bChapter /bb187 /b

    Ethan came back home earlier than usual, surprising Mia as she was setting the table. He had a cheeky grin on his face.

    “We are celebrating tonight,” he dered, throwing his arms wide as he entered the living room.

    They ate together, chatting andughing over the simple meal. Aiden was already asleep, tired from his exciting day at school.

    Ethan nced up at her. “You should really thank Mr. Felix,” he said.

    Mia looked at him, the fork paused halfway to her mouth. “I will”

    “Good,” Ethan said. “He’s been a huge help.”

    Mia nods

    Later they called their mom

    “I told you things will get better,” their mom said. “You just had to be patient.”

    And indeed it worked out. When she found out she was pregnant. Mia thought her life was over, look at her today.

    Lily was on the call too, her voice sharp and yful. “So, big shot Mia has a job now, huh? Must be nice.”

    “Yup”

    “Actually,” Lily continued, a little more serious now. “I’ve been thinking… I might move to Singapore too.”

    Mia blinked. That came out of nowhere.

    “Wait, what?” Ethan asked, sitting up straight, his face instantly unreadable.

    “I mean it. I think there will be better opportunities for me there than here. I’m tired of feeling stuck.”

    Mia understood that feeling too well. But Ethan didn’t seem thrilled.

    Butting up.

    “We’ll talk moreter,” Lily said before hanging up.

    Once the call ended, Mia turned to her brother.

    “You’re not happy about Lily wanting to move here?”

    //

    Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s not that. She’s my sister too. I just… it’s Lily. She brings drama with her like it’s luggage.”

    Mia chuckled, knowing there was some truth to that

    “She’s changed Ethan,” Mia offered. “What trouble could she possibly cause here?”

    Ethan gave her a long look. “Don’t tempt fate.”

    There was a pause, and then Ethan cleared his throatb, /bshifting awkwardly in his seat.

    1, uhb, /bforgot to mention, I gave Mr. Felix, your number earlier todayb” /bhe said, not looking at her. bMia /bbnarrowed /bher eyes at himb. /bb“/bWhy?”

    12:48 Thu, 14 Aug (DJ FU

    “He mentioned something about taking you to dinner. To celebrate.”

    Mia stilled.

    “Just us?” she asked, her voice low.

    Something about that didn’t sit well with her.

    She has not forgotten how Mr. Felix looked at her that day at thepany. There was something curious in his gaze, a little too interested. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but she also couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.

    She barely knew the man, and already he had done something massive for her. Now he wanted to take her out? Alone? It felt too personal.

    Too sudden.

    Is it a date? The thought drifted through her mind.

    Would that be such a bad thing?

    She hadn’t gone on a date in years. Her whole life had been about survival, about protecting her son, about finding work and staying sane.

    She missed being a woman. Missed feeling desired.

    Still, she couldn’t afford any closeness with a man right now

    She turned to look at Ethan, who suddenly found the wall very interesting.

    “Please don’t tell me he’s interested in me,” Mia said, her voiceced with worry. “Like… wants to date me or something?”

    Ethan stood up abruptly.

    “Ethan?” Mia called.

    But he didn’t respond. He just walked off, heading straight to his room without another word.

    Mia sat there, staring at the space he just left.

    Her heart beat a little faster.

    Wait….. was the text earlier from Mr Felix?

    Oh God.

    “Ethan!” she screams

    That night, before she finally allowed herself to drift into sleep, Mia sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her closedptop.

    She had been putting this off for far too long. Every time she decided she was finally going to check, something would happen would need her, Ethan would call, or she’d simply forget because she was too tired.

    her son

    At some point it feit unnecessary since she hadn’t gotten the job yet, now she has gotten the job.

    It’s necessary to know what her boss looks like.

    Her son was curled up beside her under the nket, breathing softly in his sleep.

    b+15 /b

    12:48 Thu, 74 Aug

    20/70

    +15

    She watched him for a moment, his tiny hands clenched into little fists, his face peaceful and untroubled. A part of her wished she could keep him like that forever, far away from anything that could hurt him.

    She turn her attention back to herptop.

    She reached forward and pulled theptop closer.

    With a small sigh, she flipped it open.

    The screen lit up instantly, throwing light into the room. The sudden brightness made Aiden stir slightly, but he didn’t wake. She adjusted the

    brightness lower so it wouldn’t disturb him.

    She typed slowly….

    CEO of ABL Corps

    She hit enter.

    The page started loading, the spinning circle on the tab seeming to take forever.

    Why am I so nervous?

    Weird

    Sheughed it off.

    Finally, the wiki page popped up.

    Her eyesnded on the bold text first – his full name written inrge letters, as if the world needed to remember it exactly as it was.

    Alexander ckwell Lowell.

    She froze.

    It was like her entire body went still, her breath caught somewhere between her lungs and her throat.

    She didn’t even realize her hand was still gripping her phone until it slipped from her grasp and hit the tiled floor with a sharp, echoing crack.

    The sound was loud enough to jolt her son awake.

    “Mama,” he called softly, his voiceced with fear and sleep, his little eyes blinking up at her.

    But Mia didn’t move.

    She didn’t look at him. She didn’t answer.

    Her gaze was locked on the screen.

    On the name. On the pictures.

    The face staring back at her was one she knew one she could never forget, no matter how many years had passed or how hard she bhad /b

    Mer vision: blurred for a second, and she blinked rapidly, her heart hammering painfully in her chest. She could hear her bson /bcalling bher /bbagain/b,

    tus voice a little louder this time, but it was muffled, distant like he was speaking from another room, another world.

    b3/4 /b

    12:48 Thu, 14 Aug

    Her

    ears

    rang.

    Her fingers went cold.

    And all she could see all she could hear

    –

    was

    that name

    in her head.

    Alexander ckwell.

    She couldn’t tear her

    eyes away. She couldn’t blink.

    bComment /b

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