Chapter 402
Madison
“Thank you.” I kept my voice neutral and professional. The same one I’d used when updating him on quarterly reports. Alexander’s fingers curled around his coffee cup. “Madison, I was an idiot not to visit you back then. Not to reach out. Not to…” He stopped, his eyes fixed on Ethan. “Think about what I said. About meeting him properly.”
“I said I’d think about it.‘
“And?”
“I’m still thinking.”
He nodded once, sharp and decisive. Then he straightened, adjusting his jacket in that familiar gesture I’d seen a thousand times before meetings. “I’ll be in Connecticut for a while. The development project.”
“How convenient.”
“It’s legitimate work.” His tone carried an edge. “But yes, also convenient.”
Before I could respond, he turned toward the door. Three steps. Four. Then Ethan happened.
My son barreled into Alexander’s legs with the force of a tiny meteor.
“Oops!” Ethan bounced back, looking up and up at the tall man he’d just collided with. “Sorry, mister!” Alexander froze. Completely, utterly froze. Like someone had pressed pause on his entire existence.
“That’s okay,” Alexander managed, his voice rougher than usual.
Ethan tilted his head, studying Alexander with that unfiltered curiosity only children possessed. “You look like a king!” “Ethan,” I said, moving toward them.
“But Mom, he does! He’s all fancy and tall!” Ethan’s enthusiasm ramped up. “Do you live in a kingdom? With a castle? And knights? Are there dragons?”
Alexander crouched down, bringing himself to Ethan’s eye level. “I live in a very tall building. No dragons, unfortunately.”
“That’s sad. Every kingdom should have dragons.” Ethan’s hands started gesturing. “Big ones! With fire! And they could protect the castle from bad guys!”
“That would be useful.” Alexander’s lips twitched. Almost a smile. What’s your name?”
“Ethan! I’m four and three quarters!” He held up fingers to demonstrate. “What’s your name?”
11
‘Alexander Knight.”
“That’s a big name. Like for a king!” Ethan bounced on his toes. “Can I visit your kingdom? I’ve never been in a really tall building before! Is it taller than the trees? Taller than the sky?”
“Ethan,” I said again, reaching for his hand. “We need to let Mr. Kright leave.”
“But I want to see his kingdom!”
“You can visit,” Alexander said softly. “My building has a hundred floors.”
“A HUNDRED?” Ethan’s voice went up three octaves. “That’s so many! Can I count them all?”
“If you want to.”
“What about my mom?” Ethan grabbed my hand, tugging. “Can she come too?”
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Alexander straightened slowly, his gaze finding mine. “She’s always welcome. No one is stopping her.” “We’ll see,” I said, the safest response I could manage.
“But Mom!”
“Ethan, enough.”
Alexander reached out, his hand hovering near Ethan’s shoulder for a moment before he seemed to make a decision. He ruffled Ethan’s hair gently, the gesture awkward but genuine.
“We’ll meet again soon,” Alexander said. “I promise.”
Then he pulled Ethan into a brief hug. Quick, careful, like he wasn’t sure he was allowed. Ethan melted into it with the easy affection of a child who’d never learned to be guarded.
When Alexander released him, his eyes were suspiciously bright.
“Bye, King Alexander!” Ethan waved enthusiastically.
“Bye, Ethan.”
Alexander walked to the door without looking back. The bell chimed as he left, cheerful and oblivious to the wreckage he left behind.
Ethan tugged at my hand. “Mom, he was nice! Can we really visit his kingdom?”
“Maybe. Someday.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Not tomorrow.”
“The day after tomorrow?”
“Ethan.”
He pouted but didn’t push further, already distracted by Grandma’s attention.
I watched through the window as Alexander climbed into his Aston Martin. He paused before starting the engine, his hands gripping the wheel like he was trying to strangle it. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. Just a slight upward curve of his lips before he drove away.
My chest felt tight. That smile. What did that mean?
“Madison?”
I turned to find my mother standing beside me, Ethan already tugging at her hand, chattering about breadsticks and chocolate
cake.
“Now that he knows about Ethan,” she said quietly, “what are you gonna do?”
I watched Alexander’s car disappear completely before answering
“I don’t know.”
The words felt inadequate. Insufficient. But they were the truth.
“Think about what you need before doing anything,” she said.
I blinked. “What do I need?”
“Yes. You.” She squeezed my shoulder gently. “You’ve spent years building a life, protecting Ethan, managing everything alone. You’re allowed to think about yourself for once.”
Chapter 402
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My throat felt tight. “I don’t even know what that is anymore.”
“Then figure it out.” She kissed my cheek. “Come on, Ethan. Let’s go home. Your mom needs some quiet time to think.”
“But I want to tell her about the chocolate cake!” Ethan protested.
“You can tell her later.” My mother took his hand firmly.
Ethan’s protests faded as they headed toward the door. The bell chimed cheerfully as they left.
I turned back to the espresso machine, methodically wiping down surfaces that didn’t need cleaning.
Take your time. Think it through.
That’s what Hazel had said. Figure out what you actually want before making any decisions.
The problem was, I didn’t know what I wanted.
***
I finished closing the café, flipping chairs onto tables, counting the register, and locking up with movements so automatic I barely registered them.
The drive home felt longer than usual. Each streetlight illuminated another thought I didn’t want to examine. Alexander’s face when he’d seen Ethan. The way his expression had shifted, calculating, piecing together a puzzle I’d tried so hard to keep hidden.
He’d hugged Ethan. That brief, awkward embrace that had looked like Alexander was terrified of breaking something precious. My chest tightened at the memory.
At home, I found Mom on the couch with her book, Ethan already tucked into bed.
“He fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow,” she said, not looking up. “All that excitement wore him out.”
“Thanks for taking him.”
“Anytime.” She marked her page. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just tired.”
“Mm–hmm.” Her tone suggested she didn’t believe me, but she didn’t push.
I headed upstairs, pausing outside Ethan’s room. The door was cracked open, his nightlight casting soft shadows across sleeping dinosaur sheets.
He slept sprawled out like a starfish, one arm dangling off the bed, mouth slightly open. Completely peaceful. Completely oblivious to how his world might be about to change.
I pulled his blanket up and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
“Sweet dreams, baby,” I whispered.
In my room, I changed into pajamas and climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep felt impossible. My mind kept replaying Alexander’s face, his voice, the way he’d looked at Ethan like he was trying to memorize every detail.
Tomorrow. I’ll decide tomorrow.
But even as I thought it, I knew what decision I’d already made.
Ethan deserved to meet his father properly, not just random encounters in parking lots and cafés.
The gift Alexander mentioned sat somewhere at his hotel, waiting. A present for a son he’d just discovered existed.
I rolled onto my side, pulling the blanket tighter.
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Chapter 402
Tomorrow, I’ll call him. Set up a proper meeting. Let him give Eth declarations about talking
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Tomorrow, I’ll call him. Set up a proper meeting. Let him give Eth the gift, see what Alexander actually wanted beyond vague declarations about talking.
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