(Allison's POV) "Have some water, Allison?" Stefan offered me a glass of water, his voice gentle. I smiled faintly, accepting it from him. He sat beside me, his eyes filled with concern as I sipped the water slowly. "Why were you crying earlier?" he asked softly after I emptied the glass, his tone a mix of curiosity and worry. I sighed, staring down at the empty glass. "It's nothing, Stefan." "No one cries for no reason, Allison. We're friends—you don't have to hide anything from me," Stefan said, his voice steady, filled with reassurance. His eyes held a sincerity that melted some of the walls I had built. He was patient, ready to listen, no matter how long it took. I exhaled deeply. He was right. I had already drenched his shirt with my tears earlier; it felt unfair to keep my pain hidden. "It was Scott," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Your ex?" His jaw clenched. "What did he do to you this time?" There was a simmering rage beneath his calm demeanor. "Nothing," I said
(Allison's POV) It’s been a week since I last saw Scott. After I left his company that day, I haven’t seen him again, and I thought he had decided to take my words to heart. But why do I still wish he was following me around like he did in the past couple of days? “What would you like to eat?” Stefan’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He invited me out to dinner, and I couldn’t say no. I smiled at him before picking up the menu on the table. “I’d love to have steaks.” Stefan called the waitress over, and we placed our orders. “Are you okay?” Stefan asked, and I slowly turned to look at him. “Why do you ask?” I said in a low voice, answering his question with a question. “You look absentminded, Allison. You’re here, but I feel like you’re not. And beside that, you’ve been staring at those couple at the far end,” Stefan said. I glance at the young couple at the far end of the restaurant. They’re laughing softly, hands entwined, lost in the magic of a first date. It reminds m
(Scott's POV) I immediately pushed Jenna away from me after she kissed me. How dare she do that in front of Allison? I quickly turned to Allison to see her expression, but I couldn't tell if she was jealous or not. However, I could see her holding the edge of the chair as if she had just lost her balance. I rushed toward her, closing the distance between us. "Allie, it’s not what you think," I said, desperate to explain, but Allison simply gave me a smile that made my chest ache. Deep down, I wanted her to be jealous—just to feel like she still cared, even a little. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Scott," Allison said, pausing to smile at Jenna. "You must be his girlfriend. Nice meeting you," Allison said. Her words cut through me like a blade. Six years ago, when I introduced Jenna to her as my girlfriend, I saw the pain in her eyes. But now, she was smiling casually at Jenna, as if it no longer mattered. I studied her expression, searching for a hint of jealousy, but
(Allison's POV) I swallowed hard, staring at Scott. Was he really going to kiss me in front of everyone, or was this just another way to force me to talk to him? My pulse quickened as his eyes locked on mine. "Should I kiss you instead, since you don’t want to talk to me?" Scott’s voice was smooth but insistent, and I swallowed hard again. The countless times we had kissed flashed through my mind, sending shivers down my spine. Scott was a good kisser, no doubt about it. Back then, he’d kiss me for what felt like hours, his lips never growing tired, and his body always pressing against mine, making me feel every inch of him in the most intoxicating way. Stefan stepped in and took my hand away from Scott’s, snapping me back to reality. "Don’t you have any shame? You’ll kiss her in front of her fiancé?" Stefan’s voice was cold, but I could sense the protective edge behind it. Part of me wondered if he enjoyed playing the role of my fiancé a little too much when Scott was around.
(Scott's POV) Seated at the dining table with a box of chocolates in front of me, I couldn't stop grinning as I stared at Allison's message on my phone. She texted me back, warning me not to care about her, but I found it strangely endearing. I wanted to respond, but I didn't want to risk her blocking me, so I just kept my gaze fixed on her message, smiling like a lovestruck teenage boy who had just received a reply from his crush. Allison had told me she'd give me a chance to be a father to Liam, and I was more than happy about it. If I get closer to Liam, it would bring me even closer to Allison. I was determined to show her how sincere I was about having her back in my life. I didn’t care about Stefan. The very thought of him made my blood boil. I smiled again, looking at Allison's text. To a normal person, her reply might seem rude, but to me, it felt like a compliment. Maybe I was crazy—crazy in love with my Allie. I loved her before, and now, I loved her even more. "Sir, her
(Allison's POV) I thought about it all night, and I finally decided to give Scott a chance to be a father to Liam. However, I wasn’t going to tell my aunt or my brother about it. They both loathed Scott, and I didn't want my brother to know I had lied to him. This wasn’t for me—it was for Liam. He deserved to know his father, even if I couldn't fully reconcile my feelings with Scott. I had denied Liam the privilege of knowing his father, and that wasn’t fair to him. He didn't know about my past with Scott, and I wouldn’t let him suffer because of it. As for Scott, there was no way I would accept him back into my life. He was going to be Liam’s father, and that was it. I would have considered letting him back into my life if he had shattered my heart because he had an illness he didn't want to share with me, because he didn’t want me to worry. I would have understood that. But since it was for money and power that he exchanged for my love, I couldn’t understand him, nor could I forgi
(Allison's POV) I was in the kitchen, busy preparing lunch for Liam, when the doorbell rang. It was Sunday—a day I could spend quality time with my son before diving back into the chaos of work on Monday. Wiping my hands on my apron, I removed it, draped it over a chair, and headed to answer the door. It was Scott. He stood on my porch, his arms laden with brightly colored gift bags. I furrowed my brows in confusion, my gaze flitting between him and the mountain of toys he carried. "Hi, Allie," he greeted, flashing his signature smile that showcased those infuriatingly perfect dimples. His dark brown hair fell loosely over his forehead, giving him an almost boyish charm. Despite the years, he looked ageless, like a vampire forever trapped in his prime. "Allie?" he repeated, pulling me from my thoughts. I blinked and cleared my throat, trying to mask how flustered I felt. "Why did you bring so many gifts?" I asked, my tone sharp enough to keep my guard up. "I wasn’t sur
(Allison's POV) "Really? Your mummy said that?" Scott asked with a smile, and Liam nodded his head. "Yes. She told me you're a good person and that you love her, so—" Before Liam could complete his words, I gently pulled him away from Scott, faking a laugh. I crouched to his height and ruffled his hair gently. "Since when did you become a chatterbox?" I asked. "I was only telling Daddy what you said. Are you mad at me?" Liam asked in a low voice. "No, Mummy isn't mad at you, but you should only answer questions you're being asked, okay?" I said, trying my best to avoid making eye contact with Scott. "Okay, Mummy. I will keep that in mind," he grinned and rushed over to Scott, holding his hand. "You love my Mummy, right?" "Liam!" I called out his name. Here I thought he had listened to me, but he was still repeating those words to Scott. I felt so embarrassed. If I had known Liam was going to snitch on me, I wouldn't have said a word to him. But then again, he didn't
(Scott's POV) Aunt Hilda's words kept replaying in my head over and over again, and the more they did, the guilt weighed heavier on me. Allison had almost lost her life because of me, and Liam had nearly lost his too—all because I wasn't there when he needed me the most. What kind of father am I? I cursed myself a thousand times. The least I could have done six years ago, after breaking up with Allison, was to secretly keep in touch with her. But instead, I abandoned her completely without even trying to find out how she was doing or where she had relocated. If I had, I would have known about Liam's condition and how desperately he needed a blood transfusion from his father. "I'm such a despicable person," I muttered, cursing myself again as I repeatedly banged the back of my head against the wall, letting my tears flow freely. They have every reason to hate me. I brought nothing but pain into their lives after all the promises I made. Allison—my precious Allie. It must ha
(Writer's POV)"Mummy, can we make a stop and get candies?" Anna's tiny voice lit up with excitement as her eyes glittered at the candy store."No, you can't, Anna," her mom replied as she waited for the traffic signal to turn green."But why not, Mummy?" Anna asked with a frown."Didn't you just visit the dentist last week? Your intake of sugary things is too much. You need to take a break from candies if you want to grow nice teeth, okay?" her mom smiled at her."Okay, Mummy," she said with a small frown before resting her head against the armrest of the car. But her brows furrowed in surprise when she saw Liam walking alone on the street."Liam? Why is he walking all alone?""Who is that, Anna?" her mom asked."He's my classmate from school," Anna replied, pointing in the direction where Liam was walking."Why is he walking alone on the street? Is he an orphan?""No, Mummy. Liam tells me a lot about his Mummy and a little bit about his Daddy," Anna answered. "Let's go to him, Mummy
(Allison's POV) “Mummy, is everything Aunt Hilda said true?” Liam asked again, his tears falling even more. My heart ached, and I didn’t know how I was going to tell him. Everything was happening too fast—my family finding out the truth to Stefan, and now Liam. I never wanted Liam to find out about any of this, but I couldn’t blame my aunt. She just had to pour out her emotions so Scott could understand why she hated him so much. “Liam...” I began, but Liam rushed back into the room before I could even say a word, and my heart broke even more. “Should I talk to him?” Aunt Hilda offered, stirred with guilt because Liam had found out what happened six years ago because of her. “No. I should be the one to talk to him,” I said, sniffling. “Should I come with you?” Stefan asked, and I shook my head. I went into the room and found Liam on the floor, his head buried in his thighs as he cried. He might only be five years old, but he is very sensitive, and little things hurt him. “Liam,
( Allison's POV) "Please, Allie... love me back again," he sniffed, tears streaming down his face as his arms wrapped around me. His tears soaked my blouse, and I could feel them on my skin. He was crying because of me. Scott was begging me to love him again. I felt my heart ache at his plea. I was almost tempted to hug him back, but I remembered that I still hadn’t gained forgiveness from my family for lying to them. I pushed him away and wiped my tears before he could see them. "Please leave, Scott, and stop making it difficult for me." Just as I finished speaking, Aunt Hilda entered the house, and my heart sank in fear upon seeing her. "What the heck are you doing here?!" she demanded loudly on seeing Scott. "Good afternoon, Aunt," Scott greeted, attempting to step closer to her. He stopped midway when Aunt Hilda took a step back, her eyes filled with hatred. "Keep your greetings to yourself and answer my question. What are you doing here?!" She shouted, her eyes narrowin
(Scott's POV) I stared hard at the house in front of me, contemplating whether I should step out of my car or not. I had inquired about Aunt Hilda’s address with the determination to speak with her, but now that I was here, I felt too scared to leave the safety of my car—too scared to face the anger in her eyes. But this was for Allison and Liam. I had come here to make things right. With that thought in mind, I got out of the car and walked toward the door. Pressing the doorbell, I waited. It rang, but no one came to open the door. "Aren’t they home?" I mumbled, pressing the doorbell again. This time, Liam opened the door. His eyes lit up with joy as soon as he saw me. "Daddy!" he exclaimed excitedly, running into my arms. I scooped him up and held him close. "How are you doing, Liam?" I asked. "I’m fine, Daddy," he replied, his joyful smile still lighting up his face. "That’s good to hear. Where’s your Mummy and Aunt Hilda?" I asked, wondering if he was home alone. "I haven’
(Writer's POV) Bonnie drove back home after leaving Liam in the care of Aunt Hilda. As she got out of the car, she saw Alex sitting on the doorstep of her house, his head bowed. He was the one who had called her earlier, which was why Bonnie had left Liam with Aunt Hilda to come and see him. She let out a deep sigh before calling his name. "Alex." Alex lifted his head, his eyes misty from the pain of Allison's betrayal. He had trusted his sister deeply, and it shattered him to know she was on speaking terms with Scott after everything she had been through. "Bonnie," he muttered. He stood up, and before Bonnie could say a word, he hugged her. She was startled at first, but understanding the state he was in, she let Alex hug her until his emotions settled. "Are you not going home?" Bonnie asked when they were inside her house. "Can I spend the night?" he asked. "Of course, you can. You're Allison's younger brother; it's my responsibility to look after you as a big sister," Bonnie
(Scott's POV)I stood there like a lifeless being, not even moving an inch from where I was standing. It was as if the earth had stopped moving, and I became stiff on the ground. Allison went after Stefan, caring less if I was here. She went after a man who wasn’t even her fiancé, caring less about how it was going to make me feel.It hurt so much. It ached my heart to see her running after another man. My heart was in so much pain, as if it was being pierced heartlessly with a sharp rod. I held my heart just to suppress the pain, but it stung even more, with my tears spilling down from my eyes, even though I had done my best to stop them from falling.Why can’t she see I regret what I did six years ago? I was just so desperate—desperate to have my own stand so I wouldn’t continue being a laughingstock in the eyes of my dad and his illegitimate family.I loved her then, and I still love her now. How should I make her realize that she is the only woman I have ever loved, and that I nev
(Allison's POV) "Where's Liam?" I asked Bonnie when I got home. "He's already sleeping. He kept asking too many questions about why you were crying, but I managed to put him to bed." "Thanks, Bonnie." "It's nothing. Were you able to talk to your family? What did they say?" Bonnie asked. Tears streamed down my face as I sank onto the sofa. "They refused to believe me, Bonnie. They threw me out, thinking I’m having an affair with Scott," I poured out my pain, and Bonnie quickly sat beside me. "You can’t blame them, Allison. You told them you weren’t on speaking terms with Scott, and suddenly they saw you with him. They have every reason to think that way. He’s not just anyone but the man you used to love—your first love." "But it’s all in the past now. They should’ve at least listened to me. I know I was wrong for lying to them, but I was only doing what any mother would do. I granted my son’s wish to have a father. I just wanted Liam to be happy," I said, sniffing. I didn’t bla
(Allison's POV) I wished this was just my imagination. I wished it was merely a hallucination that my family had seen me hugging Scott, but it wasn’t imagination, nor was I hallucinating. “What’s going on here?” Aunt Hilda asked, trying hard not to believe what she had just witnessed. I quickly rushed to her. “Aunt Hilda, I can explain—” My words were cut short by a slap from her, while Alex rushed to Scott and, with fury in his eyes, punched him in the face. Liam, who had seen it all, quickly got down from the mini car he had been playing with. “Aunt Hilda, why did you slap my Mummy? Uncle Alex, why did you slap my Daddy?” Liam asked, unaware that he was only adding fuel to the fire. Aunt Hilda and Alex gave me a disappointing look after Liam called Scott his Daddy. My heart ached as they stared at me. “Aunt—” I began, tears streaming down my face, but Aunt Hilda cut me off. “I don’t want to hear anything, Allison!” she yelled. I could see the tears threatening to spill from