nodded, the stress melting away as she leaned into Antonio's embrace, quickly drifting into a deep sleep.
In the dead of night, her dreams took her back to that haunting scene under the crimson-soaked buildings. Brady struggled to his feet amidst the bloodstains, his face twisted in agony, screaming for her to save him.
Sarah woke up with a start, her body drenched in cold sweat, gasping for air. Antonio immediately wrapped his arms around her. “Sarah, another nightmare? It's okay, it's only a dream.”
As she turned to him, still in a daze, it struck her that no matter what time she awoke, Antonio was always there by her side.
“Antonio, haven't you slept yet?”
Sarah looked at Antonio's hard-to-hide dark circles under his eyes, and the greenish stubble on his chin, and her heart fluttered.
Antonio, however, wasn't concerned about that. 'Are you feeling better? Would you like a glass of water? I'm not sleepy."
Sarah shook her head, "No, I don't need any water. Can we just hold each other and sleep?"
“Sure, let's sleep,” Antonio whispered, turning off the light and pulling her into his arms, soothing her with gentle strokes on her back.
Sarah snuggled tighter into his embrace, wanting to feel even closer to him.
She felt guilty. Engulfed by her own sorrow, Sarah hadn't noticed that Antonio, too, was silently suffering. His once peaceful nights had transformed into restless vigils, a clear testament to the burden he bore within. She watched him, his face etched with fatigue—a constant reminder that he was equally affected by the turmoil.
As she sat there, a solitary tear escaped her careful composure. The cycle of grief they both were trapped in had to be broken.
She needed to be strong. The kids and Antonio were all worried about her. If she continued to wallow in sorrow, how could she ever face them?
The next morning, Sarah asked Antonio to go out and get breakfast for everyone, specifically craving her favorite coffee.
Antonio was overjoyed to see her spirits lifted—an improvement that brightened his mood more than anything lately.
“Of course, I’ll go right now. Anything else you or the kids want? Now’s the time to speak up, kids.”
The children eagerly chimed in with their breakfast requests, and seeing the warm scene before her, Sarah felt her spirits soar.
Once Antonio left, Sarah gathered the children in the living room.
“Mommy’s decided that we will still celebrate Daddy’s birthday and stick to the plan. Does that sound good?”
The kids cheered with excitement, thrilled to see their mom return to her old self!
Antonio swiftly returned with breakfast, and as they sat at the table, Sarah casually brought up, "Antonio, you might need to handle some of the business at the company. You've been with me in the hospital for two days; there must be a pile of work waiting for you.
"Don't worry, James has things under control," Antonio reassured her, sensing she had more on her mind. "Anything in particular you need, my dear?"
"The day after tomorrow, I want to take the kids out for some fun. Could you meet up with us after work?"
Antonio wouldn't dream of saying no.
"Alright, I'll make sure everything at the office is wrapped up in the next two days, so we can spend some quality time together."
Antonio couldn't contain his joy. Sarah suggesting they go out and relax was a sign she was slowly getting better.
Lately, all Antonio could think about was keeping Sarah happy, juggling company matters, and liaising with the police. He'd totally forgotten his own birthday was around the corner.
After breakfast, he went through the household arrangements once more, and with both Brian's and Sarah's gentle encouraging, he finally left the house with ease.
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