chapter 54

Nicolo’s eyes ran over her, taking in every little detail.She was dressed in the finest designer clothes, her aura screaming elegance and power. This wasn’t the Amaira he had known—the girl who had once laughed freely in his arms, who had looked at him with nothing but love.She was different now. Independent. Well-off. Untouchable.But what truly stunned him was her question."Where is my son?"Her son.Nicolo felt like the ground had been ripped from beneath him. She had a child? She had moved on… she must have married someone else.A strange, suffocating feeling twisted inside him. For all these years, he had clung to the past, believing he had lost something irreplaceable. But Amaira had built a whole new life—without him.His throat was dry. He wanted to speak, to ask her—who was the father? Was she happy?But no words came out.Amaira, seeing his hesitation and confusion, frowned.This wasn't the man she was supposed to meet.Had the message been a prank?Her heart sank with disappointment. Whoever had promised to tell her about her son had only wasted her time.With a sigh, she stood up to leave.But before she could turn away, Nicolo reached out and grabbed her wrist."Wait."He wasn’t ready to let her go. Not yet.Amaira turned back, eyes narrowing at the firm grip on her wrist."What do you think you’re doing?" she asked coldly.Nicolo loosened his hold but didn’t let go completely. He needed to stop her—but why?His mind raced. He had no idea why she was here, why she thought he had information about her son, or who had set this meeting up. But he knew one thing—he couldn't let her walk away. Not like this.Thinking fast, he said, "I... I might know something about your son."Amaira froze. A spark of hope flickered in her eyes, but it was guarded."What do you mean?" she demanded.Nicolo clenched his jaw. He had no idea what he was doing. But he couldn’t lose her now. He needed time. Time to figure out why fate had brought her back into his life."I can’t tell you here," he finally said, his voice steady. "But if you really want to find your son, you’ll have to trust me."Amaira studied him carefully.Trust?Could she trust this man?She didn’t know why, but something about him felt… familiar. Like a ghost from her past.After a long silence, she crossed her arms. "Fine. But if you’re lying—""I’m not."Nicolo had no idea what he was getting himself into. But one thing was certain—he wasn’t going to let her disappear from his life again.Amaira clenched her fists, her frustration evident. “You stopped me, so at least tell me—what do you know about my son?”Nicolo’s expression remained unreadable. He didn’t even flinch at her question, but internally, her words rattled him. Her son… He still couldn’t believe it.Instead of answering, he stepped back slightly, his gaze steady. “Meet me tomorrow. Same time, near the lake.”Amaira frowned. “Why not now? If you know something, you should—”“Tomorrow,” Nicolo interrupted firmly.Amaira’s eyes narrowed. She hated games, especially when it came to something this serious. But the way he spoke, the way he carried himself… it was clear he wouldn’t say another word here.Before she could argue further, Nicolo’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and for the first time since their conversation started, she saw his expression shift—tension, urgency.Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Amaira standing there, watching his retreating figure with a mix of suspicion and frustration.As he disappeared from sight, she exhaled sharply. Who is this man? And why does it feel like he knows more than he’s letting on?From a nearby table, two pairs of identical eyes watched intently, their excitement slowly turning into disappointment as Nicolo walked away.Alex slumped back in his chair. “I thought they’d talk more,” he muttered.Justin sighed. “Me too. But at least they met. That’s a start.”Just then, Justin’s phone buzzed, making both boys jump. He glanced at the screen—his father.Alex leaned in. “What are you gonna say?”Justin hesitated for a second before picking up. “Hello?”“Where are you?” Nicolo’s voice was firm.Justin quickly thought of an excuse. “I—I just stepped out for some air. The party was too much.”There was a pause. Then, “Come home soon.”Justin exhaled as the call ended. He turned to Alex. “That was close.”Alex held out his hand. “Give me your phone. Let’s exchange back so they don’t suspect anything.”Justin nodded, handing over his phone while taking Alex’s in return. Now, there would be no lingering doubts.Alex stood up. “I better go before Dad gets suspicious.”Justin nodded, watching as Alex rushed out of the restaurant.—Back at the luxurious estate, Nicolo stood near the entrance, arms crossed, waiting. The moment Alex stepped in, he felt a heavy gaze on him.“You took your time,” Nicolo said, his sharp eyes scanning him.Alex forced a sheepish smile. “Got lost for a bit.”Nicolo didn’t say anything but continued staring, as if searching for something.Before the tension could thicken, a sickly sweet voice interrupted.“Oh, you’re back! Finally.”Alex turned to see Selena, standing there in a flashy dress, her makeup too heavy, her perfume too strong. She walked toward them, arms outstretched as if expecting a hug.Alex resisted the urge to take a step back.Selena pouted when he didn’t react. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”Nicolo, uninterested in the interaction, simply said, “Dinner is ready.”Chapter: A Mother's Claim & A Father's AmusementSelena’s heels clicked against the marble floor as she walked into the dining hall, eyes glistening with excitement. “Oh, I can't wait to have dinner together! It’s been so long since we had a proper family meal.”Nicolo, who had just taken his seat, glanced at her with disinterest. “You don’t have to stay.”Selena gasped, placing a dramatic hand on her chest. “Nicolo! How could you say that? Justin loves his mother. He must have missed me terribly.”Alex, who had been quietly observing, fought the urge to roll his eyes. Missed her? He wanted to play along and not raise suspicion, but something about the way she said it—so fake, so forced—made his stomach churn.Then she said it.“No matter what, I’ll always be the most important person in his life.”Something inside Alex snapped. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “Most important? If that’s true, then why do I feel like we only meet when you feel like it?”Selena’s smile twitched, her expression darkening. “W-What did you say?”Alex leaned back, feigning nonchalance. “I mean, if you were really that important, wouldn’t I see you more often? Wouldn’t I actually miss you?”The air in the room turned heavy. Selena’s face burned with fury. She turned to Nicolo, expecting him to reprimand his son. “Nicolo, aren’t you going to say something? He’s being so disrespectful!”Nicolo simply took a sip of his wine, unfazed. Then, he glanced at Alex, and to his utter surprise—grinned.Selena’s jaw clenched. Realizing she wouldn’t get the reaction she wanted, she huffed, grabbed her purse, and stormed out.The moment the door slammed behind her, Alex turned to Nicolo, still slightly stunned. “You’re not mad?”Nicolo smirked. “For what? Telling the truth?”Alex blinked. He hadn’t expected that. A small smile tugged at his lips. Maybe… this man wasn’t so bad after all.