Sam stood gaping at the scene in front of him. What the hell was this?
It had been two long and gruesome years of waiting for Kevin and Anne, and yet...
Sam let out a covert sigh and lowered his head. His eyes went to the screen of his phone. "Anne, it's
Kevin. He said that Eddy had woken up and wanted to see you," he said in a muted voice.
Anne's body froze. Her voice was devoid of emotion when she answered, "Don't worry. Eddy is my son.
I'll take care of him."
Sam could almost not recognize the voice that answered him. Anne had never been a cold person, and
yet the woman who answered seemed like a stranger. At this moment, Emily shook her head at him,
and he was left with no choice but to step back.
Any woman, when put into Anne's shoes, would have made the same choice.
There was nothing that could rival a mother's pain when they had to see their own child get hurt.
Kevin sat down in front of Eddy's bed, clad in a hospital gown. He felt as if his heart was getting
wrenched from his chest as he watched his son. He forced his lips to offer Eddy a smile as he spoke.
"Eddy, don't worry. You're getting better. You'll be able to go home in a few days. Just wait a little more,
okay buddy?"
"Can I still see Mommy after we go home?" Eddy asked weakly.
Kevin felt as if rocks were piling up inside his chest. Slowly, they were turning into huge boulders that
weighed down on his every movement. He looked at Eddy, his eyes colored in shades of complicated
emotions. Eddy was a very perceptive young boy—of course he would know that something was
wrong.
He placed a gentle hand on his son's forehead and said,
"Eddy, you've grown up. I know you're smart, so Daddy will be honest." Kevin heard his voice crack, as
if splintering from the weight of his confession. The look of complete trust in Eddy's eyes had almost
made him turn back and hide him from the harsh truths that threatened to cut away at his heart and his
innocence. He had wanted to hold on to those bright and pure eyes a little longer. But Kevin knew that
he had a right to know. Keeping the truth from him would only delay the inevitable, and he was the
boy's father. If his son had to be hurt from the truth, he would rather do it himself than anyone else. He
gathered himself before he continued, "Our family is a little different from others because of a special
kind of blood that we have. It was also because of this that you have suffered from heart disease.
Yesterday, you were in a critical condition, and we had to find a new heart for you. Your grandmother
felt so sorry for you, but she did something bad. She wanted to give you your sister's heart so you
would live... "
Kevin felt his heart fracture as he watched Eddy's eyes widen. Still, he did not look away. He would not
leave his son to carry this burden alone, especially not at this moment. "How could grandma do such a
thing? Even if I die, I will never take my sister's heart!" Eddy wailed.
A myriad of convoluted emotions sprung in Kevin. He knew that Eddy could be headstrong, but he had
never thought that he would hear such words come out of his son's mouth.
Kevin didn't know what he had done in his life to deserve such a child. He prayed silently for the world
to let him have Eddy longer.
The next moment, another realization dawned on the distraught child. With his eyes cast down, he said
softly, "Mother... She left again, didn't she? Grandma did something terrible. She must be so sad and
angry now..."
Kevin sighed and wiped the tears that had gathered in Eddy's eyes. "Don't worry. Your mother loves
you more than anything in the world. Even if she feels angry with daddy and grandma, she will
definitely come to see you. Now, it's bed time for you. Sleep well so you can see Mommy when you
wake up."
His words were full of confidence. Kevin knew Anne very well. She would never abandon her children.
Eddy nodded slightly and obediently closed his eyes, even as a heaviness sank in his chest. His
thoughts warded sleep away.
'Grandma made a big mistake and mom will never forgive her. Will we be okay? Are we still a family?
How could you do this, grandma? Sally and I are both your grandchildren. She is the better option
anyway. I have the blood disease, but she doesn't. How could you want to just give her up? I don't
understand, even if Daddy said it was for me. I can't accept it...'
Eddy's young heart stirred with all sorts of heavy feelings, but he decided to keep them only to himself.
He opened his eyes slowly—almost cautiously, and looked at the hallway through the glass. Still no
Anne. Disappointment filled Eddy as he thought of his mother.
'Mom, when will you come? I really miss you!'
Unbeknownst to him, Kevin had been watching his every movement. He closed his eyes and let out a
long sigh.
Meanwhile, Anne rushed to the hospital. Once she was there, she immediately put on a hospital gown.
The sound rang clear in the silent corridors, and Eddy and Kevin turned their heads at the same time.
Their eyes lit up and the corners of their mouths lifted in surprising synchronicity. It was like one was
the mirror of the other.
Anne had come. They knew that she would and she was really here now!
Anne felt the two pairs of eyes that burned through her, but she unconsciously sought out only Eddy's
eyes, leaving Kevin's gaze unanswered.
"Eddy? Are you feeling better? I am here. I'm so sorry that I'm late." She had all but thrown herself
beside her son. Gently, she lowered her body and kissed the boy's forehead.
But Eddy had only beamed at her, as if all his tiredness was gone. He shook his head and said, "Mom,
I've grown up already, so I'm very sensible. It's okay. I'm just really happy that you're here now."
At his son's words, Anne's eyes became warm. She felt the weight of her tears threatening to fall down,
but she blinked them away and just smiled at Eddy.
She was blessed to have such a wonderful boy for a son.
"Mom, I'm getting better. I can go back in a few days. Are you happy?" Eddy asked.
Anne nodded immediately. "Of course. I want you to get better fast so we can be together again. As
long as you get better, then that's all I need."
Kevin's body stiffened as he looked at Anne meaningfully.
Eddy read the tension in his body and turned to Anne again with sad eyes. "Mom, Dad told me
everything. Grandma did something wrong, didn't she? I also think she shouldn't have done that."
Anne did not turn back to look at him, but Kevin knew she was glaring at him from the way her body
tensed. His shoulders sagged forward helplessly. He had not wanted to tell Eddy either, but the boy
had already managed to connect the dots on his own. How could Kevin have done anything else?
As always, Kevin was right. Anne was incredulous that he had told Eddy everything. Their son was
sick. What good would knowing the truth do to his already frail heart?
Eddy felt the air in the room become more and more strained, and he did not need to ask any more
questions to understand the silent war that was going on between his parents. "Mom, it was all
grandma's fault. It had nothing to do with dad. You can't blame him for what she did!" With this, he held
Anne's hand and put it on Kevin's.
His touch burned her—the scorching sensation in her skin from where their hands met sent small
tremors through Anne's fingers. She had instinctively wanted to pull away from him and the feelings
that he had brought to her, but Kevin gave her no chance to pull away, tightening his grip on her.
He lowered his head and looked at Anne with a look of possession. The corners of his mouth lifted as
he said, "Anne, you should know by now that once I have taken hold of your hand, there is no way I am
letting go without a fight."
Anne's body froze at his declaration and her head turned sharply to him in surprise. She was met with
a deep gaze, as if he was making a vow. "Anne, you are my wife. We have taken an oath to be
together for the rest of our lives. I won't let anything destroy our family."
His words tugged at her heart, but she turned away.
She was Kevin's wife, but Selma was his mother. Anne knew that it was impossible to reconcile these
two facts, like two truths that refused to meet.
"Mom, I've been living with you since the very beginning, even during the time you didn't want dad. You
didn't like him, so I didn't either. But two years ago, you suddenly disappeared, and he was the one with
me." Eddy suddenly spoke. Both Kevin and Anne looked at their son, wondering what he wanted to
say.
"Dad was having a hard time, but he did his best not to make me feel lonely. When you were gone, I
used to feel so jealous of the other kids. Why were they with both their parents? Why couldn't I be like
that? I prayed a lot. I promised to be a good boy so I could be with both my mom and dad. Then a few
days ago, you finally came back, and you even brought my sister. I was really happy! I thought my
prayers worked, and all of us could all live together now.
But now things aren't good again, and it was all my fault. Maybe I was a bad kid, so I was punished. I
got sick and made grandma do something wrong. I'm sorry. I promise I'll be a good kid, so can you and
Dad forgive me?"
Anne looked at Eddy and felt guilt sink in her. Had he always been thinking this way?
If that was so, then she had failed as a mother. Knives lodged themselves in her chest unrelentingly,
and she wanted to cry out from the pain. She gathered her son in her arms and held him carefully.
Eddy shouldn't be having these thoughts at his age. None of the blame was his—whatever happened
had all been Selma's doing.
"Sweetie, it's not your fault. Don't ever think that. You didn't do anything wrong," she said softly.
"But..." Eddy protested weakly in Anne's arms. "It has nothing to do with Dad too. It's not his fault."
All of a sudden, the corners of Anne's mouth twitched and she unwittingly loosened her hold on Eddy.
She hadn't expected her son to be able to turn the situation to his advantage. At the end of it all, he
was just telling her that it wasn't his father's fault.
It seemed that Eddy was not only clever, but he had loyalty as well. Anne did not know whether to
laugh or get angry at the boy's craftiness.
Unless... Had Kevin put him up to this? She sent him a sharp glance at the possibility. 'Son of a bitch!
How could he make use of a child? And his own son at that!' she cursed to herself.
Kevin raised his eyebrows in question, blessedly unaware of Anne's harsh and wrongful judgment of
his character.
"Mom, promise me that you won't leave dad, okay? Of course, you can't leave me either. We are a
family and we should all be together. I don't want us to ever be apart," Eddy continued his pleas.
Anne was caught between her son's pleading and Kevin's silent entreaty. She had no other choice but
to nod. Try as she might, she was not made of stone. There was no way she could have refused at this
moment.
"Great! Mom won't leave. It's a promise!" Eddy's face broke off into a grin.
Kevin nodded firmly. He looked at Anne, then at his son, and felt his resolve solidify. From hereon, he
would not let his wife and children suffer any more. It was his duty as a man and as a father.
As if he was released from the tension in the atmosphere, exhaustion caught up to Eddy. The boy felt
his eyes grow heavy as sleep finally claimed his thoughts.
When he was in deep slumber, Anne gestured for Kevin to keep quiet and walked out slowly.
Kevin followed her out and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly from behind. She struggled for a
few moments, but relented at the sound of Kevin's tired voice, "Please, just for a while, let me lean on
you. I'm very tired."
Kevin was not one to admit weakness to anyone. He had always been a fortress—strong and
untouchable. But even the strongest keep would crumble over relentless blows. For the past few days,
he had to watch over his son who was in the brink of danger, and find a way to keep his family together.
He had barely eaten, his appetite gone from anxiety. Kevin knew that his body had almost reached its
limit.
Anne softened as she thought of how much he had to endure for everyone else's sake, even her own.
She stopped moving and let him take some of her warmth.
Time passed by quietly. Kevin closed his eyes and allowed himself to find comfort in Anne's presence
in his arms.
They continued wordlessly. Later, just as Anne was growing suspicious that Kevin had fallen asleep, he
broke the silence with his words.
"Anne, I know that I have so much to atone for. What drove us apart in the past had all been my fault. I
had already failed many times, but please believe me when I say that from the moment we met each
other, I had already sworn to protect you. Then our children came, and I had so much more to cherish
and live for. I know what it feels to be a parent, but what my own mother did this time was wrong, no
matter how unintentional it may be. I will not try to defend her. She was wrong, and I'm sorry that you
and the children have to pay the price for that.
I don't even have the right to ask for forgiveness. I just want you to give me a chance to make up for
my mistakes and let me take care of our family. I don't know how to live without you in my life."
Anne's breath stuttered as she tried to fight off her tears. She knew, even before Eddy intervened, that
none of it had been Kevin's fault. And yet, even as he himself was hurting, she was still the one being
held. He needed comfort much more than her.
This man had always been on her side, and she had been selfishly putting her emotions first.
Sorrow flooded her heart at the thought that she was also to blame for his suffering.
"Kevin, after what happened, I really can't live under the same roof as your mother. I've already found a
house and settled there. If you miss us, you can always come by and visit," she said, taking the first
step to a compromise.
Kevin's eyes lit up and he tightened his arms around her.
Time flew by quickly. More than half a month had passed and the worst was over for Eddy's sickness.
He had been eager to be discharged from the hospital for many days. When the doctor gave the okay,
he was taken back to the house that Anne had found.
Kevin understood Anne's choice, and supported her decision. Eddy needed his mother, and for now, it
was the best arrangement for them.
Now that Eddy was well, Kevin had the time to be worried about other things. There had been no news
about Kim so far.
Kevin was one of the most powerful men in A City, with the AN Group under his control. And yet,
despite this strength, there was no news about Kim and his whereabouts. It was as if he had vanished.
What unsettled him even more was that Kim had made no move to use Simon as a bargaining chip.
Oftentimes, silence was more dangerous than noise. Kevin was certain that Kim was plotting
something, but what it was, he could only wait to find out.
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