Chapter 3 ( 96 ) E55 vouchers Matilda glanced at Lola , her voice steady but laced with concern . " Do you have to throw your birthday party on the same day as Grandma and Grandpa's memorial ? " Lola shot her a glare , her tone sharp . " Yeah , duh ! It's not my fault I was born that day , is it ? " Matilda let out a tired sigh . " Alright , fine . I'm sitting this birthday out . I'll be back from Domburgh in a week , and your dad and I are done . You need to think about who you're staying with ." Lola didn't even blink . " Dad ! I want Dad ! You're the worst mom ever ! I'd rather have Aunt Shelby as my mom ! " Matilda's face went pale , like she'd been slapped again . After a long , heavy moment , she muttered , " Do whatever you want . " From the upstairs landing , Shelby overheard , a sly smirk tugging at her lips . ' Those two slaps I've taken ? Totally worth it ' Matilda was ready to walk away from her marriage . Shelby slipped into the bedroom to feel out Brandon's mood . The second she stepped inside , tears spilled down her still - puffy cheeks . " Brandon , Matilda's off to Domburgh . " Brandon's back was killing him , and he was still steaming . " Good . Hope she stays gone . " Shelby's heart did a little happy dance . Brandon , the town's most eligible bachelor , was pride in a tailored suit . Matilda's judo toss had been like grinding his ego into the dirt . " But , Brandon ," Shelby said , her voice all soft and worried , " what if she gets all emotional and pushes for a divorce ? " Brandon arched an eyebrow , surprised for a split second , then shrugged it off . " Let her . I'm not sweating a divorce . " Matilda's world revolved around just two people - Brandon and Lola . She'd always fussed over them , acting like a cold or a stubbed toe was the end of the world . ' Divorce ? ' Brandon thought with a smirk . ' No way she'd cut ties that easily .' ***** At the airport , Matilda's head was still spinning . She was dying for a cigarette , but there wasn't a smoking spot anywhere . 9:13 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 3 So , she just held the cigarette between her lips , breathing deep to keep her cool . ་ ་ 96 1755 vouchers Six years of marriage to Brandon , and she'd poured her heart into Crossen Technology , building two generations of imaging chips . The X2 + had sent their flagship phone's sales through the roof , making her and Brandon a powerhouse team . Splitting up wouldn't just break her heart - it'd be a financial mess . After wrestling with the thought , she shot a text to her assistant : [ One week . Dig up everything on Brandon's debts , assets , and any cash he's been slipping to Shelby . ] " Hey , lady , no smoking here , " a voice sounded . Matilda felt a tug at her sleeve and glanced down . A little girl in simple clothes looked up at her , her small eyes bright with mischief and warmth . Matilda raised an eyebrow , pulling the unlit cigarette from her mouth and twirling it between her fingers . " Kid , sticking your nose in other people's business can get you in trouble , you know ? " " I know , " the girl said with a cheeky grin , totally unbothered . " But I ain't scared . " Her smile was like a burst of sunlight . She dug into her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy , holding it out to Matilda . " My dad only lets me have one a day . This one's for you . Eat it , and your face won't hurt so bad ." Matilda blinked , thrown off by the kid's big heart . She took the candy , and just like that , this tiny gesture brought a spark of sweetness to her awful day . ***** At the Domburgh cemetery , Matilda sat between her parents ' gravestones , a mask covering her face . It felt like she was still tucked between them , safe and loved . But her dad's body was never found . The earthquake had torn the earth open , swallowing so many lives , his among them . Kneeling , she gently wiped down their tombstones . A cemetery worker ambled over . " Matilda , no Mr. Grimes with you this year ? " " Busy , " Matilda said , her voice clipped . ' Busy fussing over that precious little sister he raised like she's made of glass , ' she thought , her grip tightening on the cloth . ' Sister , my foot . More like his backup plan for a sweetheart .' 9:13 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 3 96 55 vouchers He'd raised Shelby , couldn't stand the thought of another guy having her , but hadn't quite crossed that line yet . Just thinking about them made Matilda feel like she was disrespecting her parents ' memory . She said her goodbyes and walked with the worker toward the exit . Across the field stood rows of hero monuments . Matilda's eyes darkened as she gazed at them . " Hey , any news on Dr. Fischer's family ? He shook his head . " Nope . Got folks keeping an eye out , though . " Matilda nodded , her heart sinking . She'd been dragged from the rubble barely alive , and Edwina Fischer had saved her with an emergency C- section , even giving her own blood . But that same day , Edwina died in an aftershock , trying to save a dead woman's baby . Matilda had asked Brandon to track down Edwina's family so she could help them . All he'd found was that Edwina was from Itera City , married , with a doctor husband . Straightening her jacket , Matilda walked to Edwina's monument and bowed her head in quiet respect . By the anniversary , neither Brandon nor Lola had bothered to reach out . Only Tessa Maxwell , a close friend , sent a string of texts to check in . In the evening , the Domburgh city council held a candle ceremony at the cemetery for the earthquake victims . May hope's light shine on , and may everyone find peace . Families wept for their loved ones . Matilda's eyes were red as she whispered , " Mom , Dad , I hope you live long and happy in your next life - and still want me as your little girl ." She lit her prayer candle and watched it float into the night sky . Then her phone pinged . A video from Shelby . It was filmed at a swanky Crossen Technology hotel . Lola stood in the center of a crowd , grinning from ear to ear . " Celebrating my birthday on my actual birth date is the best ! I want every year to be like this , with Dad and Aunt Shelby by my side ! " Brandon and Shelby stood hand in hand , their eyes locked , a heated spark passing between them under the soft glow of the lights . They looked like a couple caught in the rush of a secret love . Matilda's knuckles went white as she gripped her phone . She stepped away , ripped off her mask , and took a 9:13 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 3 deep breath . : Suddenly , a kid's cry for help cut through the air , close by . She spun around . A tall figure in white was hurrying off , a little girl dangling from one arm . Not sure if he was trouble , Matilda held back from jumping in . " Hey ! Let the kid go ! " The girl looked up , her face lighting up with joy . " Lady ! It's me ! It's me ! " 96 EX 55 vouchers Matilda recognized the candy girl from the airport . No second - guessing now - she clenched her fist and swung at the man's neck . He sensed it coming , dodging with lightning - fast reflexes and firing back a single , sharp counterstrike . One hit from that , and she'd be out cold . Matilda barely ducked , her eyes meeting his . He was tall , lean , with a calm that felt unshakable , like a mountain standing tall . Silver - rimmed glasses glinted under the streetlight , giving him a cool , almost intimidating vibe . But when his gaze locked on hers , that edge softened in an instant . " Is that you ?! " he said , his voice catching with surprise . 宙 AD Comment Send gift No Ads 9:13 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 4