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    Mia pulled out her phone immediately and dialed her brother’s number. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the screen, the device almost slipping from her sweaty palm.

    Her heart was racing.

    Ethan would have told her beforeing to pick him.

    She was trying so hard not to freak out. No, she couldn’t freak out now. She told herself over and over again that there was nothing to freak out about. Nothing. Ethan picked him. Ethan picked Aiden up.

    He’s fine, he’s fine, she repeated inside her head like a prayer.

    But the call rang and rang. No one picked the first time.

    Her heart dropped so hard it felt like it left her body for a moment. Her knees weakened, and she had to grip the wall beside her to keep herself from falling.

    She hit the call button again, her breath shaky, her vision blurring from how much she was panicking.

    This time, after the third ring, someone finally picked. Relief shot through her, but the voice she heard made her freeze on the spot.

    It was not her brother’s voice.

    “Mia,” the familiar voice echoed in her ears.

    She blinked, pulling the phone away from her ear for a second to check the number, her brows knit in confusion.

    “Lily?” she called, her voice small, confused.

    “If have you not been picking your call” Lily’s sharp voice shot back, just as familiar and irritating as ever, but iat /ithat moment it was the mostforting sound in the world.

    She is thedy that came with Ethan.

    “How are you with Ethan’s phone?” Mia’s voice shook, her head spinning with questions.

    “Because I’m in Singapore. Duh? Get your ass here. And yes–your son is here.”

    The words tumbled into her ear. For a moment she just stood there in the school corridor.

    “I’ming” she said, cutting the call before her sister could say anything else.

    Her hands were still shaking so badly. She turned, her eyes meeting the teacher’s who was still standing there, watching her quietly,

    Mia’s reaction obviously scared her.

    The woman’s eyes were worried, her lips pressed together like she didn’t know whether to say something or just stay quiet.

    “He’s at home, Mia said quickly, her voice shaky but trying to sound normal.

    Miss June’s face rxed, her shoulders dropping in relief “See you tomorrow, Miss Rivers”

    5:17 pm PN N

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    “Yeah… goodnight,” Mia murmured before quickly walking past her, straight out of the school gates and toward the taxi driver who was still waiting for her.

    She barely heard the driver ask where to go.

    Her thoughts were everywhere.Lily being here, Esther ckwell’s reaction….

    She rushed to the front door the second the taxi stopped, her hand fumbling with the handle before she could push it open.

    And there he was.

    Aiden.

    Her baby was sitting on Lily’sp in the living room, giggling like the world was perfect, like he hadn’t just made her heart nearly stop. His little legs kicked as Lily bounced him on her knees, his face bright with happiness.

    “Mama!” Aiden shouted the moment he saw her. Of course he came running towards her with his tiny feets, his arms. stretched wide.

    Mia dropped to her knees, scooping him up into her arms. She kissed his cheeks over and over, hugging him so tight she was scared she might hurt him.

    Everything here scares her because she knows the people that can take him away from her are right here…

    They don’t know about him…. She assures herself.

    Mia pressed her face against his hair, breathing in his soft scent. Her baby… safe…. and with her.

    “Mama, look Aunty Lily!” Aiden pulled back slightly, pointing to his favorite aunt with a big smile. His excitement made his words tumble out so fast.

    “I’m seeing her, baby.” Mia stood up, her eyes finally locking on her sister. Her voice was low, serious. “What are you doing here?”

    Lily smirked, leaning back against the couch, arms folded casually like she hadn’t just given Mia a near heart attack. “Told you guys I wasing,” she said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “How’ve you been, sister?”

    Mia’s lips parted, but nothing came out. Her heart was still racing too fast.

    Before she could respond, Ethan walked into the room.

    “I was calling you earlier to tell you we will be going to pick him” he said, his brows slightly raised. “What happened to your phone?”

    Mia shrugged, clutching Aiden tighter against her. “Probablywork issue.”

    Ethan studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly before he nodded.

    “How was work?” he asked.

    Mia’s eyes darted toward Aiden, who was now squirming out of her arms, eager to go back to ying with Lily’s phone. She set him down gently, watching him run back to her sister without a care in the world.

    She turned her gaze back to her brother.

    “It was okay,” she said quietly, staring at him.

    5:17 pm P

    “I told her..” she added,

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    “So let me get this straight not only is Alex ckwell and his family here, but he’s the CEO of AB, and you work there?” Lily asked, staring hard at her like she was trying to see if Mia was joking

    They were sitting in the small living room. Aiden was curled up on her legs, sleeping so peacefully, his tiny chest rising and falling in rhythm. Mia kept her hand on his back, almost protectively, like she always did.

    Mia only nodded, her throat too tight to form words at first.

    Lily blinked. “Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, it’s not funny. You’re supposed to be running away from those people, not running straight toward them!” Her voice rose in disbelief, and she pointed at Mia like she hadpletely lost

    her mind.

    “His father is not here,” Mia finally said, her voice soft but steady. “Apparently, they had some huge fight that led to them cutting ties with Charles ckwell. Everyone here really only knows them as Lowell not ckwell.” She paused, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

    Lily squinted, leaning forward. “Ah?… Did Alex find out what his father did to us and cut ties with him?” she asked, like they are supposed to know the details.

    “We don’t know that,” Ethan said before Mia could reply.

    “Okay, but why are you in hispany?” Lily continued, shaking her head, her words spilling out in disbelief. “I thought you didn’t want him to find out about Aiden. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? Did the n change?”

    Mia’s eyes lowered to her son. She traced the line of his soft hair with her finger, her chest tightening.

    She won’t lie, being so close to Alex had been making her imagine Alex with Aiden. How will he act with his son…how happy Aiden will be…

    “I’m still thinking about that,” Mia said.

    She hadn’t decided if telling Alex the truth was a good idea or the worst mistake she could ever make.

    “I want to be sure he will be safe,” Mia continued, “I want to be sure they won’t take him away from me before I… before I tell him.” Her words broke at the end, and she bent her head slightly, kissing the crown of Aiden’s head as if she needed to reassure herself.

    Lily threw her hands in the air, almostughing. “This is insane! I swear, this is something out of a damn soap opera.” Sheughed again, a nervous, disbelieving sound. “I was thinking you’d be halfway across the world just hearing his name, and now you’re telling me you’re working under hispany? What the hell, Mia? What did he do when he saw you?”

    Mia shook her head. “We haven’t met,” she said quickly. Her hands tightened on Aiden as she said it, like the very thought of seeing him made her body react.

    Lily’s jaw dropped. “Oh,e on. You’re hiding from him? You’re working under his nose and hoping he doesn’t see you?” She let out a breathlessugh and leaned back into the couch. “Unbelievable. Totally unbelievable.”

    “Lily, enough with the questions,” Ethan said firmly, cutting in. He leaned back and gave his sister a look. “You just igot /ihere. Mia just came back from work. Let her breathe”

    Lily looked between the two of them, then lifted her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine.” But the mischievous spark in her eyes didn’t fade. She was enjoying this far too much.

    5:17 pm P MM

    Everything was fine. There was no Charles ckwell or his men…

    She’s just over thinking she knows that….

    She reached Aiden’s ssroom.

    Aiden’s teacher was standing at the door, talking to another parent.

    “Miss Rivers,” The teacher greets, her smile polite at first. But then she blinked, her smile slipping.

    “Aiden is not here.” She said like she’s confused why she is here.

    Her heart dropped so fast she had to resist the urge to press a hand against it.

    She takes in a deep breath reminding herself to breath

    Her mouth went dry. She had to force air into her lungs before she could even speak.

    Her mind grabbed onto the first exnation it could find. Ethan. Yes, Ethan. Ethan hade to pick him up.

    “My brother,” she whispered, her voice shaky, desperate. “Ethan Did… did Ethane?”

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    Miss Rivers nodded a little too fast, like she was trying to reassure her. “Yes, yes…your brother came here with anotherdy and picked him up.”

    Mia froze.

    Her brother…And anotherdy?

    “Whatdy?”

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