Grayson followed the nurse and Eileen like a ghost, keeping his distance, careful not to be seen. His heart pounded so hard it felt ready to break out of his chest. He didn't even know what the hell he was doing there, but his legs kept moving on their own. And one thought kept looping in his head. She had a kid with another man. Every time the thought surfaced, it stabbed through his stomach. But he had no right to judge her. Not when he was hiding things too. Not when his own sins clung to him like drenched bricks. Not when he had failed her more times than he could count. He kept walking until a sign hanging from the ceiling made him freeze. Pediatric Oncology. His breath caught. The hallway stretched into something endless, and every step he took after that felt like walking through water.Then her words came back to him. "Two million dollars… that's my price…" "There are so many things you don't know, Grayson…" "I'm not going back to the past…" And like a slap a

Grayson stepped into the room slowly, like every movement demanded strength he wasn't sure he had. His heart slammed against his ribs, loud and relentless, while his eyes stayed locked on the small sleeping body in the bed. Oliver... his son. He moved closer with careful, trembling hands and stopped at the edge of the mattress. Seeing him up close stole the air from his lungs. He was beautiful… and so unmistakably his. The same jawline. The same straight nose. But what hit Grayson hardest were the eyes. Even closed, he remembered them. They were blue and deep. The same ones he saw every time he looked in the mirror. A warm pressure climbed his chest and tightened around his throat. Behind him, Kate spoke in a soft voice—one that sounded like every word cost her something. "I found out shortly after you left." Grayson turned his head a fraction, but his eyes stayed on Oliver. Guilt sliced through him, sharp and merciless. The knot in his throat swelled. She had been alone al

Grayson drew a long breath. His knuckles were still white from how tightly he gripped his phone. "Talk. Or I'm hanging up." On the other end, the woman smiled. He could hear it in her voice, dripping like poison she enjoyed pouring. "Fine. I'm calling to remind you that… I need you here in a few days." His jaw flexed hard. "I can't. I have personal matters to handle." She let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Oh, Grayson… You know you can't say no to me. You owe me. And I've already given you more space than a woman in my position would normally allow." His eyes darkened instantly, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "You know exactly what our agreement was. Don't start." "I know," she replied, with fake innocence that infuriated him. "But… a woman can always change her mind, don't you think?" His blood ran hot. He hated that tone. It was the one she always used when she wanted to corner him, when she wanted to trap him. "I'm hanging up." "Go ahead. But yo

The hospital room was wrapped in a tense but electric quiet. Oliver sat cross-legged on the bed, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. A notebook rested on his lap. His expression was sharp and calculating, completely at odds with his dinosaur pajamas and the pile of stuffed animals beside him. Grayson watched him like he was standing before an unforgiving judge. "Alright," Oliver declared with great seriousness. "Today is your first test. If you want to be my dad, you have to help me with my math homework." Grayson blinked. Of all the trials he expected such as an emotional confession, a complicated question, or a hug he'd have to earn… this was not it. But Oliver pulled out a pencil, theatrically opened his notebook, and placed it in Grayson's hands like he was handing over a signed contract. "Math?" Grayson repeated, handling the notebook carefully. "Uh-huh. Mom hates it. She says it gives her hives." Oliver smirked. "So if you survive this, maybe you have potential." Gray

After the awkward, though not entirely unpleasant moment in the bathroom, Grayson apologized with a half-smile and went back to the apartment to change. He'd be staying with them at the hospital that night. Oliver would receive the first dose of his intensive treatment, and even though Kate tried to stay composed, something heavy pressed on her chest from the inside out. The kid, blissfully unaware of the emotional chaos around him, played on his handheld console. Every so often, he let out a tiny victory shout whenever he defeated an enemy. Kate, meanwhile, tried to ignore the amused look Eileen kept sending her from the fold-out sofa. "Stop… looking at me like that," she muttered, lips tight. "What? You can slay the tiger but fear the hide? Please. I saw you very comfortable in there. You didn't look like someone 'calling for help.'" Kate's face turned beet-red. She tried to speak, but only managed a frustrated huff. "I don't know why Grayson left the door wide open. Imag