Rescuers, arriving at the scene, were greeted by the mangled door.

When they pried it open, their faces registered sheer astonishment.

Conventional wisdom held that in a crash, a driver's instinct might swerve the vehicle. Contrary to that, the driver in front of them had done the opposite and taken the impact head-on.

Leonel's thighs were drenched in blood, the crimson stark against the grey fabric of his suit, a grisly sight.

His legs, trapped and immobile, continued to bleed. Propped against the seat, Leonel's voice was faint. “My wife, my daughter-where are they?"

Recognized immediately by the rescue team as the well-known Leonel Douglas from Duefron, they hastened to his aid.

"They're safe," they assured him. "Your wife has a minor bruise; she's just passed out. And your daughter is secure. Don't worry, Mr. Douglas."

Sweat trickled down Leonel's brow as he processed their words.

Relief washed over Leonel upon learning Alexis was out of the wreckage and safe. His body surrendered to exhaustion, and his mind began to drift.

As they freed his trapped legs, a searing agony radiated through him, a pain beyond what most could withstand, and it sent him spiraling into a haze.

In the arms of a rescuer was Cordelia, his daughter with Alexis, unscathed and gazing in wonder. A soft murmur escaped her Lips-a single word. "Da—"

With Cordelia's voice in his ears, Leonel's thoughts grew dim. His eyes closed, and behind the darkness, he imagined the night sky scattered with stars above him.

Memories suddenly flooded in-him and Alexis, years ago, stretched out on the grass, sharing a quiet moment under the cosmos. A meteor had blazed across the sky, their silence a shared reverence.

Alexis had whispered then, "What do you think of the name Cordelia? I think it's beautiful, and I'd like to name my daughter that."

At sixteen, Leonel towered almost six feet.

He turned to Alexis with a laugh. "You're just a kid yourself; thinking about starting a family already? Who's the Lucky guy, Alexis?"

She had held her silence, a smile her only reply.

Now, Leonel understood. The name Cordelia was not even remotely related to Calvin as he once believed, but a celebration of the love he and Alexis once shared.

Tears pooled in Leonel's eyes as realization dawned on him, a silent testament to Alexis' deep affection.

His face contorted with agony, yet he mustered the strength to reach for Cordelia's tiny finger with a shaking hand, their fingers interlocking despite the blood.