Jason came back after fifteen minutes. He took a hesitant step toward me and stopped a few feet away. I didn't utter a word and waited for him to say something."Alex is already working on the search warrant. He will call us as soon as he gets it. Ask your father about this. I am not the right person to tell you everything despite knowing everything." I nodded my head and waited for my father to come and just quietly sat beside the bed, holding Nathan's hand."He looks like you. He really is your son." Jason whispered, moving to the other side of the bed. "He's so brave to come here alone, knowing there's a possibility he wouldn't see you.""He's desperate to run away to ask for help for his mother. Maybe what he witnessed Dylan doing to his mother scared him. That's why, despite the danger, he did it." I softly said as I ran my fingers through Nathan's hair.He stirred and then opened his eyes, looking at me. "Did someone go to help Mama?""We will go after we get permission from the
Zachary When Nathan's name left the guard's lips, I knew everything he told us was true. "Can you let us in?" The officer politely asked, and the guard opened the door wider and guided us towards the house."Is Mr. Lee inside?" I asked fist balled beside me."Yes, you stay here for a while, sir. I'll inform him about your arrival." The guard said, but I quickly grabbed his hand. "No need.""But, sir.""Don't worry." The officer cut him. He just nodded in defeat and led us to the front door. He knocks at it, and then it opens with a woman whose eyes quickly widen and try to run away, but one of the police was quick to hold her, and she panics and struggles from his hold, which confirms everything that Nathan told us.All our eyes darted up the stairs when we heard a scream. My heart pounded, and I rushed to the stairs, followed by the other as the screaming continued."Please stop. I don't know where he is." I heard the woman cry in pain. "You bitch!!!"Ahhh!!! Stop. Please!!! The v
ZORENIt was already past two in the morning when I was startled from my uncomfortable sleep on the couch when someone pushed the door open, and two nurses came in, pushing a stretcher, followed by Zachary, Jason, and Alex.I quickly get up and look at the person on the stretcher, and my eyes widen. It's Athena. It's really her. The hospital staff brought an extra bed into the room, and Athena was quickly transferred. "Why is she covered with bruises?" I asked after the nurses left.""Dylan was beating her when we arrived. I don't know what will happen to her if we arrive late." Jason replied."Who is she?" Zachary asked—the question I dreaded to hear."Let's rest first, okay? Let's talk tomorrow. Athena can tell you her side of the story of what happened six years ago, and we can tell ours, too, because we also don't know what happened to her six years ago. We know that she died six ago. We buried her. She even has her grave in the cemetery. We don't know that she is alive.***ZACHA
ZACHARY I kissed his cheek and sadly smiled at him. I felt bad knowing he didn't experience the care of his parents because of Dylan, and I wanted to kill the guy."He also told me that I am not allowed to be carried. I should walk. I don't remember someone carrying me since I started walking because bad Dylan would tell me I was a bad boy if I asked him to carry me. So even though I was exhausted whenever he brought me outside, I didn't ask him to carry me because I didn't want to be a bad boy. Only Mama carries me when I visit her, but it seldom happens because bad Dylan doesn't allow me. After all, he said Mama has a contagious disease." I looked up at the ceiling to stop my tears from falling, and I could tell my father was also holding his tears."Dylan, you bastard. I'll make sure you'll rot in prison.""Forget what he told you. You are not a bad boy if you ask someone to carry and feed you. Starting today, Papa will always carry and feed you because you are a prince, and a prin
I took a deep breath calming myself. "Six years ago, when Zachary had a business meeting out of town for two days and one night, he asked me to do whatever I wanted while he was away. He told me that when we were already married, I couldn't do it alone anymore because he would always stick by my side. So when he leaves with Jason and Alex, I first go to the spa, but I meet Winter there. Back then, I don't remember her as well as Dylan." I paused and took a breath again."They pretended they were my friends the first time I met them.""What? And you didn't tell us?" Jason asked, annoyed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think that they were planning something. I kept it because they said Zachary doesn't want me to be around them.""Because those two always have a hidden agenda," Zachary commented. I lowered my head in shame for being stupid back then."Whenever I eat alone outside the company when Zachary has a lunch meeting, they are there. I'm so stupid not to notice it back then. I thought it w
ZACHARYI sighed and turned my eyes to Athena, who was now sleeping soundly. Hesitantly, I ran my fingers through her hair. It looks foreign but feels familiar. Everything about her felt familiar, even her scent, the feel of her arms around me. It's so familiar that I always wanted her arms wrapped around me. I think I loved this woman so much back then. I smiled and pressed my lips on her forehead but quickly pulled away, embarrassed when someone suddenly pushed the door open."Papa, did you kiss Mama?" I awkwardly scratch my nape, embarrassed. I felt like I was caught red-handed for doing things I shouldn't. I took him from Jason's arm, who was wearing a teasing smile on his lips, but I ignored it."You can leave now and do your thing. If you need me to sign any documents, you can bring them here.""Okay, sir." He said, smirking. "See you later, Nathan. I need to go to work. Rest so that you'll get well fast.""Okay, Uncle. Bye-bye.""Bye, little one." I glared at him when he gave me
ZACHARYI snapped my eyes away from the paper I was reading when a knock at the door came. I went back to my work just this morning. I have lots of work that were pending for my absence. Jason did some of it, but some needed to be done by me."Come in!" I called out and resumed reading the document I was holding."Papa!!! I quickly looked up and smiled to see Nathan and Athena entering the door. I chuckled when he ran to me and wrapped his arms around me. "Why are you here?" I asked, smiling, then picked him up and settled him on my lap. "We brought you lunch." He grinned and kissed my cheeks. I smiled at Athena, who set the food they brought on the center table. I stood up, carrying Nathan in my arms, and went to her and kissed her forehead."Nathan wanted to see you. He said he missed you and kept asking me to visit you.""You miss me already?" I just left this morning." I ask, poking his nose. He giggled, then buried his face in my neck."Yes, I missed playing with you, papa.""We
Zachary Today is the first court hearing. We are sitting in the court hall together with my parents. Athena is sitting on my right, Nathan is on my lap, and Alex is on my left as Athena's lawyer. My parents are sitting in the chair behind us.Dylan and his father are sitting on the row of seats opposite us. He was throwing us a death glare and smirk once in a while. He looks confident, as if he already knows he will win.They already took their oath earlier, and now the hearing will start. Athena is the first to tell her story, and she told the court everything that happened six years ago until we rescued her.Dylan was calm while Athena was talking. He even looks uninterested in it. He never interrupted until she ended talking. Then Nathan was called to support all Athena's allegations. We don't want him to be in here, but we don't find any witnesses, and he's the only one who can support his mother's story.Alex walked him to the witness stand. I'm so proud of him. He looks so brav