01 It was pouring rain tonight. I stood on the curb, holding my soundly sleeping son in my arms, waiting for the Uber I had booked. Soon, a car pulled up right in front of me. I didn't know why, but the car looked vaguely familiar. But… it was black, and the license plate ended in 88. This had to be it! I dashed through the heavy rain, opening the door and sliding into the backseat in one fluid motion. Except… the moment I got inside, something felt off. The interior was absurdly luxurious. You absolutely couldn't get a car like this for anything less than a couple hundred grand! Could it be… some bored rich guy driving an Uber just to experience the struggles of the working class? As the thought crossed my mind, I said, "Alright, sir, we're good to go." The car didn't move. Confused, I asked, "Sir? Why aren't we moving?" That's when a cold, clear voice drifted from the driver’s seat. "Long time no see, Harper." That deep, magnetic voice. Who else could it be but my ex-boyfriend from five years ago—the biological father of the child currently sleeping in my arms? What was he doing here?! I must have opened the car door in a parallel universe. But my survival instincts quickly kicked in, and I figured out the crux of the problem. "I—I got in the wrong car. I'll get out right now." It wasn't that I was a genius; it was just plain logic. Unless the earth exploded, there was zero chance Carter Sterling would ever be poor enough to drive an Uber! Just as I reached for the handle to escape this pirate ship—I mean, car—I heard a sharp click. The doors locked. My heart hammered in my chest, a wave of intense anxiety washing over me. "Where are you going? I'll drop you off." His tone was completely flat, and he didn't even glance in the rearview mirror. But my gut screamed that this was a disaster. I clutched my son tighter, feeling incredibly guilty. I absolutely could not let him see my son's face. After all, the two of them looked like they were printed from the exact same mold! "No need, really. I just got the wrong car. My husband drives this exact same model." I was dead set on saving face, especially in front of my ex. "Do you usually call your husband 'sir'?" "Y-yes! It's a pet name. Got a problem with that?" "Hmm. It's just that there are only two of these cars in the entire city. One is mine, and the other belongs to the CEO of Apex Real Estate. And as far as I know, he’s over fifty, balding, and has a massive beer belly." Me: "……" "Your tastes have gotten a bit extreme, haven't they?" I gritted my teeth. "I don't know anything about cars. They all look the same to me. I guess I remembered wrong." "Harper, didn't I tell you? Whenever you lie and feel incredibly nervous, you touch your nose, and then the back of your neck." I immediately dropped the hand I was currently using to rub the back of my neck. How was it that five years had passed, and Carter still had me completely figured out? 02 Before I could figure out a way to sneak out, my phone rang. It was my actual Uber driver. "Hello? Hey, miss, I'm so sorry, but my car broke down! Could you go ahead and cancel the ride on your end?" His booming voice echoed out of my phone's earpiece, giving the entire luxury car a surround-sound experience. And me? I was so embarrassed I wanted to dig a hole through the floorboards. To make it worse, Carter let out a deliberate, soft chuckle. "Guess your husband isn't coming?" I took a deep breath. "…Maplewood Heights, please. Thank you." Even though we broke up five years ago, I still trusted his character. I don't know if it was because the car was too quiet, or if he was just bored. He finally asked the question I had been dreading. "How old is your son?" "…Three." I deliberately shaved a year off Leo's actual age. "He doesn't look three." "He's special. He's been bigger than other kids since the day he was born." I glanced down at my sleeping son, sweating bullets. The topic ended there, and a terrifying silence fell over the car once again. 03 The car pulled to a smooth stop at the entrance of my apartment complex. The heart that had been in my throat the entire ride finally settled. "I'm here. Thanks for the ride." Just as I was about to make a run for it, he handed me a business card. I stared at his hand. Pale, long-fingered, strong. Exactly as I remembered. Right as my thoughts were starting to wander... "If you ever need any help in the future, you can contact me." "Since when did you become so helpful?" I asked sarcastically. Carter? Helpful? Incredibly kind? Loves helping others? That was absolutely the funniest joke I had heard all year. I let out a cold laugh. "No thanks!" I snapped out of my brief wave of nostalgia. I wanted nothing more than to throw the business card right in his face! He raised an eyebrow. "What, Harper? You dumped me, but you still aren't over me?" He was using reverse psychology! It was the tactic I hated most in the world. Because it worked on me every single time! My hand moved faster than my brain. I snatched the card, clutching it tight, and said my goodbyes to Carter. "Carter Sterling, I forgot about you a long, long time ago!" The card in my palm was crumpled into a ball and tossed into its ultimate resting place—the nearest trash can. As for what was written on it, I didn't even look. Help from an ex? I didn't care. The greatest help that jerk could ever give me was to stay far away from me and my child for the rest of his life! 04 Despite my best efforts to prevent it, my son caught a fever. It happened right in the middle of flu season, and the pediatric ward was absolutely packed. Holding my lethargic son, I waited from the crack of dawn until high noon. And of course, right at that moment, my editor’s calls started blowing up my phone. Yes, I'm a journalist. As a reporter, missing a trending story is basically chronic unemployment. And if I lost my job, my son and I would have to survive on air. With no other choice, I carried my son and went to find a friend who worked in orthopedics. "Liam, I'm so sorry to bother you with the baby again." "Don't be so polite with me. I'm a doctor. Even if a regular patient needed help, I'd step in." He spoke with gentle consideration. I thanked him endlessly and carefully handed my son, who was still hooked up to an IV drip, over to Liam to look after. A few hours later, my interview wrapped up, and I rushed back, burning with anxiety. Thank God, my son's fever had broken. After a quick goodbye to Liam, I gathered my son and prepared to leave the hospital. But just as I stepped out of Liam's office with the baby in my arms... Someone walked right toward us. Very familiar. It was Carter, whom I had just seen yesterday. I wanted to pretend I didn't know him, but he spoke first. "Your son has a fever?" My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately lowered my head. Thankfully, the way I was holding my son meant only his forehead—covered by a cooling patch—was visible. I knew Carter was just asking out of politeness, but after a second of thought, I couldn't resist dropping a reminder. "Yes, my son has a fever." I put a heavy emphasis on the word my. He just gave a simple "Hmm." Terrified he might say something else, I quickly changed the subject. "You got hurt?" Hahaha, what kind soul did society a favor and put him in the orthopedics ward? I really wanted to send that person a bouquet of flowers. Before I could laugh out loud, I heard him say, "Noah got into a little fender bender." Noah Brooks. I knew him too. He was an old college classmate, and Carter's best friend. He was also the primary witness to the entire crash-and-burn of my relationship with Carter. I didn't care much for Noah, mostly because after the breakup, he had made several sarcastic, passive-aggressive remarks to me. Just last night, he somehow got my number and called to yell at me. —"Carter told me you have a son now? Heh, Harper, you sure moved on right away, didn't you?" —"Harper, stay the hell away from Carter. You've already caused him enough damage." I had literally laughed out loud at that. Carter was the one who moved to my city, and I was supposed to stay away from him? Besides, during everything that happened back then, I was the one who got hurt. Why was everyone acting like Carter was the victim? I fired right back at him: "All I can say is, Carter has done a phenomenal job playing the heartbroken martyr." And then I hung up. I didn't expect to run into both of them today. What awful luck. Seeing Noah limping his way over, I turned around, fully intending to leave. "I'll give you a ride back," Carter suddenly offered. "He's done with his appointment. We're going the same way." "No thanks. I can't afford to play along with your 'deeply devoted ex' persona," I replied without hesitation, looking back. I watched Carter frown, but before he could speak, a voice rang out from behind me. "Harper, let's go home!" It was Liam. 05 Carter's face darkened instantly. Liam walked straight toward me, his eyes filled with total warmth. "Harper, I swapped shifts with a coworker. I'll drive you and Leo back." "You don't have to do that! Please, get back to your patients. Your work is important." I felt incredibly guilty. I already bothered Liam enough as it was. I was racking up an impossible debt of favors. Liam smiled shyly. "My work isn't nearly as important as you and the baby." Hearing those words coming out of Liam's mouth... I laughed awkwardly, not knowing how to respond. Just then, Carter's voice cut through, freezing cold. "Are you Harper's husband?" I don't know why, but amidst the panic, I actually felt a tiny bit touched. I never thought I'd live to see the day Carter Sterling asked a question so politely. Because the old Carter would have definitely said: "What kind of stray dog are you? Get the hell out of my face!" It seemed five years really could change a playboy. "Hello, I'm Dr. Liam Hayes. Judging by your age, you must be Harper's old classmates?" I was surprised. Liam didn't deny it, but he didn't confirm it either. I wanted to clarify, but looking at Carter and Noah—who had just hobbled over—I suddenly changed my mind. Why not... just let them keep misunderstanding? Since I didn't say anything, Carter and Noah just stood there, staring dead at Liam. None of the four of us spoke... The tension was agonizingly awkward. I tugged on Liam's sleeve, and he smoothly stepped in to rescue me. "Well, gentlemen, we'll be going now." Then he actively reached over and took Leo from my arms, looking every bit the perfect man, the perfect husband, and the perfect father. Carter: "Alright. Drive safe." It was the most normal, polite farewell possible, yet it sent a chilling shiver straight down my spine. He was being way too polite. I comforted myself by thinking that as I got older, I was just overthinking things. But that very night, I woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare. In the dream, Carter had his hands wrapped around my throat, demanding to know why I had done this to him. Thinking back to Carter's polite, boundaried behavior at the hospital, I felt ridiculous. Everything was deep in the past, and everyone had moved on with their lives. I was the only idiot still obsessing over what happened back then. 06 My son needed IV drips for three consecutive days for his fever. And for three consecutive days, I bumped into Carter and Noah at the hospital. I couldn't help but wonder—since when did a minor fracture require daily check-ups? Shouldn't he just be resting in bed for a couple of months? The first day was an accident. The second day was a coincidence. By the third day, it was just bizarre. I asked sympathetically, "Noah, is your leg going to need to be amputated or something?" Noah muttered under his breath, "I'm just a massive third wheel." "What was that?" "Nothing. It's just a sprain. Carter is just worried about me, so he brings me in for check-ups every day." My mouth twitched. What was wrong with these two? Were they having some sort of intense bromance? Just then, Liam appeared, walking past a group of nurses with a coffee in hand. The nurses all turned to look at him, then covered their mouths, giggling. They whispered admiringly, "Dr. Hayes really is the hospital's most eligible bachelor. Look at those proportions! Look at that face! He's too perfect." My heart dropped. If the nurses were calling him a bachelor... didn't that completely ruin the illusion I had been trying to maintain all week? But to my utter shock... Carter acted like he didn't hear a single word. He just shot Noah a subtle glance. And then, right before my eyes, Noah began dramatically wailing. "Ohhh, Doctor! My leg is in agonizing pain!" I couldn't stop my mouth from twitching. That acting deserved a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor of the Decade. He put on the performance of a lifetime in the morning, and I lost my job in the afternoon. Well, not exactly. But Liam clearly thought Noah's acting was absurdly fake and hesitated to intervene. But as a doctor, he couldn't exactly ignore a patient in "pain." Once Noah aggressively dragged Liam away, the atmosphere instantly dropped below freezing. "Your son is cute. Doesn't look much like you, though." Me: "…If you don't have anything nice to say, you are allowed to shut up." No kidding he doesn't look like me! He looks like you! But I never expected this man to be partially blind. He noticed the kid didn't look like me, but somehow failed to realize the kid looked exactly like him. Even though it was the truth, I still hated hearing it. Before I could lose my temper... Carter casually added, "I have freedom of speech." Then he crouched down to greet my son. "Hey there, buddy. I'm your mom's friend." "I'm Leo! Hi, Uncle." This was the first time Carter had interacted with a fully awake, energized Leo. Seeing the two of them side-by-side, their eyes and brows were strikingly identical. The longer I looked, the more panicked I felt. And... maybe it was the blood connection, but the two of them hit it off instantly, chatting away like old pals. I was paralyzed. Just as I was about to tactfully interrupt and stop the conversation... My phone started ringing off the hook. It was my editor again. It was that damn job again. So annoying! But when it came down to choosing between getting my pay docked or answering the phone, I knew what I had to do. "Leo, Mommy has to take a call. Let me carry you to the orthopedic office to wait for a bit, okay?" Before Leo could answer, Carter stepped in. "I'll watch him for you." Leave these two alone in the same room? No. Absolutely not. "No—" I started to refuse. "Your phone is about to go to voicemail," Carter pointed out helpfully. Seeing the words "Chief Editor" flashing on the screen, I hesitated for a split second. "Just two minutes. Thank you." Two minutes. What kind of disaster could happen in two minutes? 07 Never leave things to chance!!! Help me... When I finished the call and rushed back to the IV room, I overheard a conversation that nearly gave me a heart attack. "Dr. Hayes is just Mommy's friend, not my daddy! You misunderstood, Uncle~" What a fantastic son I had. Using his sweet, innocent little voice to completely sell me out. Carter paused, then asked, "Then who is your daddy?" I wanted to sprint over and stop it, but my son's mouth was too fast. He said, "Mommy said my dad is a super bad guy, so I've never met him." I didn't know why, but I actually wanted to laugh. Kid, did it ever cross your mind that the man standing right in front of you... is your biological father? Biting back a laugh, I quickly interrupted them before Carter could ask his next question. And then I saw the look Carter was giving me... It went from total confusion, to intense urgency, and finally, to a look of profound pity—clearly suspecting I had been knocked up and abandoned by an irresponsible deadbeat. I couldn't be bothered to correct him. I just took my son home that night and gave him a very strict lecture about stranger danger. The next day, Carter probed again. My son looked deeply conflicted and said, "Mommy said I'm not allowed to talk too much to Uncle Carter." I could physically feel Carter choking on the rejection. I couldn't help it. My wonderful son was perfect in every way, except he was a little too honest. "Harper, you really do overthink things." What was that supposed to mean? Was he calling me a narcissist? I doubled down. "You misunderstood. I just want my son to have a strong sense of stranger danger." Carter looked at me meaningfully and replied, "I hope that's all it is." I coughed guiltily. "Of course that's all it is." "So, who is this irresponsible deadbeat who hurt you?" "No comment." Carter's brow furrowed, his face turning cold. "Are you still not over him?" "What does it matter if I tell you? Are you going to go get revenge on him for me?" Taking revenge on himself? That would be a fresh twist. Though, as the CEO of a publicly traded corporate empire, he certainly had the money, power, and capability to do it. "What makes you think I wouldn't?" I shot back instantly: "I'm not worth Mr. Sterling's trouble." I was terrified of what else he might say, and even more terrified that if this kept going, I'd expose the truth. I grabbed my kid and practically ran, swearing to myself I would never step foot in this hospital again. But to my utter shock, even after going to such extreme lengths to hide... I still bumped into him again. 08 That evening, my balding Chief Editor dragged me out to a networking dinner. I knew the rules of the corporate dinner table. Whether you knew the people or not, you just drank. But this time, we hit a brick wall. The client had the alcohol tolerance of a blue whale. An hour in, I finally raised my white flag. "I can't do it, Mr. Henderson. I seriously can't drink another drop." "Harper, come on, that won't do! We haven't even made it through the appetizers yet!" I had clearly expressed my refusal. But a glass filled to the brim with red wine was still forcefully shoved into my hand. I had been in this exact situation countless times, and the only way out was usually to just swallow it down. But this time, someone intervened. "She said she's done drinking. Are you deaf?" I didn't know where Carter materialized from, but he snatched the wine glass out of my hand and slammed it heavily onto the table. His face was so dark and menacing it sent a chill through the room. My head was spinning from the alcohol, but I wasn't so drunk I couldn't recognize the man standing in front of me. I stared blankly at him. God, that face really was gorgeous. Setting aside the fact that he cheated on me... Carter truly fulfilled every single fantasy I had about a man with a great voice, great hands, and an incredible face. My editor snapped out of his shock and quickly stood up to smooth things over. "Mr... Mr. Sterling! You're here! Please, take a seat. You misunderstood, nobody is forcing Harper to drink! We're just warming up the room!" Carter didn't give him an ounce of grace. "Warming up the room by harassing a woman?" Seeing my editor's pathetic, fawning behavior, it suddenly clicked. The "corporate titan" my editor said might make an appearance tonight... Was Carter? My editor had even warned me to be on my best behavior tonight so we could secure an exclusive interview with him tomorrow. I don't know why, but I instantly relaxed. If the VIP was him, then there was absolutely no need for me to suffer through this miserable networking dinner. Carter was a jerk, but I knew him well enough to know he wasn't despicable enough to sabotage my career over a personal grudge. "I'm not feeling well. I'm going to head out," I forced myself to say. Perhaps sensing that my relationship with Carter was anything but ordinary, no one dared to stop me. I stood up unsteadily, my legs like jelly, looking quite pathetic as I swayed. With a sweep of his long arm, Carter pulled me firmly into his chest, holding me in a deeply intimate embrace.
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