Chapter 1

It had been six years since I divorced Matthew Foster. The next time I heard anything about him was when I learned he had cancer.

[Foster Group CEO Matthew Foster Diagnosed with Late-Stage Gastric Cancer, Heartbreaking News!]

Staring at the viral headline, I unconsciously tightened my grip on the cotton sofa cover until my knuckles ached.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" A soft, childish voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head, and Silas Sterling's young face came into view, a face almost identical to Matthew's.

With the news weighing on my mind, I made a quick decision. "Silas, go pack your bags. I'm taking you to Jinlward."

If Matthew didn't have much time left, then I had to go and tell him that he had a son. More importantly, I needed to make sure Silas would receive his inheritance.

*****

On the plane to Jinlward, Silas Sterling was fast asleep in my arms. Even after such a long flight, I couldn't sleep at all.

When I stared out at the clouds, my mind drifted back to that rainy night six years ago.

I was holding my ultrasound report, thrilled to surprise Matthew Foster with the news, but when I stepped into the villa's living room, I caught him and Magnolia Chase tangled up together.

Magnolia was nestled against Matthew, giving me a defiant look as she played with a pricey diamond ring in her hand.

She sneered, "Wren, don't blame Matthew. You can't force feelings. Besides, Matthew needs a partner who can help secure his business. Someone like you, who only revolves around the family, how could you ever be worthy of him?"

Matthew didn't push Magnolia away. He looked at me with icy indifference. "Wren, let's get divorced. I'll give you a share of the assets, enough to keep you comfortable for the rest of your life."

In that moment, I felt a chill run through my whole body, like I was falling into an endless abyss. I crushed the ultrasound report in my hand and never let him see it.

After the divorce, I raised Silas on my own. We settled in a small, unfamiliar town, and I opened a flower shop. Life was simple and peaceful.

I thought I'd never cross paths with Matthew again, but fate had other plans.

"Mom, are we going to see my dad?" Silas asked suddenly, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him. I asked, "Do you want to meet him?"

"Yeah. I want to see what kind of place my dad lives in. My teacher says every kid has a dad," he smiled.

A sharp pain shot through my heart. All these years, I never hid from Silas that he had a dad, but I never told him about all the complicated stuff between us.

Silas was always curious about his dad, and I told him his dad was working somewhere far away.

I said, "Silas, this time when we go to Jinlward, I'll take you to meet your dad. But it's been years since I last saw him, so I don't really know what he's like now, or how long we'll be staying.

"I don't feel good about leaving you alone in the hotel, so I'll find a kindergarten in Jinlward where you can stay for a bit. After I meet your dad and figure things out, I'll bring you to see him, okay?"

"Okay." Silas nodded.

Once I arrived in Jinlward, I first arranged for Silas to temporarily attend a kindergarten near the Foster Group headquarters. After that, I took a cab straight to Foster Group.

I didn't rush in, though. Since Matthew was sick, I wasn't sure if he was still coming to work despite his illness or staying at the hospital.

So, I settled into a coffee shop across from Foster Group, ordered a coffee, and kept my eyes fixed on the entrance.

At around ten in the morning, a Rolls-Royce pulled up to the entrance. Matthew's assistant, Reginald Hunt, got out first and respectfully opened the car door.

Matthew stepped out, still in a crisp suit. His face was pale, but he walked with surprising steadiness. He didn't look like someone weighed down by illness at all.

Seeing him like that, I was honestly a bit thrown. Was the news fake? Or was he toughing it out?

Either way, I was already here. Since I'd confirmed he was at the office, I pulled out my phone and called Reginald.

I'd deleted Matthew's number ages ago, but I'd kept Reginald's in case. And now, that had finally come in handy.

"Hello, Mrs. Foster," Reginald greeted me before I could even say anything.

He kept my number, too? I was genuinely surprised.

"It's me. Is Matthew free right now? I need to talk to him," I said.

"Yes, Mrs. Foster, you can come over now," Reginald answered so fast that it was as if Matthew had already given him the green light. He didn't even need to double-check.

After hanging up, I straightened my clothes, took a deep breath, and headed straight for the Foster Group.

When the elevator reached the top floor, Reginald was already waiting for me right by the elevator doors.

He guided me with quiet respect to the CEO's office, pushed open the door, and there was Matthew, sitting at his desk, head down, completely absorbed in paperwork.

As soon as he heard us come in, Matthew looked up, his eyes locking onto mine.

The instant our eyes met, I could clearly see the tangled emotions in his gaze. It was a surprise, a hint of happiness, and a pain that was hard to put into words.

"Long time no see," Matthew said, his voice a bit rough.

I didn't step closer, stayed at the doorway, keeping a respectful distance. My tone was calm. "Yeah, it's been a while. I came because I saw some news about you."

I got straight to the point.

Matthew's eyes dropped. Though I couldn't see his exact feelings, I could sense he wasn't pleased.

Well, if the news was true, who could be happy dealing with a serious illness?

"Please, have a seat," Matthew said, his voice a bit rough.

A few seconds later, he looked up and told Reginald, "Bring her a coffee."

I walked over and settled onto the couch in his office. Reginald soon brought the coffee, then excused himself and quietly closed the door behind him.