Chapter 4: Three Years Later

Charles Pov

When Charles woke up that morning, he felt the house was unusually quiet. He called for his wife, "Tina?" but there was no response, and irritation was already creeping into his voice. He walked downstairs; the dining table was set as usual, and a single envelope was placed neatly beside his cup. He opened it and saw it was a divorce agreement; he could not believe his eyes. Where did this come from? And for a moment he simply stood blank trying to make sense of the content of the paper.

His expression darkened. “Tina,” he muttered under his breath.

He instructed the servants to search the house for signs of his wife, but it was all empty. Her number wasn't going through either; he couldn't find any traces of his son. Is this her anniversary gift to him? His research files were gone too; he slammed the papers onto the table. “She stole it.”

Within hours, he contacted the securities search team and law enforcement connection to search for his wife. “Tina took the research project, and she took our son with her," he told them

But days and weeks passed, but no one could find Tina; eventually they all gave up the search, and everyone believed Tina had simply disappeared.

****

Three Years Later

Tina’s POV

“Dr. Tina, your 10 a.m. patient has arrived.” I finished reviewing the chart before looking up.

“Send them in.” The child who entered the room was small and pale but smiling bravely.

His mother looked exhausted; I crouched down to meet him at eye level.

“Hi,” I said gently. “I’m Tina.”

“Are you the doctor who fixes kids like me?” he asked.

I smiled. “I try my best.”

Three years ago that answer would have broken me, but now it gives me purpose. The research that had once been abandoned in a forgotten lab had become a breakthrough as tens of thousands of children had already survived because of it.

I wish my son had that chance, but others did. Late that afternoon, my assistant knocked on the office door.

“Doctor… there’s a situation.” she said

“What happened?” “A family is trying to force their way into the treatment program.”

She handed me a file and continued, "They are extremely wealthy. They’re offering a large donation if we move their child to the front of the waiting list.”

I closed the file immediately. "No," I said to her

The assistant hesitated. "But they said money isn’t an issue.”

“It isn’t for us either,” I replied calmly. “This hospital follows medical priority, not wealth," I told her.

She nodded and left.

Some things could never be compromised, not after everything I had lost.

That evening as I was walking out of the hospital with Dr. Adrian Blake, he was one of the first researchers to believe in my work after I left the institute, and now he runs the department with me.

“You worked too late again,” he said lightly.

“So did you.” I replied with a smile

“That’s different. I enjoy watching genius in action.” he said with humour in his voice

I rolled my eyes slightly. “You exaggerate.” I told him

“Not really,” Adrian said calmly. “You’ve changed pediatric medicine in three years.”

When we reached the hospital entrance, I noticed the black car parked outside, and two people stood beside it. A man and a woman holding a child,

I slowed my step, as I recognized them instantly, my ex-husband and his mistress.

Three years had changed many things, but not the cold sharpness of his gaze, his eyes locked onto mine. “Tina?” he called with the shock on his face evident

Natasha stiffened beside him. “So it’s true,” she murmured quietly.

Charles stepped forward immediately. “Where have you been?” he demanded.

“You disappeared for three years!” His eyes burned with accusation. “You stole my company’s research and ran away!” His voice hardened. “And where is our son?” he demanded.

Natasha spoke softly beside him. “It’s obvious, Charles,” she said. “She ran away with another man.”

Her eyes slid deliberately toward Adrian standing beside me. “After stealing your work.”

Robert’s expression darkened instantly. “So that’s it?” he snapped. “You ran away to start a new life with him?”

Adrian frowned slightly. “Tina…”

“It’s alright,” I said calmly, turning to Adrian

Then I looked at Charles again and said, “We’re already divorced.”

Charles laughed harshly. “Divorced?” “I never signed any divorce papers.”

For the first time, my gaze shifted to the child in Natasha’s arms; he looked about two years old.

I studied him for a moment, then I looked back at Charles. “Tell me something,” I said quietly.

“Do you even remember you once had another child?”

The words hit him like a physical blow; he froze.

For the first time since I had known him, he had nothing to say.