Chapter 5.

Five years had passed.

Yet the searing pain of those old wounds still burned in my chest, just as fiercely as it had on the day Kael's web of lies unraveled in this very city. Setting foot in New York again awakened those haunting memories, creeping back into my mind as though determined to steal away the peace I had fought so hard to find.

My presence here today was nothing short of a miracle—one that had come at an unimaginable cost.

When I fled to Paris five years ago with my heart in ruins, I discovered another life-changing truth. Inside my fragile womb, Kael's child was growing.

The doctors in France confirmed that I was in the early stages of pregnancy while also delivering devastating news—my heart condition had reached a critical stage. Pregnancy combined with severe congenital heart disease was, for many women, practically a death sentence.

But I refused to surrender.

Using every asset I had managed to secure and invest, I gambled everything. I underwent an advanced heart restoration surgery using the latest medical technology available in Paris, followed by months of intensive treatment under the constant supervision of a team of specialists.

The agony after the operation, every painful breath I struggled to take, and the overwhelming fear of losing my baby became the darkest chapter of my life.

God answered my prayers.

The surgery was successful. My heart was restored, and I safely gave birth to my little boy.

I was no longer the weak, sickly, pitiful Aluna.

No longer the woman my mother-in-law had constantly branded as incapable of giving her family an heir.

Now, I had proven them all wrong.

This time, I wasn't alone.

I had returned with my beloved son, Darren Cleosan—a four-year-old boy whose innocent antics never failed to melt my heart. And, of course, by my side was Lidya, my loyal personal assistant who had stood beside me throughout my rise while I was living overseas.

We had arrived only last night and immediately checked into a presidential suite at one of the most luxurious hotels in downtown New York. This afternoon, we would be attending an important event.

"Madam Aluna, are you ready for the launch event introducing our new product to the New York market?" Lidya asked from outside the dressing room.

"Yes, of course," I replied softly as I studied my reflection in the full-length mirror.

I smoothed the elegant black dress that hugged my figure with its sharp, sophisticated tailoring.

"Which CEOs will be attending today? Make sure they fully support the launch of our herbal weight-loss product."

"All the key guests have confirmed their attendance, Madam," Lidya answered confidently. "They're extremely enthusiastic about our expansion."

I picked up my premium leather handbag from the table before walking out of the room with my chin held high.

Once upon a time, Kael and his family had trampled my dignity, treating me as nothing more than a useless, sickly woman.

Now, everything about me radiated authority, elegance, and a level of luxury they could never hope to reach.

The company I had founded five years ago, Alder Corp, had grown at an astonishing pace. The herbal cosmetics and health supplements we manufactured had become international bestsellers.

I hadn't returned to this city to hide.

I had come back to expand my business empire.

Outside the hotel, Darren was already sitting patiently inside the black Rolls-Royce Phantom I had rented exclusively for my stay in New York.

The little boy looked incredibly handsome in a perfectly tailored miniature tuxedo.

I climbed into the car and sat beside him.

"Mommy, where are we going?" Darren asked in his adorable little voice.

"We're going to meet some of New York's most influential business leaders. Do you want to become someone great like them when you grow up?" I asked gently, stroking his chubby cheek.

Darren immediately shook his head.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I want to become an unbeatable superhero, Mommy," he answered innocently, raising his tiny fist into the air. "So I can protect you from bad monsters."

A warm laugh escaped my lips.

I pulled him into my arms and gently stroked his soft hair.

Darren's existence was the very reason my heart continued to beat, the reason I had been able to overcome the cruel fate that once threatened to destroy me.

Before I realized it, our brief conversation came to an end as the luxurious car rolled to a stop in front of the magnificent exhibition hall where the event was being held.

The chauffeur opened the door for us.

I stepped out first before helping Darren climb down.

Holding his tiny hand, I guided him gently along the red carpet toward the building's grand entrance.

But after only a few steps...

My entire body suddenly froze.

I came to an abrupt halt.

Standing less than three meters away was a man dressed in a dark gray suit.

The face I had once loved more than anything...

Then came to hate with every fiber of my being.

His eyes widened in complete disbelief as they locked onto mine.

He slowly walked toward us.

"Aluna... is that really you?" Kael asked, his voice trembling with overwhelming shock.

I looked at him with cold, empty eyes.

"I'm sorry... who are you?" I asked flatly, pretending not to recognize the man who had murdered my sincerity.

Kael frowned slightly, as though reality had just struck him with merciless force.

"Aluna... have you... forgotten me?"

Before I could answer, Darren looked up at me.

His little face was filled with innocent curiosity.

"Mommy, who is this mister?"

The single word Mommy crashed into Kael like a bolt of lightning.

He froze instantly.

His eyes darted toward the little boy standing beside me before returning to my face in complete disbelief.

The color drained from his face.

He looked utterly incapable of processing what he had just heard.

Before Kael could speak again, Lidya stepped forward without hesitation.

"Mr. Kael, it's a pleasure to see you," she said politely, offering a professional nod.

My assistant had memorized the names of every CEO invited to today's event—including Kael, whose company had expressed interest in becoming a partner for my newest product.

"Madam Aluna is very busy at the moment and cannot be disturbed."

Without wasting another second, I gently took Darren's hand and walked past Kael.

I refused to let those traitorous eyes linger on my son any longer.

The son I had raised alone through blood, sweat, and tears...

Without the slightest help from a pathetic man like him.

As I walked past, I could feel Kael's gaze fixed on my back—

held captive by the fragility, regret, and confusion that had finally begun to consume his soul.