Chapter 5

I returned to the bedroom, grabbed my car keys, and raced out of the Villa.

I didn't care to change out of the pajamas.

Didn't bother about changing out of the slippers.

As I drove down the city, one thought raced through my mind.

Caleb’s declaration last night to go find his mother.

He hadn’t been bluffing.

The servants might be confused, but Caleb was too smart for his age.

He must have tampered with the villa’s security system and left quietly without alerting even the bodyguards.

He must have been planning it in advance.

The sky was already bright, the morning breeze freezingly cold as I pulled over in front of the hospital building.

Caleb must have come here to look for her, however, she'd long left the hospital.

I could have driven to the parking lot and headed inside the hospital to find my son, but something caught my attention.

On this early morning, there was a large crowd standing outside, facing the hospital building.

Their eyes were fixed on the tiny figure standing on the edge of the hospital rooftop.

My heart jolted twice, and then it sank to the bottom of my stomach.

A little boy in blue pajamas. My son was standing there, looking lost, angry, and helpless.

“I want my Mummy!” His scream rang in the air.

“Th- That! What’s a little boy doing up there!?”

“Where are his parents!?”

“From the looks of it, he has lost his mother.”

“Someone, stop him! That boy’s gonna jump!”

Amidst the crowd’s yells, I was already on my way, sprinting inside the hospital building.

The elevators could delay.

I took the stairs, my feet barely touching the ground.

When I arrived at the rooftop, I was running out of breath.

I stopped, panting heavily, holding my knees.

Caleb stood there, his fists clenched.

The hospital’s staff and security men were present.

“Please come down, Little Boy.”

“We’ll help you find your Mummy.”

“We can't let him jump. Mr. Steele will fire all of us if a little boy jumps from this building!”

As the hospital staff gasped and whispered, I stepped forward, the fear inside me intensifying.

A single misstep, and he might fall.

I couldn't go close. It might startle him.

“Son,” I called out.

Caleb turned his head. His eyes widened for a second, then his brows furrowed in disappointment.

“Please come down, Son. I'll do whatever you ask.”

“You aren't gonna!” He shook his head furiously. “You made me wait for a long time for my Mummy. I finally found her, but you wouldn't let me stay with her. You hate my Mummy! You drove my Mummy away—”

“N-No, Son—”

“I won't come back with you! If you don't bring my Mummy here, I’ll jump!”

The crowd gasped.

“Th-This boy is Mr. Steele’s son?”

“Desmond Steele has a wife and a son!?”

“No way!”

I ignored the whispers, focusing on my son. 

“Please, Son. I'll find your Mummy, but come down first.”

“I don't believe you!” He yelled and wiped his tears. “You’ll just lock me up in the villa and tighten the security!”

Actually, I was planning to do that.

Funny how my son could read my mind. 

Unless I would have to turn the entire city upside down and place wanted posters everywhere, there was no possible way I could find that lady.

But for Caleb’s safety, I'm willing to try something that crazy.

“I’ll not lock you up,” I promised. “Please come down, Son. Dad will personally bring her to you, please.”

But the boy didn't look convinced.

He glanced from me to the ground below the rooftop, his clenched fists trembling.

He was trying hard to be brave, yet, his eyes held one firm resolve;

He was going to jump-

“No!”

“No!”

My yell echoed at the same time as a terrified scream.

Then a figure dashed past me. The woman dressed in a cleaner’s uniform was brave enough to dart towards the boy.

She moved as fast as lightning, grabbing him before he jumped, and rolling on the ground with him.

…

~MELISSA~

My nerves wrecked inside, my heart drumming hard against my chest.

For a moment, I almost believed that I'd lost! That I wasn't fast enough.

Hugging the little boy tightly, relief washed over me. 

Yet, I kept my eyes shut, believing that when I opened them, I would find both of us falling from the rooftop.

Soft palms patted my cheeks. 

A tiny voice whispered, “Mummy.”

I opened my eyes to be met with his tear-filled ones.

Bright, wide, and vulnerable… his eyes carried a deep innocence that made my heart tremble.

I hadn't seen wrong.

It was him!

He was the same boy I’d met inside the ward with his father when I regained consciousness.

The same man who had saved me from the fire.

What brought him here?

Why did a little boy, vulnerable and adorable, want to take his life?

“Mummy, it's you.”

When he called for the second time, I could finally register his words.

Mummy…

Did he call me his mother?

I looked around me, wondering if he was referring to someone else.

But nobody else was standing close. The crowd was several feet away, staring at us in awe and disbelief.

I returned my gaze to him, searching his eyes for any hint of confusion.

However, he appeared firm and resolved as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. “I won't let you leave me again, Mummy. You'll stay with me forever. Please don't go away.”

His tiny voice cracked as he said the last words. 

Despite my bewilderment, I found myself patting his back gently, assuring him, “I won't leave. Don't cry, I'm here. You're safe.”

His tensed muscles relaxed.

His tiny sobs reduced to whimpers.

“That's more like it.” I smiled. “You’re a brave little man. You'll be fine.”

Footsteps approached.

His black slippers were what I first saw, and then his pajamas, followed by his handsome face, once cold and emotionless, now pale with fear.

The man squatted in front of us, his fingers shaking as he reached out to stroke the boy’s hair.

He locked eyes with me and mouthed, “Marry me.”