Chapter 2

Cyrus fell silent.

Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen but did not answer.

Soon after, my own phone rang. It was a call from an unknown number. When I answered the call, Paige's weak voice came through the line.

"Hello, Ms. Lightwood. It's Paige. I know you're with Cyrus right now. May I speak to you, just for a moment?"

I turned on the speaker and placed my phone on the table.

Paige's voice carried a sob, but it wasn't shrill. Instead, she sounded pitiful.

"Ms. Lightwood, this is all my fault. I was incapable and unable to support Caleb on my own, so I shamelessly came back and begged Cyrus for help.

"Cyrus is a good man. He just felt sorry for Caleb. Please don't blame him. If you can't stand the sight of us, I'll take Caleb and leave right now. Even if we die out there, I won't cause trouble for the two of you ever again."

Suddenly, the sound of a child coughing came through the phone, followed by Paige's flustered attempts to soothe him.

Cyrus' expression immediately changed. He snatched my phone and shouted into it, "Paige, is Caleb having another attack? Don't move him around. His medicine is in the cabinet! I'll be back right away!"

After hanging up, Cyrus looked at me anxiously, his eyes filled with desperation.

"Melanie, Caleb's asthma is acting up. It could be life-threatening. I have to go over. We can talk about everything else after I get home, okay?"

I looked at the man before me. One moment he was apologizing to me, and the next, the moment something happened over on Paige's end, all his attention went to her again.

I knew him too well. Paige didn't need to make a scene or flaunt her presence in front of me. All she had to do was show her vulnerability, and Cyrus would be completely under her control.

I leaned back in my chair, my expression cool and detached.

"Go ahead, Cyrus. But once you walk out that door, we're really done."

Cyrus froze. He struggled for a moment and looked at me, then finally forced through gritted teeth, "Melanie, this is a matter of life and death. I can't just ignore it."

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

I watched his retreating figure, then picked up the cold cup of coffee in front of me and drank it in one go. Bitterness spread across my tongue.

I picked up my phone and called Geoffrey.

"Grandpa, I'm in Ludonia. I'd like to meet you."

Then, I went straight to Parker Corporation's branch office in Ludonia.

Geoffrey was inspecting the operations when I arrived, and he didn't seem surprised to see me. He dismissed everyone else, leaving only the two of us in the office.

"Mel, why do you look so pale?" Geoffrey asked, holding a cup of coffee as he studied me shrewdly.

I got straight to the point.

"You knew, didn't you? Paige has been back for three years, living in an apartment owned by Parker Corp., and spending Cyrus' money. With your eyes and ears all over the company, you can't possibly be unaware."

Geoffrey, who was sipping on his coffee, paused and let out a sigh. "Cyrus was muddle-headed, and he's soft-hearted."

He set his coffee mug down and continued, "I remember that child. Although he's illegitimate, he still carries the Parker blood. It's only natural for Cyrus to look after him given how sickly he is."