CHAPTER 484: THE BOY WHO TRIED TO FIX EVERYTHING (PART ONE)

After knocking on the door, Micah stepped into the presidential office ahead of Willow, his older sister.

"Hi, Dad!" he greeted cheerfully.

But instead of the usual warm welcome from Jacob, something soft and fast came flying straight at his face.

Micah barely ducked in time, the cushion whizzing past his ear and bouncing off the door behind him with a thud. He blinked, stunned, and stared at the guilty culprit, his father, who looked uncharacteristically awkward. "Dad! Why are..."

His words got stuck. Standing beside Jacob was Elina, expression dark. "You brat!" she snapped.

"Mum? What are you doing here?" Micah exclaimed, turning his head toward the corner, spotting Albert Ramsy calmly sipping tea. "Grandpa!"

Albert Ramsy didn’t even glance up. He inhaled the fragrant steam from his cup and murmured, "Good tea," as if the family drama unfolding a few feet away were nothing more than background noise.

Elina rolled her sleeves up. "Now, I’m getting it why my father used to beat the crap out of my brothers. I’ve been too lenient with you! You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? Pulling that kind of stunt on me!"

"Honey! Calm down!" Jacob flinched at the sudden coarse language. He reached for her wrist before she shook him off.

Micah took a cautious step back, retreating toward the door. "Mum, you’re scaring me. What’s gotten into you?"

"No." Her eyes sharpened. "I’ve simply realised that polite language doesn’t work on you anymore. Maybe I should have just sent you to your uncle’s military training years ago."

"Isn’t this a bit of an overreaction? I was gone for, what, half a day?!" Micah said, trying to reach the handle. "Why are you this angry?"

Elina’s tone rose. "Half a day? You mean the moment you left us standing there at the airport like fools?"

"What else was I supposed to do? Watch him just disappear?" Micah snapped. "After how coldly you all treated him?"

Elina’s expression tightened. "Have you even seen his eyes, Micah? The way he looked at us? There was no warmth... just pure hate... How do you expect me to run up and hug him like nothing’s wrong?"

"Of course, he hates you! You found out he was your son two weeks ago, but never even tried to see him! You treated him coldly before he even got the chance to understand what happened." Micah’s emotion poured out. He was disappointed in his own family. He couldn’t comprehend why they were behaving like Darcy was their enemy and not their lost biological son.

"I didn’t go to see him," she said, voice trembling. "Because I didn’t want to hurt him, or you, for that matter." She pressed a hand against her chest, as if trying to keep her heart from breaking apart. "You think it was easy for me? I ruined his life by not recognising my own child! The boy had grown inside me for nine months, and yet I couldn’t even tell he was gone!" Her hands were trembling as she looked down.

"He was part of me. And yet when I look at him now, I can’t even reach out. Because if I do... what happens to you?"

Micah froze; his anger vanished from his face.

Elina’s voice cracked as she continued, tears rolling down her face. "Tell me, what am I supposed to feel? Should I be happy that he was found, or sad that the truth destroyed us? How do I choose between the son I lost and the son who’s stood beside me all these years?" She pressed a hand to her damp eyes. "Nearly twenty years of motherhood... what does it become? Nothing? Just a mistake erased by a DNA test?"

Micah’s mouth went dry, eyes wide, unable to move or speak.

Elina didn’t stop. "All I feel is guilt and fear. Guilt for not knowing him, fear of losing you. Your lives have turned upside down, and I can’t do anything about it. Part of me wishes the truth had never come out! I wish you had lived your own lives as before. Can you believe it? I’m an awful person! Even you guys think so too..." Her hand lowered slowly, covering her mouth as a sob slipped out. "Look at me! Now I have lost both of my sons. You two ran straight to Flora instead!"

Micah’s heart skipped a beat. Shit! He had messed up badly. As always, he never stopped and thought what consequences his actions might bring to others. He hadn’t realised how much pain she had been hiding behind her calm composure. Guilt stabbed through his chest.

"Mum..." His voice softened, trembling. He strode toward Elina with quick steps. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her shaking frame. "I’m sorry!" he mumbled, his chin resting against her shoulder. "I didn’t know. I thought I was helping. I didn’t mean to hurt you like this."

"Am I that bad of mother?" Elina whispered, clutching the back of his shirt.

"No, no. Of course not!" Micah said, shaking his head. "You’re the best mother anyone could ever ask for. I know deep down that was all a misunderstanding. My kind mother would never ignore her son. I did that probably because I knew you would’ve loved me even if I messed up. You would’ve never abandoned Darcy either. So... don’t cry, it wasn’t your fault, Mum..."

Micah patted her back, trying to calm her down. "See? You always said I act first and think later. Guess you really do know me best."

A weak laugh escaped Elina’s throat. "You bet I know you well. My hair has turned white from all the trouble you’ve caused since you were a kid..."

Micah laughed as he glanced at his dad, gesturing with his eyes.

Jacob moved and placed a comforting hand on Elina’s back. "Honey, now that you two have had a good talk, let’s get you to bed. You haven’t slept a wink for a few days," he said, gently coaxing her to go to the adjoining room for rest.

Elina didn’t resist and walked toward the room. When the door closed behind them, a heavy silence settled over the office.