Chapter 26 The opportunity in Country A came when Isabella was two years old. "It's everything I've been working toward." Noah explained over breakfast, his eyes bright with excitement. "A chance to head up medical technology development for an entire market. The backing is incredible." "How long would you be gone?" Mara stirred her coffee slowly, watching Isabella play with her cereal. "Initially, six months to a year. But Mara, this could be our future. Isabella's future." "What about us?" "I want to take Isabella with me. The international schools there are excellent, and she'd adapt quickly at her age." Mara felt her world tilting. "Without me?" You could visit whenever you want. But I know how much you value stability here, and this venture needs my full attention." The conversation continued for days, but in the end, they both knew Isabella had already shifted her loyalty toward Noah. When Julia announced she was elocating her consulting business to Country A to help with the venture, it felt inevitable. hree weeks later, Mara stood at the airport, watching Noah carry their sleeping daughter toward the departure gate. Julia walked beside them, her hand restinĮ rotectively on Isabella's back. I'll call every day," Noah promised. "And we'll video chat so Isabella doesn't forget you." Take care of her," Mara whispered, reaching out to touch Isabella's soft hair one last time. or the first month, the calls came religiously. Every morning at 8 AM her time, 1 AM theirs, Noah would call with Isabella chattering happily in the ackground. She would blow kisses at the screen and babble about her day in her limited vocabulary. Mama! Mama! Juju took me park!" Did you have fun, sweetheart?" Fun! Juju pushes swing high high!" ut as weeks turned to months, the calls became shorter. Isabella would squirm impatiently during their video chats, more interested in her toys than the creen. When Mara tried to read her stories over the phone, Isabella would wander away mid-sentence. She's adapting well," Noah explained when Mara expressed concern. "Julia's been amazing with her. They have such a natural bond." he calls shifted from daily to every other day, then to twice a week. When they did connect, Isabella seemed like a stranger - chattering about people and laces Mara didn't know, using new words and phrases she hadn't been there to hear first. Mama, when Juju comes?" I'm not sure, baby. How was school today?" Want Juju read story. Bye bye, Mama." And Isabella would run off, leaving Noah to make awkward conversation before ending the call. Mara set alarms to ensure she never missed their designated call times, but increasingly, no one answered. When she tried calling at different hours, Noah would text back: [In meetings] or [Isabella sleeping] or simply (Busy). Six months after they'd left, Mara called to suggest visiting for Isabella's birthday. The silence on Noah's end stretched uncomfortably long. "Actually," he finally said, "we were planning something small. Just the three of us. Julia's been working so hard, and Isabella specifically asked if it could be Just family." Just family. The words hit like a physical blow. "I am family," Mara said quietly. "Of course you are. I just meant… it might be confusing for Isabella to have too many people. You understand." Mara understood perfectly. She'd been replaced, gradually and completely, by a woman who had everything Mara lacked - sophistication, business acumen, and most importantly, Noah's respect. That night, she deleted the alarm that reminded her to call her daughter. If they wanted to reach her, they could make the effort. But as days passed in silence, Mara realized they wouldn't. She'd lost her family the same way she'd lost Cassian - not through dramatic confrontation, but through the slow erosion of being deemed insufficient. The only difference was this time, she wouldn't wait around hoping for scraps of attention. Two months later, when her phone rang showing Noah's number, Mara almost didn't answer. When she did, his voice was distant, distracted. "Mara, I know this is short notice, but there's been a development. We might need to extend our stay in Country A indefinitely. The opportunities here are just… "I understand," she said, cutting him off. She did understand. She'd been through this before. "Isabella's thriving here. She's made friends, she's completely fluent now, and Julia… well, Julia's become like a mother to her." "I see." "We'll visit soon, I promise. Once things settle down." But Mara knew they wouldn't visit. Just like she knew that when they eventually returned to Country B, it would be as the family they'd chosen to become - Noah, Isabella, and Julia. She would be the inconvenient reminder of a previous life they'd all outgrown. As she hung up the phone, Mara felt that familiar hollow ache in her chest. In "Coaching His Heart" by CrushReel, the romantic tale unfolds after Kate and Tom experience a fleeting connection that leads to a misunderstanding, causing them to part ways. Fate intervenes when Kate reemerges as the assistant coach for a men's hockey team, bringing her face-to-face with Tom once more. Exploring themes of love, destiny, and second chances, this modern romance delves into the complexities of hidden emotions and the power of rekindled connections. Set against the backdrop of a grand mansion, the story weaves together secrets and revelations that promise to captivate readers seeking a heartfelt journey. 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