Chapter 2 The Child He Will Never Know

By the time I stepped out of the building the sky was already dark and the city lights were starting to glow This morning I walked into this place as Ethan Cole wife and now I walked out with nothing No home no marriage no place beside him A cold breeze touched my face but I barely felt it because everything inside me was empty and quiet My hand moved slowly to my stomach as I stood still on the roadside Six weeks A small life was growing inside me His child The child of the man who had just thrown me away without even looking back A bitter smile formed on my lips as I looked at the passing ca

rs He did not want me He never did So there was no reason for him to want this child My chest felt tight but I forced myself to breathe slowly I would not cry again Not here not now and not for him I had already given him too much of my heart and too much of my life This time I would choose myself I took out my phone with slightly shaking fingers and stared at one contact that I had not touched for years Grandfather Three years ago I walked away from my family because I believed love was enough to build a life Today I finally understood how wrong I had been My finger stayed on the screen for a moment before I finally pressed call The phone rang once then twice then three times Then his voice came through the line deep and familiar Amara My throat tightened and my eyes burned but I forced myself to stay calm Grandfather I want to come home There was silence on the other side for a few seconds that felt longer than they should Then his voice softened in a way I had not heard in years Where are you I will send you the address Stay there do not move I am coming The call ended and I slowly lowered my phone For the first time since morning I felt something other than pain Relief I was not alone Ten minutes later a line of black luxury cars stopped in front of me People nearby slowed down and stared in curiosity Men in black suits stepped out one after another forming a line Then the car in the middle opened and he stepped out My grandfather Tall steady and powerful with a presence that made everything around him feel quiet Grandfather My voice was soft but he heard me immediately He walked straight toward me and pulled me into a firm embrace You have lost weight That was all he said but it was enough to break the wall I had been holding all day Tears fell down my face before I could stop them I am sorry I said softly for leaving like that and not listening to you He shook his head and held my shoulders You are home now that is enough His eyes moved slowly to my stomach and his expression changed slightly Are you I nodded and placed my hand gently over my stomach Yes There was a short silence between us Then he spoke again with calm certainty Good I looked up at him in surprise Good He turned to the people behind him Prepare everything my granddaughter is coming home My heart shook at his words Granddaughter Not a burden not a mistake not something to be abandoned I felt warmth spread through my chest for the first time that day I nodded quietly and followed him into the car As the door closed beside me I leaned back and looked out the window The building stood tall behind us The place where my marriage had ended The place where I had lost everything Or at least that was what I thought before Now I knew I had not lost everything I still had my child I still had my family And I still had a future At the same time inside the top floor office Ethan stood by the window with a calm expression Vanessa stood close to him watching carefully Do you think she will be fine she asked softly Ethan did not turn around She agreed to the divorce that is enough His voice was cold and steady Vanessa smiled slightly satisfied with his answer Still she said she did not even argue Ethan remained silent for a moment Something about that fact stayed in his mind longer than it should She should have cried she should have begged she should have refused But she did none of that He frowned slightly then pushed the thought away It does not matter he said quietly Meanwhile the car carrying me moved forward through the city I placed my hand gently on my stomach again Do not worry I whispered softly I will protect you no matter what The city lights passed by as the distance between me and that building grew larger I did not look back again Ethan Cole would never know About the child he left behind