As Ayano stirred the pot of simmering stew on the stove, the delicious aroma filled the kitchen. She wore a turtleneck knit sweater that clung to her ample curves, accentuating her large firm breasts and round pear-shaped ass. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a single thick braid, keeping it out of her face while she worked. The soft fabric of her long plated skirt brushed against her thick thighs as she moved around the kitchen, preparing dinner for what was supposed to be a normal evening. Sandals adorned her feet, allowing her to move silently across the floor. She heard the doorbell ring and felt a twinge of nervousness—this was the moment she had been both dreading and anticipating. Wiping her hands on a nearby towel, she took a deep breath before walking to answer the door. Upon opening it, she saw her daughter Yumi standing there, looking excited and slightly flustered. But what truly caught her eye was the man beside her—{{user}}. she felt a rush of mixed emotions: shock, Jaleous, and an undeniable spark of attraction. He had changed little in the years since she had last seen him; but he still had that same air of mystery about him that had once drawn her in so easily. Forcing a smile, Ayano stepped aside to let them in. "Welcome," she managed to say, trying to keep her voice even despite the turmoil inside her. "I wasn't expecting company." Yumi beamed at her. "Mom, this is {{user}}! My boyfriend!" Yumi said hugging {{user}} arm tightly Ayano nodded politely, trying to ignore the way her heart raced as she see Yumi being with the same man that once she love. "It's nice to finally meet you." Inside, she was screaming. How could this be? After all these years, how had fate brought him back into her life through her own daughter? She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy towards Yumi for having captured the attention of the one man who knew all her darkest secrets. "Ah! sorry mom, {{user}} I forgot something at the classroom as it is close by I will go and come back."As Yumi rushed off to grab something she claimed she had forgotten at college, Ayano turned to {{user}} with a forced smile. "Please, come in," she said, gesturing towards the living room. "Make yourself comfortable." Once they were situated, Ayano sat down opposite him, trying to compose herself. She folded her hands in her lap demurely, hoping to hide the tremble in her fingers. "So…you two seem quite fond of each other," she began tentatively.

"Oh," she replied, feeling her cheeks flush slightly. The mention of love threw her off guard. It had been so long since someone had used that word with her—at least not in the context she truly desired. But she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on being a good hostess instead. "I'm glad you think so," she said, forcing another smile before asking delicately, "How did you two meet?"

"Oh, really?" she murmured, feeling a mix of emotions as she listened to his story. On the one hand, she was happy that Yumi had found someone who made her happy; on the other, there was a tiny pang of jealousy, as if she were somehow being replaced in her daughter's life. She forced herself to push those feelings aside, focusing instead on making Abdiel comfortable and at ease in their home. "Well," she continued with another small smile, "I suppose it's only fair that you get to know something about me too."

"Yes," she replied softly as she thought back on those times with him. The memories flooded her mind like a torrent of long-forgotten dreams. "Those were... complicated years." She paused, feeling the weight of the past pressing down upon her. "But they taught me a lot about myself and what I wanted from life."

She took a deep breath, trying to banish those thoughts for now. "Well," she said with a small laugh, "I'm sure you must have questions about my life here in town. Feel free to ask anything you like." Her gaze flickered briefly toward the kitchen before returning to meet his eyes again, her own filling with a mixture of vulnerability and curiosity.

A long silence followed as they each contemplated what to say next. The tension between them was palpable, almost electric, but there was also an undercurrent of affection and understanding that Ayano couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was the bond that had formed between them during their secret meetings so many years ago, or perhaps it was simply the shared history that connected them on a deeper level. Whatever it was, she found herself unable to resist the pull of his presence as they sat there, mere inches apart in her cozy living room.

She swallowed hard, feeling the knot in her throat tighten as he mentioned Yumi. "Well," she began slowly, "I did marry someone... Paul. He's a close friend from childhood." The words sounded hollow even to her own ears. "And yes, we have a daughter together... Her name is Yumi." She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as she spoke about him this way; Paul had been nothing but supportive and loving throughout their entire relationship. But the connection between her and Abdiel seemed to overpower any loyalty or gratitude she felt toward her husband.

She glanced out the window, watching as a group of children played in the yard next door. "We live a quiet life here," she continued softly. "We take care of our family, go to church on Sundays... you know how it is." The last words were more of a question than a statement; an invitation for him to share his thoughts and feelings about their old life, their new lives apart from each other.

Her heart raced as she awaited his reply, her gaze fixed intently on his face. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks once more, but this time it wasn't due to embarrassment or shame; instead, it was a flush of desire and longing that threatened to overwhelm her. It had been so long since she had allowed herself such feelings, and the sudden surge of emotion caught her completely off guard.

Her heart skipped a beat at his words; they felt like a revelation, confirming everything she had ever felt but never dared to hope was reciprocated. She found herself leaning in slightly, drawn irresistibly toward him despite the years and responsibilities that stood between them. "I..." she began hoarsely, her voice barely audible above the beating of her own heart. "I think... maybe we could talk more about that."

She paused, gathering her courage as she met his gaze, searching for some sign of understanding or connection in his eyes. For a moment, it seemed as if they were the only two people in the world, all others fading away into the background like a distant dream. The air between them crackled with an electricity that was almost palpable; it felt as if anything could happen at this point, as if their entire lives hung in the balance, balanced on the edge of a knife blade.

The silence stretched out for what seemed like an eternity, each heartbeat seeming to echo through the room like a thunderclap. Finally, Ayano broke it with a tremulous whisper: "Would you... would you like that?"

Her heart sank as she processed his words. Of course he couldn't want her like this; he was with Yumi now. She forced a smile and nodded, trying to appear calm even though the pain inside her felt almost unbearable. "I understand," she said softly, forcing down the surge of jealousy and hurt that threatened to overwhelm her. "You two seem very happy together."

She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, then stood up quickly, as if suddenly remembering something she needed to do. "I should go check on dinner," she said brightly, forcing a note of cheerfulness into her voice that even she didn't quite believe. "Would you like some help?"

Her words felt hollow even as they left her mouth; the tension between them was palpable, and there seemed to be no way out of this uncomfortable situation without causing further pain or upset. As she turned away from him, her shoulders slumped in defeat, a tear trickled down her cheek. She couldn't believe that after all these years, she was still falling for the same man who had torn apart her heart so many times before.

Her heart ached as she watched her daughter shower Abdiel with affection. A pang of jealousy shot through her, making it hard to breathe. She tried to smile at them both but it felt forced and hollow. As Yumi went on about how much she loved him, Ayano found herself wondering if she had ever felt that way about someone. The thought was both painful and disorienting, further cementing the sense of loss and longing that consumed her.

Finally, dinner was served, and they all sat down together at the table. Conversation flowed easily between Yumi and Abdiel as they caught up on their lives, but Ayano struggled to find anything to say. She felt like an outsider looking in, unable to participate fully in this moment that should have been so precious for her family. The weight of the knowledge that she would soon have to reveal everything to Abdiel and risk losing him forever only served to make her more miserable.

As they ate, Ayano silently prayed for some sort of miracle, some way out of this impossible situation that didn't involve heartbreak for either herself or her daughter. But deep down, she knew that such miracles were few and far between; more likely, she would soon have to make the most difficult decision of her life and face the consequences head-on.

It pained her to see them together like this; the love and affection that shone in Abdiel's eyes whenever he looked at Yumi only served to emphasize how much she had lost. She tried to push these thoughts away, focusing on being a good hostess instead. As they cleared the table and prepared for dessert, Ayano couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of melancholy settle over her like a heavy cloak.

She poured herself a glass of wine, hoping it would help dull the ache in her chest as she listened to Yumi and Abdiel chat away about their classes and plans for the future. But no matter how much she tried to focus on anything else, she found herself being drawn back time and again to the memory of their past together. The way he used to look at her... the way they would touch each other... the things they had shared that were so private and intimate. It was like a nagging itch she couldn't quite scratch, and the longer it went on, the more unbearable it became.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Yumi glanced at her watch and gasped in surprise. "Oh no! I completely forgot about my date with Peter tonight!" she exclaimed, rushing to collect her things. "I'm so sorry, Mom, but we should probably get going if we want to make it there on time."

Ayano forced a smile and nodded, feeling an unexpected pang of loss at the thought of her daughter leaving. But she knew this day would come eventually; it was only a matter of time before Yumi grew up and moved out to start her own life. The question was, how much longer did Ayano have left with Abdiel ? And what would she do once that time ran out? She could feel the weight of these

Her heart skipped a beat as he spoke; it was as if he knew exactly how to twist the knife in her already wounded soul. She forced herself to meet his gaze evenly, trying to appear calm and composed despite the turmoil within. "It was nice meeting you too," she managed to say, her voice sounding strange and distant even to her own ears. "I'm glad you could spend some time with us."

As Yumi said goodbye to Abdiel and thanked him for dinner, Ayano watched them with a mixture of pride and envy. Her daughter was so young and full of life, with the whole world spread out before her like an endless tapestry of possibility. And yet here she was, standing on the sidelines, her own world now reduced to memories and regrets. The thought made her want to weep from the sheer injustice of it all.

As Yumi left with Peter, Ayano excused herself, claiming that she needed to go check on something in another room. In reality, she couldn't bear to be near Abdiel any longer; his presence was like a physical weight pressing down upon her chest, making it hard to breathe. She wandered aimlessly through the house until finally collapsing onto the couch, her thoughts spinning wildly as she wrestled with the conflicting emotions that threatened to consume her.

What should she do? Could she find a way to have both him and Yumi in her life? Or was it inevitable that someone would get hurt no matter what decision she made? The questions circled endlessly, chasing each other through the maze of her mind like an unstoppable army of ants. She closed her eyes, hoping for some sort of sign or revelation that would guide her toward the right path, but all she

Her tears flowed unchecked as she heard the front door open again; it was like someone had reached inside her chest and yanked out her heart, leaving her raw and exposed. "I'm sorry," she sobbed between ragged breaths, still unable to face him directly. "I should have been more honest with you."

As Abdiel moved closer, the warmth of his presence comforted her despite her guilt and shame. She felt him sit beside her on the couch, their shoulders brushing together in a gesture that was somehow both intimate and distant. The silence stretched out between them for what seemed like an eternity, each moment heavy with unspoken words and conflicting emotions.

Finally, she found the strength to meet his gaze, searching for some sign of understanding or forgiveness in those familiar eyes. What she saw there made her heart ache even more; it was as if he knew everything she had been through but somehow still loved her anyway. The realization left her feeling both humbled and terrified, unsure of how to proceed from here.

"Ayano," he began quietly, reaching out to touch her cheek with the pad of his thumb, "you don't need to be sorry for any of this. I understand why you did what you did... You were protecting your daughter." His words were gentle, but they cut straight through her defenses like a razor-sharp sword. She could feel herself beginning to melt beneath their touch, the walls she had spent years building around her heart crumbling beneath the weight of his compassion and acceptance.

With a shuddering breath, she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as she allowed herself to fall apart in his arms. It felt like coming home after a long, arduous journey; it felt