Lover's Vendetta, A Betrayal That Burns

Chapter 10

The days flew by, and before I knew it, the weekend had arrived again. There was a knock at the door. Recalling what had happened last week, I hesitated and peered through the peephole. When I saw Aiden's face, I opened the door in surprise. He looked up at me, his eyes free of fear.

"Mommy!" he called out sweetly.

Overcome with joy, I pulled him into a tight hug. This time, he didn't pull away. Aiden was standing alone in the hallway.

"Baby, who brought you here?" I asked, still in shock.

"Daddy did," he answered, his voice soft. "He said you wanted to see me."

"Where is your dad now?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

"Dad's sick," Aiden replied, looking up at me with a slightly worried expression. "He said he's afraid to see you."

I didn't press further. I knew what Nolan was doing, using our child to try to win me back. So, I took Aiden to the amusement park. We indulged in fried chicken and burgers, things strictly forbidden by Nolan's side of the family, who had always raised him under such strict discipline. But they failed to see what they were doing: they were treating Aiden like a prisoner, denying him the freedom and innocence of childhood. As I watched his joyous laughter, my determination to get him out of that gilded cage only grew stronger.

Later, Nolan came to pick Aiden up. He looked even thinner than the last time we met, as if a gust of wind could knock him over. The white streaks at his temples were now more pronounced, making him seem decades older. As the wind brushed his face, a slight cough escaped him. Aiden waved goodbye, reluctant to leave.

"Mom, I'll come see you again," Aiden said.

"Okay," I answered softly, smiling at him.

As Aiden's car slowly drove away, Wesley stepped out from a nearby car. The fiery sunset bathed his white suit in a red glow, making his features look even more striking. He walked over to me with his hands in his pockets.

"Looks like he really regrets it," Wesley said, his gaze steady. "Will you forgive him?"

I squinted, my tone firm. "No."

Wesley looked at me intently, almost as if searching for some sign of a crack in my expression. After a moment, he spoke again. "Do you want custody of Aiden? I can help you."

I looked at him in surprise, and he stopped in front of me, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His voice was soft, tender.

"Don't forget, I'm a top lawyer," he reminded me.

I longed for the moment I could reunite with Aiden, but the first news I received was tragic. Nolan called my office landline, his voice hoarse and panicked. Something had happened to Aiden.

I stumbled out the door and ran into Wesley, who drove me straight to the hospital. When I entered the hospital room, my legs gave out, and Wesley was there to catch me. Aiden lay on the bed, wearing an oxygen mask. His face was so pale, it looked like there was no life left in him. Nolan was kneeling at his side, hunched over, his body carrying the weight of what had happened.

I collapsed, trembling, and crawled to Aiden's side. He had been pushed into the lake by Aria simply because he refused to call her "mom" and insisted on finding me. In a fit of rage, she had shoved him in. I watched helplessly as he struggled and flailed in the water until he finally sank beneath the surface. Though he had been rescued in time, the critical window for a full recovery had passed. There was a real chance he could remain in a vegetative state forever.

"It's all my fault," Nolan muttered, tears streaming down his face as he repeatedly slapped himself. "I failed to protect Aiden!"

But what good was that? Could it bring my lively, energetic child back? I couldn't forgive him, and I couldn't let Aria get away with this.

I knelt in front of Wesley, desperate. "Please, make sure Aria faces the severest punishment."

Just then, Amanda burst in. In a fit of rage, she grabbed a chair and hurled it at me. Nolan threw himself in front of me, blocking the chair. The impact caused his head to burst open, blood pouring from the wound.

Kneeling before Amanda, Nolan's voice was broken, mixed with blood and tears. "It's all my fault... leave Scarlett out of it."

With those last words, he passed out, blood staining the floor as it seeped from his body.