bChapter /bb198 /b

    Mia stares at the woman in front of her with wide eyes, her heart mming against her ribs so hard she thought the sound might gra her ava

    bNo. /bNo, this couldn’t be happening.

    How could she miss it? How could she not have recognized her the moment she saw her?

    Her mind was running in circles, desperately trying to piece things together.

    Yes, she had changed her hair. Shorter now. And those sses

    But still… still, she should have known. She should have recognized Esther ckwell anywhere. She should have recognized Alex’s mom

    The way she was staring at her, she knows, she knew who she was from the beginning… that’s why she was asking her so many personal questions.

    Oh god!

    Esther ckwell’s eyes were fixed on her, and it felt like everyyer of her was being peeled away under that gaze.

    Mia’s pulse screams in her ears. She couldn’t breathe. Not properly. Each inhale felt top shallow, like her lungs had forgotten how to work.

    Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She swallowed hard, the lump in her throat refusing to budge.

    “Deep breath, Mia,” the woman said, her voice calm but not soft.-

    Mia tried. God, she tried. She dragged air into her lungs, but it felt heavy, unsteady.

    She opened her mouth again, then shut it. Opened it once more, hoping words woulde, but all that slipped past her lips was a broken, shaky

    whisperi. /i

    the

    “Mrs. ckwell…” she stammered, her voice barely there, as if even saying the name might shatter her. She forced herself to keep speaking, bthough /bbher /bbreaths came uneven. “It’s… you.”

    Her knees felt weak.

    Oh God…

    Run mia. Run and never look back.

    But her body was betraying her, frozen–it wouldn’t move.

    Her heart was screaming at her ito /ileave, but her feet stayed nted. Her breath stayed shaky. Her hands curled into trembling fists at her sides, nails -biting into her palms.

    Esther ckwell kept staring, her gaze as steady as it was unnerving.

    It wasn’t just a look–it was an assessment, a deliberate reading of every flicker of expression on her face.

    “I haven’t been called that name in years,” the woman said finally, her voice steady.

    Then, without another nce, she turned and began walking toward a narrow corridor.

    “Come with me.”

    The words weren’t a request. They were an instruction.

    Mia’s stomach dropped, and for a moment she thought, hoped…her legs might refuse to move, that she might be able to stay brooted /bbto /bbthe /bbspot /bband /b

    b1/3 /b

    bChapter /bb198 /b

    bpretend /bshe bhad /bnot heard

    Her legs felt shakyb, /bheavy, like they were carrying her somewhere the shouldn’t

    Her heart was pounding so hard she could almost hear it in her ears.

    They reached a door with “Head of department/ director boldly written on it.

    Mia follows her inside.

    “Sit,” she said, pointing to the chair opposite her.

    Mia carefully drops herself on the chair.

    “Yesterday,” Esther continued slowly, her sharp gaze never leaving Mia, “you looked clueless when I asked you about the identity of the CEO

    Mia’s lips parted, but no words came out right away. Her throat felt tight, and a lump she couldn’t swallow seemned stuck thereb. /b

    She was close to crying, not loud, messy crying, but the quiet kind where tears spill without warning.

    She could already feel the sting in her eyes, that burn that meant she was one wrong word away from breaking.

    She looked down at her hands, noticing how they still shook. She clenched them together in herp, as if holding them tight could somehow stop bthe /b

    trembling.

    “I uhm-” she started, but her voice cracked so much she almost gave up speaking. She forced herself to continue. “I found out yesterdayb./b”

    Her voice was shaking, and she hated how small she sounded.

    “And you still decided toe?” Esther asked, her tone unreadable.

    Mia’s head tilted slightly, eyes flickering up at her before dropping again. “I needed the job,i” /ishe said softly, almost like she was confessing something

    shameful.

    Another low hum from Esther, this one sharper. She was still staring at her, really staring.

    “Do you have some kind iof /imotive with my son?”

    Mia’s mind nked. “What?” she asked, her voice quick and defensive.

    “Do you?” Esther repeated, calm but firm.

    “No.” Mia shook her head, desperate for her to believe it. “I didn’t know this was hispany when I came for the interview. I found outst night.”

    The truth was, she wished she hadn’t found out at all.

    Same time she’s happy she did, imagine unknowingly running into Alex

    She took in a deep breath, but it didn’t help much.

    This was it. She knew it.

    The end.

    She swallowed hard, forcing the words out even though they felt like butter in her mouth. “I’ll go pack my things and leaveb. /bbThank /bbyou /bfor beverything/bb. /b

    She pushed her chair back and stood up, though her legs felt weak. Every step toward the door felt heavier.

    And then Esther spoke againb, /bstopping her in her tracks.

    Is he my bson’s/bb! /b

    Mia froze.

    b“/bWhat?b” /bshe breathed but, her voice caught between confusion and disbelief.

    Esther didn’t flinch. “Your son,” she said clearly, “is it Alex’s?”