Seven Years Later

Seven Years Later

"Mommy, I don't want to stay in the hospital again," My baby's voice crackled through the phone, with a tired grumbling. "I want to go home. It smells like medicine here, and the beds are scratchy."

I sank into my office chair, pressing a hand to my forehead as a sharp ache throbbed behind my eyes. "No, baby, the doctor said you have to stay for a bit. Your condition will get worse if you leave now, and Mommy needs you to get better."

"But I feel fine now!" he protested softly. "I just want to play with my trains."

"I know, my heart," I said, softening my voice to a soothing murmur. "Put the phone on speaker and give it to your nanny for a second, okay?"

There was a heavy rustle on the other end before Elena’s warm, polite voice came through. "Ms. Olivia?”

"Elena, how is he really?" I asked, dropping the light facade. "What did the doctor say when he came in for the rounds?"

Elena sighed, stepping out into the quiet hallway so Vincent wouldn't hear. "The specialist said his kidney markers flared up again. That trip to the park yesterday... running around in the sun caused his body to overexert. His filtration levels dropped, which is why his lower back was aching so badly. The doctor gave him an IV to flush his system."

My breath caught in my throat. "Did he say if he can be discharged today?"

"Yes, the doctor cleared him about ten minutes ago," Elena reassured me. "He said as long as he rests at home, drinks his fluids, and avoids heavy playing, he can leave."

Relief washed over me, though the knot in my chest remained tight. "Thank God. Please take him home, Elena. Put him on the phone one last time."

A second later, he was back on the line. "Mommy?"

"My brave boy," I smiled through the strain in my voice. "Elena is taking you home now. Mommy has a very important meeting right now that I can't miss, but the second I am done, I'm coming straight home to you. Okay?"

"Okay," he grumbled, though he sounded appeased.

"Bye, Mami."

"Bye, my love."

The line went dead. The moment I lowered the phone, the office door swung open and Maya stepped inside, clutching an iPad and a leather binder.

"Olivia, it's time," Maya said, her eyes fixed on her watch. "We really have to get going so we don't keep him waiting."

"Right," I breathed, rising from my desk and smoothing down my ivory suit jacket. "Let's go."

When I had arrived in Madrid seven years ago, penniless and terrified, Maya had sacrificed everything to follow me. She stepped down from her high-profile journalism career to help me build Aurelia Jewels from scratch, eventually taking over as my chief operating officer and personal secretary. 

I couldn't have survived without her.

As our sleek black sedan navigated the bustling streets of Madrid toward the executive financial district, a heavy silence settled in the back seat. 

My mind drifted back to Vincent’s lab reports, back to the hidden genetic flaw silently ticking away in his blood—a dark inheritance I hadn't known existed within the Blackwood family until it was already too late.

"How is Vincent?" Maya asked gently, breaking into my thoughts and reaching over to squeeze my hand. "I heard you on the phone."

"His kidney markers spiked again," I confessed, my voice trembling as tears stung the backs of my eyes.

"Elena said the park outing triggered it. Maya... I'm a horrible mother. Look at what I did to my child just because I was being reckless and obsessed with getting revenge. Now my sweet boy is paying the price for my mistakes."

"Stop that right now," Maya said firmly, turning in her seat to face me. "You are not a horrible mother! You are the best mother anyone could ask for. Look at everything you’ve done for him—things your own parents and adoptive parents couldn't dream of doing for you. You are strong, Olivia.”

“ You came into this country seven years ago with nothing, and now you’re the CEO of Aurelia Jewels, one of the most respected luxury brands in Spain. Anyone would give you accolades for what you've built."

I stared at her, swallowed hard, and looked down at my lap.

Maya softened, her expression turning slightly sheepish. "Besides... if we’re assigning blame, I’m the one who pushed you to mess with his family in the first place. I told you it was the only way to get back at Kelvin. So technically, it’s my fault."

"No, no," I shook my head quickly, offering a weak, genuine smile. "Don't do that. I made the choice. It was my decision."

"How about we agree it's no one's fault except Kelvin and Evelyn's?" Maya offered with a wry smile.

A soft chuckle broke through my anxiety. "Yes. That sounds much better."

"Good," Maya said, leaning back as the car slowed down near a massive glass skyscraper. "Now focus. This global collaboration with the LV brand—the Louis Vuitton group—is going to take Aurelia Jewels across every continent overnight. It’s the exact platform we need."

"I know," I said, my focus snapping back into place. "We’re launching the new high-jewelry line alongside their fall collection. The revenue and international reach will secure the capital I need for Vincent’s long-term medical care. I need this growth."

"Slow and steady wins the race, CEO," Maya teased gently as the driver opened our doors. "You've got this."

The headquarters of the LV group in Spain was breathtaking—a towering monument of steel, glass, and pure, untouchable wealth. We walked through the marble lobby, our heels clicking softly against the pristine floor, and rode the private elevator up to the top floor.

At the executive desk, a sharp, impeccably dressed secretary stood up and bowed politely.

"Good afternoon," I said smoothly. "I am Olivia, CEO of Aurelia Jewels. We have a scheduled meeting with Mr Ethan Rothwell."

The secretary spoke quietly into her intercom: "Mr. Rothwell, the CEO of Aurelia Jewels is here for your appointment."

A deep, static-laced response came through the speaker: "Let her in."

The secretary turned to us with a practiced smile. "He will see you now, Ms. Olivia. However, he requested that only the principal CEO enter the suite for the initial strategy review."

Maya stepped back instantly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Good luck," she whispered. "I'll be waiting right out here."

I took a deep breath, smoothed down my blazer, and pushed open the heavy mahogany doors of the penthouse office.

The room was vast, lined with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the skyline of Madrid. Standing near the center of the room, illuminated by the bright afternoon sun, was a man in a tailor-made charcoal suit.

I took two steps forward, my professional introduction dying instantly in my throat. My blood ran entirely cold.

The sharp jawline, the broad shoulders, the terrifying, icy gray eyes that had haunted my nightmares for seven long years.

"Ethan..." the name escaped my lips in an involuntary, terrified gasp.

The man didn't look shocked at all, he only stepped forward with a dark smile and an extended hand. 

“Mr Ethan Rothwell, pleased to meet you.”