She had decided to stay away and act as if nothing had happened.

After all, it was not the time nor the place for arguments or outbursts in Daniel's hospital room.

Their history was full of struggles, but now they both tried and kept their composure, showing no emotion. As Leonel stood by the window, he noticed a few snowflakes drifting outside.

They fell gently, vanishing quickly as if they had never existed.

Leonel wondered if he would be haunted by past memories for the rest of his life. He realized he had no place in Alexis' future and no right to even inquire about it.

It was late into the night.

By the window stood Leonel, while in another room, Alexis sat at the head of the bed, both lost in their thoughts.

Whether out of love or resentment, they were on each other's minds.

By early morning, Alexis woke up to find that Leonel had already left.

The room was warm and cozy, yet the essence of his presence had faded.

At Daniel's bedside, there was a new food container holding the breakfast Leonel had made earlier that morning. Inside the container were a few snacks, so delicately made that their careful preparation was evident.

Concerned that Alexis might be upset, Daniel refrained from eating them.

In a gentle voice, Alexis said, "Go freshen up and come have breakfast. You love these, don't you?"

Daniel hesitated, almost speaking but then thought better of it.

Alexis approached him, pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss.

“Those adult things are between daddy and mommy. You and Evelyn love your daddy, and he's ready to look after you. That's all that matters. You don't need to feel bad for me."

Daniel, typically a tough little guy, lingered in his mother's embrace longer than usual.

After he went to freshen up, Alexis walked over to the window.

That was when she noticed it had snowed overnight.

The ground was covered in over ten inches of snow, making it difficult to walk, much less drive. She glanced at the food container again, surmising that Leonel must have made the food that morning and brought it over.