Chapter 11

Staring into Liam's eyes as he held him closer, Caspian couldn't help but feel an intense connection between them. He wasn't sure why, but he was certain that it felt similar to the kind he had with Julia.

“He can't be Julia's son, right?” he muttered, keeping his focus on Liam, who looked sad.

He didn't like seeing Liam that way either, so he was willing to give up his reason for coming to the hospital and focus his attention on Liam at that moment.

“You don't look happy. Come on, tell me what you want. I'll do just anything to make you smile like you used to,” Caspian suggested softly, his hand reaching for Liam's hair as he caressed it gently, eliciting a giggle from the boy.

It felt so nice for Liam to have someone like Caspian take care of him. The fact that his father—or foster father, Logan—had tossed them out of the house after five years of waiting had broken his tiny little heart. This felt warm and welcoming to him.

“Go on, I'm all ears,” Caspian urged, wanting to deal with Liam's issues first so he could go check on Julia.

“If you insist. I just want to go into the fields and play with other kids. Mommy never allows me to do so because she's scared I might get lost,” Liam uttered, putting Caspian in a tough position.

Caspian knew very well that if his mother didn't want him outside, then it was probably for the best.

“I'm sorry, kid. Don't you have any other wish?” he asked, searching for something different and less troublesome.

“Well, I do, but for now, I need you to take me to the field. You said I could make any request, remember?” Liam stared tenderly into Caspian's eyes, his gaze causing Caspian to flinch involuntarily.

He was in a tight spot but had to fulfill Liam's wish. “Fine!” he let out a heavy sigh as he stood up. “But I must stay with you the whole time so you don't get lost. Is that clear?”

Liam, excited by his words, nodded and embraced him swiftly. With Liam in his arms, Caspian stood up. Just as he was about to leave the hospital, Dominic stopped him immediately.

“What are you doing, Caspian?” Dominic asked, his eyes wide with surprise. “This kid's mother might go crazy if she doesn't find her son where she left him. Come on, let's just drop him back and go find Julia like you wanted,” Dominic urged, but Caspian couldn't comply.

“I'm sorry, Dominic, but breaking his heart could haunt me forever. After all, what harm could a few minutes outside the building do?” Without waiting for Dominic to say another word, Caspian refocused and marched outside.

He could see the excitement on Liam's face as he held him in his arms. It was clear that Liam had wanted to leave the hospital but had been stopped countless times.

Reaching the field, Caspian set Liam down on his feet. Before Liam could run off, Caspian held his hand, stopping him.

“Don't do anything silly. I'm watching, and remember, it's just for a few seconds, okay?” Caspian warned. Liam nodded instantly.

With a swift move, Liam pivoted on his heels and went ahead to play with boys his age. Caspian stood still, his hands in his pockets as he watched him. He was glad to see Liam this happy.

But just as he was enjoying the view, Liam fell to the ground after being pushed by someone bigger than him. This made Caspian so furious that he didn't hesitate to walk closer to where Liam was.

He helped him up but grabbed the boy who had pushed Liam to the ground. “Are you being naughty, or is it your parents who can't give you proper training?” Caspian snapped at the boy while Dominic helped clean Liam's clothes.

“Who are you? Let me go, or I'll call my father! At least I have one, while this scamp doesn't!”

At the sound of these words from the bigger boy, Caspian unintentionally let go of him, allowing him to escape. He felt bad and wondered how it had always been for Liam, seeing how they bullied him for not having a father.

Now he understood why his mother had kept asking him to stay inside his room.

Turning to him, Caspian slowly walked closer. “Are you really okay, Liam?” Caspian asked with a sad look in his eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Liam said quietly, his voice barely audible as he looked down at the floor.

His shoulders slumped, showing just how upset he was. Caspian could see the sadness in Liam's eyes and felt a deep sense of empathy for him.

“Let’s head back inside,” Caspian suggested gently, trying to offer some comfort. As they were about to re-enter the hospital, Caspian’s attention was suddenly drawn to something unusual. He noticed a small heart-shaped mark behind Liam's left ear.

Caspian stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in surprise. He remembered something important: he had the same mark on his own body, and it was quite rare.

“What’s going on?” he wondered to himself, his mind racing with questions as he watched Liam walk ahead, unaware of the significance of the mark.

Liam noticed Caspian wasn't coming, so he stopped and turned to look at him.

“Do you hate me now for not having a father?” Liam asked softly, his voice trembling and his eyes filling with tears.

The vulnerability in his question was clear, and he looked at Caspian with a mixture of fear and sadness.

Caspian struggled to find the right words. He took a step toward Liam, wanting to reassure him, when suddenly a woman burst into the scene. She rushed past Caspian, crouched down and wrapped her arms around Liam in a tight embrace.

“What are you doing here with a stranger, Liam? I was so worried I had lost you,” the woman said, her voice choked with emotion as she held Liam close.

The depth of her relief and anxiety was evident in her voice and the way she clung to him.

At that moment, Caspian recognized her; she was Julia. The realisation hit him hard.

“You’re his mother?” Caspian asked, taking two hesitant steps closer to the emotional scene.

Julia, who had been sitting quietly, sprang to her feet. She turned sharply, her face set in a fierce expression as she prepared to confront whoever had taken her son.

But when her eyes met Caspian’s, her expression shifted from anger to shock. She froze, her eyes wide with recognition.

Caspian, her boss, stood before her, and the confusion and surprise were evident on her face.

“Boss?” she mumbled in shock. Seeing the situation, Liam took the opportunity, freeing himself from her grip and rushing toward Caspian with a bright smile on his face.

“I see you know my Mommy. Would you like to be her husband and my Daddy?”