His Unveiled Passion

Chapter 359

Stephen stood outside the door for a while longer to listen in on Caleb and Sophia's conversation, but eventually didn't go inside.

The sky was gloomy outside, and a light drizzle began to fall, fine and steady.

Stephen walked to the hospital entrance, looked up at the heavy, oppressive sky, his thoughts adrift.

There might really be no future left for him and Tessa.

Caleb was only 52, yet he was dying.

When Stephen was five, the scandal of Caleb's illegitimate child came to light. Sophia had fought hard for a divorce, but in the end, the marriage had been forced to continue due to pressure from both families.

He remembered everything from that time clearly. Those painful memories had long taken root in him. He remembered every bit of pain Sophia endured, her crying alone behind closed doors, the endless arguments between his parents, and the look of disdain in Caleb's eyes.

He knew Caleb didn't love Sophia.

Caleb didn't love him either.

He had never known what a father's love felt like. Growing up, he and Caleb had never been close. He always thought that when Caleb died, he wouldn't feel anything.

But now that it was actually happening, he realized he couldn't stay indifferent.

Not far off, a middle-aged man came hurrying toward the hospital entrance, one arm cradling a little boy, the other holding up an umbrella.

Soon, the man walked past Stephen.

At the entrance, he closed his umbrella and bent down, gently whispering to the boy in his arms, "Don't cry, baby. Daddy's taking you to see the doctor. It won't hurt much longer."

Stephen's heart trembled. He couldn't tear his gaze away, remaining glued to that

scene.

The little boy looked no more than a year or two old.

The man wore a dark blue uniform of some factory, with the company's name embroidered on the chest.

Stephen noticed the man's hands-rough, dark, and covered in calluses.

But even with those coarse hands, he held the child so gently, overflowing with fatherly love. His weathered face was full of worry and urgency.

had never seen that expression

that wasn't true. He

year, Caleb returned to the country with James, begging

James be officially acknowledged as part of the

didn't

knelt outside with James in

day, the weather was just like today. There were heavy clouds overhead, and it later started

to shield him from the rain. But still, James

face that day was exactly the

at him silently, his chest tightening with

away with

pulled his gaze back, looking out into the curtain of

few women standing by the entrance blushed and kept

whispering to each

couldn't care

out

...

night, Stephen returned to

burial site," Lawrence reported in a low voice, standing in front of

folder. "This village was where Amara and James first settled when they arrived in Arcton. They lived there for five

the thick

they'd lived in,

"That cabin was their residence. All these years, James had

to the

allow for

deceased individuals

Amara's death,

some of her

cemetery was only later added, and it became a symbolic tomb, where the remains were a collection of her

then, but he's always kept Amara's

year on

and

he'd return to pay

asked casually, as if

look, there was a sharp, cold

replied, "We did. It is indeed