The Sins of Duke Evander (BOOK III)

Chapter 28- Don't Lose Hope

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"How have you been?"

"As good as I can be without my wife by my side,"

"Now, now. My daughter is not one to have married a pessimist," I scoffed, a smirk creeping onto my face, I get why she says that, but she'll be surprised to know the truth of how big of a pessimist I am.

"How is my grandson?" She handed her coat over to one of the maids before walking further into the house, and I nudged my head up the stairs, gesturing to his nursery.

"You can go find out yourself," She laughed, kissing my cheek before going up the steps, and for a moment I watched after her, seeing the ghost of my wife walking up those steps, smiling and laughing as she always did with her whole, optimistic being.

Time just keeps passing by, Elio is growing by the day, each day passing without his mother getting to hold him in her arms, and it felt as though my heart, my mind, and my very soul were losing their purpose for existing.

I do not want to go back to being the empty shell I used to be before I met her.

Unlike Alvise, whose love for Alina was more like a possession that he wouldn't let go of even if it were broken, I was hit by reality, that there is a chance that Alina will never open her eyes again, that she'll never smile at me again, or hold me in her embrace.

And when I thought of that possible future, I suddenly wanted to disappear.

I followed my mother-in-law up the marble steps and to the second floor where Elio's nursery was located, and I paused when I saw the said woman standing by the doorframe, looking into the room with a questioning look on her face.

"What is it?" I asked, and she jumped, turning to look at me.

"Oh, nothing... Just that, every time I see my grandson, he looks bigger,"

"That is what is expected of every newborn," I stated as a matter-of-fact as she walked into the room, taking the child from Irene, the nanny's', arms and into her own.

"And I'm just wondering how sad Alina will be when she finally sees him... He's nearly 5 months old, and my daughter is still looking the same, stuck in her coma," I smiled sadly, leaning against the doorframe as I nudged my head as a sign of telling Irene to get lost, which she did.

"Who's being pessimistic now?" She coughed out a laugh at my words.

"Alina is the type of woman that will be happy to just see her son, to be able to finally hold him in her arms. Although she will definitely be sad about the fact that she couldn't be there from the beginning, she will do her best to be grateful for the time she has got,"

"You are right," She nodded, going back to kissing her grandchild's cheek.

"How come your husband didn't come today?" I changed the subject. Usually, they would both always come together, and thankfully, I have been the one in control instead of Alvise during most of those times since Alvise didn't get along well with our father-in-law.

"He wanted to, but he decided to visit his daughter today instead. And he has work too," I hummed, thinking back to a few hours ago when I was in the hospital with my wife.

"And what about you? Have you visited your daughter?"

"I try to, but it is hard. Seeing your child lying there as if dead. I worked so hard to give birth to her, having suffered from countless miscarriages, Alina came to us like a miracle, and I fear that she is trying to leave us too,"

"Alina wouldn't do that," I reassured both of us.

"I know, but this pessimistic thought process is one that I cannot help at times. Looking on the bright side isn't that easy... I never once thought that there was even a possibility of my child leaving this earth before me, and no parent should have to feel like this... When your child is lying there, neither dead nor alive, you find yourself being stuck in a confused state of mind, wondering if you should grieve or hope,"