Love's Inferno: When Fire Meets Ice

g at the moment, seated at one of the tables at Le B

nce, while the large windows overlooking the Parisian streets added a touch of modernity. The tables were adorned with crisp white linens and sparkling crystal, and the waiters bustled

The crystal glasses sparkled in the candlelight, and the wine list was filled with the finest vintages. But perhaps the most striking feature of the restaurant

ly. Thirty minutes e

nt to give him another reason to add to his list of why

rying to i

l, y

for strenuous hours to pick out this fabulous bes

ing him as most women would in her shoes, especially after how they'd ended things. But she would be lying

erself like she'd done on that painful night, four years ago. A memo

ith the label they'd given their relatio

specially, after all those hot, erotic nights. . . and days they s

e to the hand-written love letter to the well-rehearsed

ed everythin

rong about his feelings toward h

n he'd told her he didn't love her the way she w

nedest to pull a brave front, not to be shaken and accept the fact he didn't reciprocate her feelings.

too well that they would never go back to how they were not after her grand propos

ut being

learned and neve

iver the last piece of information she hadn't been opportuned to give hi

se and checked the time. It was already two ho

so long? What happene

han this. She had other pri

as all she could give him

ially had been occupied by a family of four when she'd arrived was reoccupied by a young couple ce

an once, asking if she was ready to be served her entr

rad was still nowh

heartened, it dawned on he

*

the hospital's parking space, Brad alight

on desk, he scurried blindly through patients and hosp

his heart palpitated with dread. All he was conc

to LA when he'd received the call

le. He heaved a sigh, struggling to collect himself. He didn't want to add more stress to

imbed to her feet instantaneously fro

, faced up. Her left leg was wrapped in bandages and some par

t at the edge of Nora's bed. Watching her pale lips pucker and tremble eve

ad. "What exactly happened?" He muttered to

pkins said ruefully. "Unfortunately

dn't bear to recount the distur

bronze of his complexion. He didn't even need to

he had experienced periods of being seizure-free for months and even years at a time. But, as she grew older, especially this couple of recent

onal effects of the seizures, and what he'd feared the

in normal childhood activities. She was mostly isolated a

in to imagine how dist

er it was family, friends, or strangers she met in public was now withdrawn and cautious, her enthusiasm and joy replaced by

han to see her smile and laugh as

to help her, but sometimes he felt powerless ag

acks had taken a toll on her personality or if her

event it from getting worse," Mrs. Hopkins continued. "She was also given some

d and fluttered her drowsy eyes open. Her eyes

on her immediately as he stroked her hair, carefully avoiding her

as checking for any indication of pain. "Apart from my leg and face, I'm good,"

u're okay," he responded, tickling her ribs and causing her to

nd he didn't know what he'd do i

ere already home. After he was done with his last "Daddy Duty" of the d

nd a moment of peace. He looked out the window and noticed that the

ion had been solely fixated on his daughter throughout the

ing him hard lik

on his bed... and almost

remembering that he was supposed

am

her a call. He jumped out of his bed, found his briefca

g through his briefcase, he fi

ht back on his bed, burying

t, it was for the be