Chapter 1 – An Unexpected EncounterThat morning, the famous salon in the small town was already filled with customers. The scent of hair dye and the constant hum of hair dryers filled the busy space.Lisa stood in front of a large mirror, carefully combing through the hair of one of her regular clients. Her hands moved skillfully and confidently, as if every strand of hair had a story only she could understand.“Lisa, the usual please. Don’t cut it too short,” the woman said with a smile.Lisa chuckled softly.“Don’t worry, I know exactly what suits you best.”In that salon, Lisa’s name was well known. Even though she was still young, her talent as a hairstylist made many clients willing to wait just to have their hair done by her.Her fair, soft skin, large round eyes, and firm yet friendly personality made people comfortable around her.But behind that warm smile, no one truly knew Lisa’s story.The girl from a remote village in Sabah had gone through many struggles to reach where she was today.Just as she finished the last haircut of the morning, the salon door suddenly opened.A tall man stepped inside.He was neatly dressed, his expression serious. Clearly, he didn’t look like the usual customers who came to the small-town salon.Some of the staff exchanged curious glances.The man walked straight toward the counter before his gaze stopped directly on Lisa.As if he had come only for her.“Are you Lisa?” he asked calmly.Lisa raised an eyebrow slightly, confused.“Yes… I’m Lisa.”The man took a slow breath before saying something that would change Lisa’s life forever.Lisa never expected that a simple meeting at the salon where she worked would change the course of her entire life.Born and raised as a Buddhist in a small village deep in the land below the wind, Lisa had always lived by the principles and beliefs she grew up with. Love was never something complicated in her world—until she met Noah.Noah was a widower, a man burdened with the responsibility of raising five children on his own, including a pair of twins. Mature, persistent, and unexpectedly gentle, Noah kept returning to the salon where Lisa worked, finding reasons just to see her again.What started as brief conversations slowly turned into something neither of them could ignore.But Lisa knew one painful truth.Between her faith and her heart, she might one day be forced to choose.And that choice could change everything. Chapter 2 – The Door of the Heart Jane smiled as she looked at Lisa who seemed lost in her thoughts. “Lisa, Noah is actually a good man. Even though he’s a widower, he’s responsible. And most importantly, he has a stable career and he’s successful. There’s nothing wrong with being friends first. The rest… we leave it to God’s destiny.” Jane’s words during their lunch kept echoing in Lisa’s mind. It was true. She was now at an age where starting a serious relationship was not unreasonable. But there were too many things to consider. Lisa was a Buddhist. Since birth, she had also suffered from chronic asthma. Sometimes she wondered how any man could accept such weaknesses. And there was still the question of whether both families would accept them. The more she thought about it, the heavier her heart felt. That day, Lisa did not go to work. Her asthma had returned. It was nothing unusual for her. Whenever her asthma attacked, she would end up in the hospital. And as usual, the doctor would ask her to be admitted to the ward. Lisa was already used to it. “Hummph…” Lisa sighed softly. She sat at the edge of her hospital bed, staring out the window. Outside stood a large tree and a busy road filled with passing cars. The day felt unbearably long. Or perhaps… She was simply missing someone. Even though she kept denying it. “Good day, Ms. Lisa. How are you feeling today? Are you still experiencing shortness of breath?” The voice of the specialist doctor who had been treating her since the first day broke the silence. “Same as usual, doctor. Nothing much has changed,” Lisa replied softly. “Alright, Ms. Lisa. I received your reports this morning. Your blood results are normal, and there’s no infection. Around 2 p.m., we’ll remove the oxygen support. If everything stays stable, you can go home tomorrow morning. I’ll also give you your usual appointment to monitor your asthma.” Lisa nodded slowly. That afternoon felt incredibly long. Visiting hours had already passed. As usual, Lisa had told no one she was admitted to the hospital—not even her own family. She didn’t like worrying anyone. But suddenly… Lisa heard the sound of slow footsteps approaching her ward. Someone called her name. “Hi, Lisa…” Lisa turned. Her eyes widened. “How… how did you—?” She froze. Her emotions mixed together. Shock. Confusion. Embarrassment. And one feeling she had been trying to deny all this time. Longing Chapter 3 – A Heart That Begins to Hold On “Hi Lisa I’m sorry for coming so suddenly.” Noah’s voice was gentle. “I found out you were admitted to to the hospital