In Love With My Mistake❤️🕊️

Chapter 1: The Last Birthday ‎“Happy Birthday to you... Happy birthday to you, Baba!” ‎Alina giggled as her father tried to blow out the candles in one go but failed — again. ‎ ‎"You're getting old," she teased, flashing her bright, dimpled smile. Her eyes sparkled under the warm restaurant lights. “Next year, I’ll need to bring an oxygen tank just in case.” ‎ ‎Her father laughed heartily, shaking his head. ‎“Thank you, dear. Now let’s eat the cake. I know you ordered your favorite one—haha.” ‎ ‎Alina grinned, playfully rolling her eyes. “Obviously. I couldn’t let you choose — your taste in cake is worse than your sense of fashion.” ‎ ‎They both burst out laughing, drawing glances from other diners, but they didn’t care. It was always just the two of them — Alina and her Baba. Her world. ‎ ‎Since her mother’s death when she was just eight, her father had raised her single-handedly — with all the love in the world. Every wish, every demand, every tear — he was always there, always smiling. ‎ ‎And tonight, she wanted to make him feel just as special as he always made her feel. ‎ ‎--- ‎ Later That Night The sky was painted in black velvet, and raindrops kissed the windshield softly as they drove home through the quiet highway. The car was warm, filled with leftover laughter and that cozy cake scent. ‎ ‎“Baba,” she murmured, watching the rain race down the glass, “Did you like your gift?” ‎ ‎“I loved it,” he said with a smile in his voice. “But you know what my favorite gift is?” ‎ ‎Alina turned to him. “What?” ‎ ‎“You.” ‎ ‎ Her heart melted. ‎ ‎But then— ‎ ‎Blinding headlights. ‎A blaring horn. ‎Screeching tires. ‎A scream— ‎ ‎“Babaaaaaaaa!" ‎ ‎CRASH. ‎ ‎ Everything shattered — glass, metal, silence. ‎ ‎Then, darkness. ‎ ‎--- A Week Later A soft beeping. ‎White walls. ‎A dull, throbbing ache in her head. ‎ ‎Alina’s eyes fluttered open, vision blurry. It smelled like antiseptic. Her throat was dry. Where... where was she? ‎ ‎She slowly tried to sit up but winced. Her arms felt heavy, bandaged. Her lips cracked as she whispered, “Baba...?” ‎ ‎The door burst open. ‎ ‎“Oh, thank God you’re awake!” A man in a white coat rushed to her side — the doctor. “You’ve been unconscious for a whole week, Alina. We weren’t sure when you'd come around.” ‎ ‎Her heart dropped. ‎ ‎“A week?” she echoed, voice trembling. “Where... where’s my father? Is he okay? Please tell me he’s okay.” ‎ ‎The doctor’s smile faded. He looked at her like she was made of glass. ‎ ‎“I’m so sorry, Alina,” he said softly. “Your father… he didn’t survive the accident.” ‎ ‎For a moment, the world stood still. ‎ ‎“No…” ‎“No, that’s not true,” she shook her head violently, tears instantly streaming down her face. “He was right next to me! He was driving! He—he was fine! He held my hand—he said—he said—” ‎ ‎“I’m truly sorry,” the doctor said, gently gripping her shoulder. “The impact was on the driver’s side. He... he died on the spot.” ‎ ‎Alina broke. ‎ ‎The sobs came out in waves, uncontrollable and raw. The pain in her body was nothing compared to the pain now crushing her chest. Her Baba. Her only family. Her everything. ‎ ‎Gone. ‎ ‎--- SLAM The hospital door swung open again, but it wasn’t a nurse. ‎ ‎It was her. ‎Her aunt. ‎ ‎Sharp eyes. Sharp tongue. Always judging, never loving. ‎ ‎“There she is,” the woman spat. “Woke up just in time to see what she’s destroyed.” ‎ ‎Alina blinked, still sobbing, confused and broken. ‎ ‎Her aunt stepped in, voice laced with venom. “Because of you, your father — my brother — is dead! He spoiled you rotten, always running after your happiness. And now look where it got him!” ‎ ‎Alina opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Just silent tears. ‎ ‎“And if that wasn’t enough,” her aunt continued, pacing furiously, “your father was involved with some bad people. Loan sharks. Criminals. They came to the house, our house, smashed everything, took the jewelry, the money, even the company’s files!” ‎ ‎Her voice cracked, filled with rage. “It’s all gone! The business — bankrupt! The house — wrecked! And it’s all because of your father’s obsession with you!” ‎ ‎Alina’s body shook. Each word was like a slap. ‎ ‎“Get better soon,” her aunt snapped, turning for the door. “Because now, you’ll finally see what life without a silver spoon looks like.” ‎ ‎She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. ‎ ‎Alina was left there in the cold white room, drowning in her grief. Her body hurt, her heart hurt more. Her world had ended in one crash — and the little that remained had been ripped away. ‎ ‎She was alone. ‎ ‎Or so she thought... ‎ ‎--- Days passed Alina slowly began to recover — physically, at least. The bruises were fading. The bandages had come off. But the pain in her chest? That remained untouched. ‎ ‎She spent her days in silence, staring at the ceiling of the hospital room. Nurses came and went. Machines beeped. But no one familiar walked through that door. Not once. ‎ ‎Not even her aunt. ‎ ‎No calls. ‎No messages. ‎Not a single visit. ‎ ‎And just like that, Alina knew — she was completely on her own. ‎ ‎Enough. She couldn’t stay here any longer. ‎She needed to go home. ‎ ‎--- That morning, she signed her release papers, packed what little she had into a worn hospital bag, and politely thanked the staff. One nurse offered to arrange a drop-off, but Alina refused with a quiet smile. ‎ ‎She didn’t want help. ‎She didn’t want pity. ‎She just wanted her father’s arms. ‎His voice. His home. ‎ ‎--- The sun had just begun to set when she finally reached her neighborhood — the familiar turn into their street made her chest ache. She stood outside the gate of her house, clutching her bag tightly. ‎ ‎Home. ‎She was home. ‎ ‎With trembling hands, she placed her thumb on the digital lock — just like always. ‎ ‎Beep. ‎Access Denied. ‎ ‎Her brows furrowed. She tried again. ‎Beep. Access Denied. ‎ ‎“No… why isn't it working?” she whispered. ‎ ‎She rang the bell, heart thumping. A few seconds later, a woman in her late thirties opened the door — unfamiliar, holding a toddler on her hip. ‎ ‎Alina blinked. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” ‎ ‎The woman looked just as confused. “Excuse me? This is my house. Who are you?” ‎ ‎Alina’s heart dropped. “No… no, this is my house. I grew up here! My father built this house!” ‎ ‎The woman frowned. “Look, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but we bought this house two weeks ago from some lady. The papers are legal. Please don’t cause a scene.” ‎ ‎Alina stepped back, breath shaking. ‎ ‎Her aunt. ‎She had sold the house. ‎Her only home. ‎ ‎She quickly pulled out her phone and dialed her aunt’s number with trembling fingers. ‎ ‎No answer. ‎She tried again. ‎Still nothing. ‎ ‎“Please…” she whispered to the ringtone. “Please just tell me this isn’t true…” ‎ ‎But silence was her only reply. ‎ ‎--- ‎ ‎Tears welled up in her eyes as she stumbled away from the gate. The bag on her shoulder felt heavier with every step. She walked aimlessly until she found a small, empty park. The swings creaked softly in the wind, and the only sound was the quiet rustling of leaves. ‎ ‎She sank down onto a bench, dropped her bag beside her, and let the tears fall freely now. ‎ ‎“I miss you, Baba…” she sobbed, clutching her knees. “Why did you leave me? Why did you leave me with *them*?” ‎ ‎Her mind flooded with memories — his laugh, his warm hands, the way he used to sing off-key just to make her laugh. The birthday cake. His last words. ‎ ‎“You are my favorite gift.” ‎ ‎She buried her face in her hands, shivering. ‎ ‎Then — ‎She felt it. ‎ ‎A presence. Behind the bench. ‎ ‎She froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Slowly, she turned her head. ‎ ‎A man. ‎In his late twenties, maybe older. Drenched in sweat. One arm clutched tightly against his side. ‎ ‎Bleeding. ‎ ‎His shirt was torn, stained with blood. His face was pale, his eyes glazed. ‎ ‎“Are you okay?” she gasped, standing up quickly. “You’re hurt!” ‎ ‎He tried to speak but stumbled forward instead. ‎ ‎Without thinking, Alina rushed to him. She pulled off her scarf and knelt down, wrapping it tightly around his arm to stop the bleeding. ‎ ‎“Hold on,” she whispered. “You’re going to be okay.” ‎ ‎He looked at her, surprised by her kindness, but said nothing. ‎ ‎She wrapped the makeshift bandage firmly, then stood and offered her hand. “Come on. We need to get you to the hospital. Can you walk?” ‎ ‎He nodded weakly. ‎ ‎And just like that, the broken girl who had no home, no family, and no future… ‎Found herself trying to save a stranger's life. ‎ ‎But what she didn’t know — was that this stranger… ‎Would soon change everything. ‎ To be continued