Chapter 5 · The Son He Never Knew Became My Crown

Time flew by. Before I knew it, three years had passed.

Noah was three years old. He was a smart, lively little gentleman with a bit of a mischievous streak.

He inherited my gift for design and loved grabbing a paintbrush, filling the paper with his little drawings.

Most often, he'd sketch our home. The house, me, and himself were always together in his pictures.

Sometimes, he'd point to the empty spot next to me in his drawing and ask, "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

I crouched down, gently stroked Noah's hair, and said softly, "Noah, you don't have a daddy. You have Mommy, and that's all you need."

Noah nodded, not quite understanding, but he got the gist. Then he picked up his paintbrush and drew a big sun in that empty spot. "Then I'll draw a sun to keep Mommy company."

My eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Noah was the sunshine that healed my heart.

In the past three years, JG Jewels has transformed from an independent designer platform into a rising force in the industry.

We opened boutiques in many cities. Our brand quickly became a sought-after name among the elite, turning heads as the newest jewelry sensation.

As the soul designer behind JG Jewels, I kept my identity a secret.

Aside from Madeline and my core team, no one knew who I really was.

I still went by Julia Gonzales. But I was no longer defined as Edward's ex-wife. I was JG Jewels' designer and Noah's mom.

One day, I got an unexpected call.

The call was from the editor-in-chief of Time Magazine, Asoraia Edition. They wanted to do a cover story on me. "Ms. JG, we've been following your work for quite some time.

"Your designs have completely changed how our local aesthetics are seen in modern jewelry. You make Asoraia proud."

I was about to turn them down because I was used to keeping things low-key. But what the editor said next made me change my mind.

"We know you have a very adorable son," the editor said. "We've seen the drawings you posted on your social media, those your son made.

"We were thinking, if you're open to it, maybe this cover could feature you, your son, and his artwork?

"We want to convey the theme of 'the new generation of female power.' A successful independent woman who is also a great mother."

I fell silent.

After hanging up, I looked over at Noah, who was sitting on the living room carpet, completely focused on his drawing.

He was working on a family portrait. In his picture, there was me, him, and his favorite teddy bear. We were all holding hands, grinning from ear to ear. In the top right corner of the paper, he even drew a little country flag.

Suddenly, I thought the editor's suggestion might actually be a good idea.

I didn't want to stay hidden in the background anymore. I wanted Noah to be proud of me and wanted him to know that his mom was awesome.

I agreed to the Time Magazine interview.

The shoot was set to take place in Silvergate. That was where Time Magazine, Asoraia Edition's headquarters were located, and also because they wanted to do this special cover story back in my hometown.

Silvergate was a place I'd been away from for three years and a place I thought I'd never return to.

Madeline looked a bit worried. "Are you really going back? What if you run into Edward"

I smiled. "If I run into him, so be it. I'm not the same Julia I was three years ago. To me, he's a stranger now."

It was time to go back and end things once and for all and let Noah see where his mom grew up.

I booked my flight.

This time, it wasn't a one-way ticket for running away in a panic. It was a round-trip ticket, coming home with my head held high.

Right before our trip, I brought Noah along to his kindergarten's art contest. The theme was "My Hero."

Noah drew the same family portrait again. But this time, he sketched it right onto a shiny gold award certificate.

In the picture, I was wearing a white dress and a sparkling crown, like a queen.

Noah hugged my leg, tilted his little face up, and said proudly, "Mommy, you're my hero."

That drawing won first place, no contest.

I carefully rolled it up and tucked it into my suitcase.

This would be the best gift we could bring to Silvergate.

Chapter 5

Time flew by. Before I knew it, three years had passed.

Noah was three years old. He was a smart, lively little gentleman with a bit of a mischievous streak.

He inherited my gift for design and loved grabbing a paintbrush, filling the paper with his little drawings.

Most often, he'd sketch our home. The house, me, and himself were always together in his pictures.

Sometimes, he'd point to the empty spot next to me in his drawing and ask, "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

I crouched down, gently stroked Noah's hair, and said softly, "Noah, you don't have a daddy. You have Mommy, and that's all you need."

Noah nodded, not quite understanding, but he got the gist. Then he picked up his paintbrush and drew a big sun in that empty spot. "Then I'll draw a sun to keep Mommy company."

My eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Noah was the sunshine that healed my heart.

In the past three years, JG Jewels has transformed from an independent designer platform into a rising force in the industry.

We opened boutiques in many cities. Our brand quickly became a sought-after name among the elite, turning heads as the newest jewelry sensation.

As the soul designer behind JG Jewels, I kept my identity a secret.

Aside from Madeline and my core team, no one knew who I really was.

I still went by Julia Gonzales. But I was no longer defined as Edward's ex-wife. I was JG Jewels' designer and Noah's mom.

One day, I got an unexpected call.

The call was from the editor-in-chief of Time Magazine, Asoraia Edition. They wanted to do a cover story on me. "Ms. JG, we've been following your work for quite some time.

"Your designs have completely changed how our local aesthetics are seen in modern jewelry. You make Asoraia proud."

I was about to turn them down because I was used to keeping things low-key. But what the editor said next made me change my mind.

"We know you have a very adorable son," the editor said. "We've seen the drawings you posted on your social media, those your son made.

"We were thinking, if you're open to it, maybe this cover could feature you, your son, and his artwork?

"We want to convey the theme of 'the new generation of female power.' A successful independent woman who is also a great mother."

I fell silent.

After hanging up, I looked over at Noah, who was sitting on the living room carpet, completely focused on his drawing.

Suddenly, I thought the editor's suggestion might actually be a good idea.

I didn't want to stay hidden in the background anymore. I wanted Noah to be proud of me and wanted him to know that his mom was awesome.

I agreed to the Time Magazine interview.

Silvergate was a place I'd been away from for three years and a place I thought I'd never return to.

Madeline looked a bit worried. "Are you really going back? What if you run into Edward"

I smiled. "If I run into him, so be it. I'm not the same Julia I was three years ago. To me, he's a stranger now."

It was time to go back and end things once and for all and let Noah see where his mom grew up.

I booked my flight.

This time, it wasn't a one-way ticket for running away in a panic. It was a round-trip ticket, coming home with my head held high.

Right before our trip, I brought Noah along to his kindergarten's art contest. The theme was "My Hero."

Noah drew the same family portrait again. But this time, he sketched it right onto a shiny gold award certificate.

In the picture, I was wearing a white dress and a sparkling crown, like a queen.

Noah hugged my leg, tilted his little face up, and said proudly, "Mommy, you're my hero."

That drawing won first place, no contest.

I carefully rolled it up and tucked it into my suitcase.

This would be the best gift we could bring to Silvergate.