Evan poured himself a cup of coffee and took a seat next to Bella at the breakfast table. He noticed she was staring at her plate, her usual morning chatter absent."Hey, everything okay?" Evan asked, trying to sound casual.Bella nodded, still not looking up. "Yeah, just tired.""You can talk to me, Bella.""Evan, stop it, stop being like my husband; we are not together, and this isn't normal, " she almost shouted."But Bella.""But what? What do you want? Run to you after what you did in the past; its not going to happen, Evan; damage is done and it won't fix; you are Aaron's father; you have right on him, and I won't snatch your right, but don't try to part of my life. Please leave Evan; Aaron is safe here; we are here for him; and I can take care of my son. You want to meet him; you can whenever you want. I won't stop; just leave now." Bella said firmly.Evan's eyes widened, taken aback by Bella's outburst. He had expected her to be upset, but the intensity of her emotions caught
"Thanks for having us over, Bella," Evelyn said, hugging her friend tightly. "We needed this."Bella smiled and hugged her back. "Anytime, Eve. You're always welcome here."Jackson, who was busy buckling the twins into their car seats, looked up and smiled. "Yeah, thanks for the food and the company. We'll have to do it again soon."As they drove away, Bella watched them go with a sense of gratitude. She was lucky to have friends like Evelyn and Jackson, who had been with her through thick and thin.She turned to Jason, who was still playing with Aaron on the living room floor. "Thanks for staying and playing with Aaron," she said, smiling. "He really enjoys spending time with you."Jason looked up and smiled back. "I enjoy spending time with him too," he said. "He's a great kid." she smiled.*******************************Bella couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt and uncertainty as she thought about her conversation with Evan earlier that morning. She had been so confused and fr
Aaron looked up at Evan with curious eyes. "Daddy, where have you been?"Evan took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "I've been away for a while, buddy. For my work."Bella came with a cup of coffee and sat in front of him."Today I had so much fun with Jason; we play superhero," Aaron excitedly said."I wish I could play with you too," Aaron said , and Bella and Evan look at each other. He had been without his father for a long time; still, he never behaved like this, but since he knew about Evan, he only wanted to spend time with him.Evan's eyes met Bella's, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the tension between them palpable. Then Evan turned back to Aaron, a smile on his face. "I'd love to play superhero with you, buddy! Maybe we can even create our own superhero together."Aaron's face lit up, and he started bouncing up and down in his seat. "Yeah! Yeah! That would be so much fun!"Evan and Aaron continued to talk about superheroes. Bella got up and wal
Bella walked closer, her eyes locked on his, and handed him a cup. Their fingers touched briefly as he took the cup from her, sending a spark of electricity through his body.They stood there in comfortable silence for a moment, sipping their coffee and looking out at the night sky. The tension between them was palpable, but it was no longer laced with anger or resentment. Instead, it was filled with a sense of possibility, of what could be.Evan broke the silence, his voice low and husky. "Thanks for tonight, Bella. For letting me spend time with Aaron, for...everything.""No matter what the situation is, you are his father, and I cannot deny that even if I want to and Aaron loves you, he has accepted you, and I will not be able to change that."Evan's eyes dropped, his gaze falling to the floor as he processed Bella's words. He felt a mix of emotions: gratitude, relief, and a deep sense of responsibility. He knew he didn't deserve Bella's understanding, not after everything he had p
Bella was so busy today, she barely had time to catch her breath. Her meeting had run longer than expected, and she had a mountain of paperwork to get through. She was grateful that Evan had taken Aaron to school; it had been a huge help.As she sat at her desk, typing away on her computer, her mind kept wandering back to Evan. She had seen the way he was with Aaron, so patient and loving. It was clear that he was trying to make amends, to be a good father.Bella looked at her watch and groaned inwardly. She was running late, and she still had so much work to do. She couldn't possibly leave now to pick up Aaron from school.She quickly dialed Evelyn's number, hoping her friend would be available to help out. "Hey, Evelyn. I'm in a bind. I've got a ton of work to do, and I won't be able to pick up Aaron from school on time. Would you be able to grab him for me?"Evelyn's voice was warm and reassuring on the other end of the line. "Of course, Bella! I'd be happy to help. Don't worry, I'
Evan's eyes widened in shock as Bella burst into the meeting room, her appearance a stark contrast to her usual composed self. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes red and puffy from crying, and her face was etched with worry and fear."Bella, what's wrong?" Evan asked, immediately standing up from his seat and moving towards her.The meeting attendees turned to stare, sensing the urgency and distress emanating from Bella."It's Aaron," Bella choked out, her voice trembling. "He's gone. Adrian took him. All this happened because of you; why did you come into my life?" she shouted.Evan's face contorted in anguish as Bella's words cut deep. He felt a wave of guilt and regret wash over him, knowing that his past mistakes had led to this moment."Bella, I..." Evan started to say, but Bella's anger and pain boiled over, silencing him."You and your family have brought nothing but trouble into my life!" Bella exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls. "First, your brother disappears, and now
"Where are we going?" Aaron innocently questioned Adrian as he made his way toward a building. Through the bushes with him"We're going on an adventure, kiddo," Adrian replied, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "A special place, just for us. You'll see."Aaron looked around, his eyes wide with curiosity. "But where's Mommy and Daddy?"Adrian's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "They're busy, Aaron. But don't worry; you're safe with me. I'm your uncle, remember?"Aaron nodded, but his eyes still held a hint of uncertainty. Adrian quickened his pace, pulling Aaron through the bushes toward the abandoned factory.As they approached the entrance, Aaron's grip on Adrian's hand tightened. "I don't like this place, Uncle Adrian. It looks scary."Adrian's laughter sent chills down Aaron's spine. "Oh, it's just an old building, kiddo. Nothing to be afraid of. Come on, let's go inside."With that, Adrian pushed open the creaky door and pulled Aaron into the da
With a heavy sigh, Evan started the car, the engine roaring to life. He knew he had to act to make things right and to save Aaron from Adrian's clutches. The journey ahead would be difficult, but Evan was determined to face it head-on.As he pulled out of the driveway, Evan's phone buzzed again. He hesitated, wondering if he should answer, but something compelled him to pick up."Hello?" he said, his voice firm."We have received some important information. Someone helped Adrian escape from prison."Evan's grip on the wheel tightened. "I'm listening.""Karen"His blood boiled as soon as he heard her name, so she also played a part in Adrian's escape. or I was seeing just surface, not beneath; was all this her plan? He asked himself.Evan's mind raced with questions and doubts as he heard Karen's name. He had suspected her involvement, but to have it confirmed was a different story altogether."How deep is her involvement?" Evan asked, his voice firm, trying to keep his emotions in che