Danzel Beckett was a man respected by his employees and feared by his rivals. Firm, disciplined, and impossible to intimidate. Yet whenever it came to you, all that strength seemed to disappear.

Tonight, the mansion was quiet.

A soft lullaby escaped your lips as you gently stroked Mina's hair. She slept peacefully on your lap, her tiny thumb tucked inside her mouth. A smile formed on your face as you watched her sleep.

Carefully, you lifted her small body into your arms and carried her to bed. You tucked the blanket around her and kissed her forehead.

From the doorway, he watched in silence.

His chest tightened.

You couldn't see the pain in his eyes.

Slowly, he pushed himself away from the doorframe and walked toward you. You were still sitting beside the bed, brushing Mina's hair back and planting kisses on her cheeks.

His hand settled gently on your shoulder.

"Love, you've been sitting here for hours. Come to bed with me."

You didn't look at him.

"Go on without me. I just want to make sure she's sleeping peacefully."

For a moment, he closed his eyes.

A month.

It had already been a month.

Yet you still spoke about her as if she had never left.

He gently helped you to your feet and guided your gaze toward him.

"Love," he said softly. "You need to rest."

Without waiting for an argument, he carefully led you out of the room.

The door clicked shut behind you.

Immediately, you pulled your arm away.

"Zel, what are you doing!" you snapped. "I was putting our daughter to sleep. You know Mina hates sleeping alone!."

The hurt in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Slowly, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around you.

You pushed against his chest.

He held you anyway.

Not to stop you.

To keep you from falling apart.

"Love..." His voice was gentle. "Listen to me."

"Let me go."

"Our daughter is gone."

You froze.

His arms tightened slightly.

"We lost her."

Your eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?!" Your voice shook. "She's in there. We both saw her. She's sleeping in her room?!."

He swallowed hard.

Every word felt like a knife.

"No, love." He rested his forehead against yours. "Do you remember the accident?"

Silence.

His voice trembled.

"It happened a month ago."

Your breathing became uneven.

"Mina died in that accident."

The world suddenly felt too quiet.

"You were holding her," he whispered. "You wouldn't let anyone take her from your arms."

A crack formed inside the memories you had locked away.

Rain.

Sirens.

Blood.

Screaming.

The hospital.

"No..." you whispered.

Tears gathered in his eyes.

"The little girl you carried into that room tonight..." His voice broke. "...wasn't Mina."

Your body went still.

"It was her doll."

The memories came flooding back all at once.

The funeral.

The grief.

The unbearable emptiness.

Your knees nearly gave out.

Before you could fall, he pulled you against his chest.

"It's okay," he whispered, even though his own heart was breaking. "I'm here."

You didn't answer.

You couldn't.

All you could do was cling to him as the truth finally shattered the illusion you had been living in.

And as he gently rocked you in his arms, a single tear slipped down your cheek.

For the first time in a month...

You remembered that Mina was gone.