No Strings Attached

Brodie's heart clenched tight. "Did you remember something?"

"Not exactly," his mother replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "When the chandelier came crashing down, I had this fleeting vision of me and him together. It was gone in a blink, but I'm positive the man in it was Teo."

Hearing this, Brodie squeezed her hand a little tighter. "You had feelings for him, didn't you?" Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Caught off guard by her son's forthright questioning, Katherine didn't know how to respond. After a pause of several seconds, she finally spoke softly, "I suppose I must have. Otherwise, why would I have saved him? Brodie, do you think I was... was a bad woman for getting involved with a married man? And what if... what if you were his child?"

Brodie had known that the question of his parentage would come up eventually. He was about to say something when a knock at the door interrupted them. He walked over and opened it to find Teo on the other side, his eyes meeting Brodie's gaze.

wanted to pay her

in his arm. A gentle smile

clenched involuntarily, his emotions hidden in the shadows of his eyes. He stared at Teo for several seconds before saying, "She's

his mother, he said in a somber tone,

seeing the man behind her son. She adjusted

handing the flowers to Katherine with a sincere bow. "Katherine, I came here especially to thank you. If you hadn't shielded me, that chandelier would have crushed me, and perhaps my son would be planning

hands were curled up under the covers. With this renewed contact,

emotions, barely curving her lips in response, "I just happened to see it. If I hadn't rushed over, both you and Clara's father would have been hurt. I didn't want to upset her. Mr. Hayes, don't

of disappointment at her words, but he quickly masked it with a smile. "It seems I owe my life to you. No matter what, you saved me. If you ever need anything here in Northbridge, don't hesitate to ask. I'll do whatever I

nod of acknowledgment. "Actually, there is something I wanted to ask you, Mr. Hayes. About 25 years ago, on November 11th, there was a warehouse fire in the East End. I heard it