Chapter 1

As the shadows lengthened within the corridors of Harborview Hospital in Janctera City, the air in a particular room carried the antiseptic tang of cleanliness.

Sean Hamilton lay in his hospital bed, weakened by the steady drip of an IV. He turned his gaze to Nadine Scott, his mother, and whispered, “Mommy, I miss Daddy.”

Fever had flushed Sean’s cheeks, and his lips were pale and cracked.

Nadine responded with a gentle smile, her fingers tenderly caressing his forehead. “Sean, darling. Daddy is busy with work right now. But Mommy is here with you, okay?”

Nadine then moistened a cotton swab in warm water and delicately dabbed at Sean’s chapped lips.

But Sean’s insistence grew stronger. He shook his head, saying, “No! I want Daddy, I miss him. Mommy, can you please call Daddy and ask him to come?”

Tears welled in his eyes as he pleaded, and Nadine felt her resolve waver. Her heart wrenched knowing that tears would follow if she refused.

Nadine and Brad Hamilton had been married for five years, and for those five years, Brad had harbored nothing but hatred for her. His animosity even extended to Sean.

Even if she called, Brad wouldn’t come, and his absence would only deepen Sean’s disappointment.

But… Nadine couldn’t bring herself to deny Sean’s plea seeing his desperate eyes. Swallowing her own bitterness, she nodded. “Mommy will try, okay?”

Knowing full well Brad wouldn’t answer, Nadine still decided to try anyway. She couldn’t bear Sean’s hopeful gaze. Even if it meant humiliation, she wanted to fulfill his wish.

Sean’s eyes brightened as he watched her eagerly. Nadine steadied herself and mustered the courage to dial the number that she had memorized deep in her heart.

Even as she dialed Brad’s number, Nadine harbored no illusions about the outcome.

phone rang persistently until

the line. “Don’t you know Brad is with me now? Why are you calling him?

Brad’s first love. Her face turned ashen as if doused with icy

Hamilton family. But Brad

through her fingers. Unable to bear the pain of hearing

found him eagerly waiting for Brad’s response. “What did

a loss for words. She didn’t know how she should answer Sean. Should she shatter

she still couldn’t find a suitable excuse to pacify Sean. She bit her lower lip

answer him. “Mommy, did

so he desperately wanted Brad by his

metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

“Sweetie, Daddy’s busy, he might not have heard

fooled. He tried to sit up, reaching to remove his fever patch. “Mommy, I miss Daddy. It’s okay if he can’t come. I just want to hear his

hand, a wave of sadness washing over her. If she had known it would come to this, she would never have married Brad, no matter how much

no cure

saw Nadine stop him and didn’t

her with wide, hopeful eyes. His understanding and maturity made

her tears as she made another attempt to call Brad. She put it on speaker, praying

as the call went unanswered, Sean would eventually give

thought—the call connected on the second

distant and

silence, Brad’s impatience grew.

disdain in his voice and was completely at a loss for words. She wanted to hang up, but she

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