Chapter 2 2

Olivia's POV

Max was playing in the living room, his laughter echoing through the empty space, but it did little to ease the storm brewing inside me. I had always prided myself on being strong, on handling everything on my own. But after seeing Marcus again, the cracks in my carefully constructed life were beginning to show.

I had buried everything about him so deep in the past. The pain. The lies. The way he left me, right when I needed him most. And yet, here I was, unable to shake the memory of his face, the way his eyes searched for mine, that familiar sadness mixed with regret.

Max glanced up from his toys, his wide, curious eyes studying me as I sat on the couch, staring at nothing in particular.

"Mom, you look sad," he said, his voice soft but perceptive. At his age, I hadn't realized how much he could read me, but he always seemed to know when something wasn't right.

"I'm just tired, sweetheart," I replied, forcing a smile, brushing my hair behind my ear. I couldn't let him see the storm brewing inside me. He didn't deserve to carry the weight of my past.

Max didn't look convinced. He climbed into my lap, his small hands patting my cheek. "Do you miss him?" he asked innocently, his gaze filled with so much love. He didn't know the man he was talking about, but I could see the connection he was making. The curiosity in his eyes mirrored the questions I had carried for years.

"I used to," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we don't need him, Max. You and me, we have everything we need."

He seemed to accept that answer, nodding as if it made perfect sense. I breathed a sigh of relief, my heart aching with both love and guilt. I had always tried to protect him from the truth, from the fact that the man I had once loved was now a stranger to us... But deep down, I knew the time had come. The secrets couldn't stay buried forever.

---

Marcus's POV

The next day, I couldn't focus. I had a meeting scheduled with my team, but all I could think about was her. Olivia. I had seen her, spoken to her for mere seconds, and it was enough to unravel every piece of control I thought I had over my life. She had changed-of course, she had-but not in the ways I expected. The years had only made her stronger, more distant. And the boy with her, Max, the one who resembled her so much, made the ache in my chest unbearable. I should have been there for her... For him.

It wasn't just the shock of seeing her after all this time. It was the realization that I had missed everything. The boy she had raised alone, the life she had built without me. I had spent so many years justifying my actions, telling myself I had done the right thing by walking away, but seeing her again shattered all those excuses.

I couldn't stop thinking about the child. The child I didn't know existed until now. The child who was mine.

I stood by the window in my office, staring at the skyline below, but my mind was somewhere else. Olivia. Max. I needed to know more. I needed to fix this. I had to do something to make it right.

"Marcus," a voice called, pulling me out of my thoughts. My assistant, Claire, stood at the door, her expression serious. "The team's waiting for you in the conference room."

I nodded absently, running a hand through my hair. "Give me a few more minutes."

She hesitated before leaving me alone again. The silence returned, but this time, it felt suffocating. The weight of my own regrets pressed down on me. I couldn't let it go, not this time. I had to find her. I had to talk to her. I couldn't stand the idea of her resenting me, of her raising my son without me.

---

Olivia's POV

The days after our encounter were filled with questions I didn't have answers to. Max continued to ask about Marcus, his innocent questions stirring up feelings I thought I had buried. I had hoped the sight of him would be enough to put the past behind me. But it wasn't. If anything, it had brought it all back to the surface.

I couldn't stop thinking about the way Marcus had looked at me. That flash of recognition, the way his eyes lingered on Max. There had been something in his gaze-regret, yes, but also longing. And guilt. So much guilt.

But that didn't change anything. I had moved on. I had built a life without him, one that was stable and safe. Max deserved better than to have his life thrown into chaos by a man who had never bothered to look back.

Still, I couldn't ignore the part of me that longed for answers. The part of me that had carried his child in silence, never able to tell him the truth. The truth I had hidden for so long. It was time.

I sat down at the kitchen table, Max still playing with his toys in the other room. I pulled out my phone, staring at the contact for Marcus. The same number he had used all those years ago, the number I had never deleted. I knew I couldn't ignore the pull to reach out. The truth needed to come out, no matter how difficult it was.

I pressed the call button, my fingers trembling slightly as the phone rang. It wasn't long before he picked up.

"Olivia?" His voice was tentative, like he hadn't expected me to call. "Is everything okay?"

"No," I said, the words coming out sharper than I intended. "We need to talk."

---

Marcus's POV

I didn't expect her to call. I had thought about reaching out, but after everything, I didn't know if she'd even want to speak to me. When her name appeared on my phone, my heart skipped a beat.

"Olivia?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though my mind was racing. "Is everything okay?"

"No," she said, her tone biting, as if she had made a decision. "We need to talk."

A chill ran through me. This was it. The moment of truth. I had no idea what she was going to say, but I knew it wouldn't be easy.

"When?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Now," she replied, her voice firm, resolute.

I agreed, knowing I couldn't put this off any longer. I needed to see her. I needed to understand why she hadn't told me, why she had kept everything from me.

---

Olivia's POV

The drive to the café was short, but every minute felt like an eternity. I couldn't decide what I was going to say to him, or if I was even ready to face him. But there was no avoiding it now. I had kept this secret for too long. Max deserved to know the truth, even if Marcus wasn't ready for it.

I arrived early, sitting at a table by the window, watching the cars pass by outside. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts. How was I supposed to look at him, after everything that had happened? How could I explain the years of silence, the heartache that had followed?

When Marcus walked in, my heart skipped. He looked the same-handsome, confident, but there was something different about him now. His eyes were tired, filled with guilt and regret, and for a moment, I wondered if he had always carried that weight.

He sat down across from me, his gaze not leaving mine.

"Olivia," he began, his voice low. "I've thought about this moment every day since I left. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I want to try to make things right."

I stared at him, my heart heavy. "It's not about forgiveness, Marcus," I said, my voice breaking. "It's about the truth. You don't even know the truth."

He looked confused, but I could see the flicker of realization in his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked, leaning forward.

Taking a deep breath, I finally said the words that had been lodged in my throat for years.

"Max is your son."

For a moment, the world stopped. Marcus froze, his eyes wide with disbelief. I saw the shock register on his face, the way his entire body went rigid.

"My son?" he whispered.

I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. "Yes. Your son."