As I cried, the rain became heavier, and the alcohol became stronger. I stumbled to the main road, hoping to catch a taxi, but this was a suburb, and few cars were passing, let alone a taxi. I was lying on the side of the road, barely able to stand up, and let the rain pour on my spinning head.

The phone in my purse kept ringing. I wanted to respond, but my mind and body were already out of control. I had no idea how long that phone had been ringing before it stopped. I wasn't sure if it was because of the rain or if the phone had lost power.

I had no idea how long I had been lying there until my body was lifted from the ground by someone. In the haze, I heard someone calling my name anxiously, and then I closed my eyes and blacked out completely.

When I woke up again, I was in the hospital bed.

With a bit of hangover and an IV hooked on my hand, I glanced around and realized that I was in a VIP room.

There was no one around. I was about to ring the doorbell when it suddenly opened. Tyler leaned against the door, arms wrapped around his chest. He was staring at me intently, his jaw clenched as if trying to control himself from lashing out.

I tried to break the ice by asking, "What are you doing there? Do you have enough of being a boss and just decide to be the doorman?"

I couldn't stand how bad my voice sounded.

Tyler remained silent. He walked in, poured a glass of water, and handed it to me without saying anything. It took two gulps of water for the burning pain in my throat to go away.

His sharp eyes were fixed on me, and his brows were twisted and haughty.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You want a fight?" The hairs on the back of my neck sprang up due to his scrutiny. I turned my head stiffly.

"A high fever of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, knee damage, and alcohol abuse; I only averted my gaze from you for one day, and now look at what you've done to yourself, Ivy Dikkens!"

Tyler finally spoke up, but he didn't say anything. I had no idea how he found me last night, but I knew he had been through a lot.

He leaned his body close to me, and I could smell his perfume scent mixed with tobacco.

"What were you doing at the Lost Woods last night? And how did you end up with Zach Dempsy from S&D?" he asked angrily.

I could see the storm surging up at the bottom of his slanted eyes, which were sharp with a strong sense of pressure.

Tyler's property included The Lost Woods, so I couldn't keep what happened last night a secret from him. He had always been a jerk in front of me, and this was the first time I had seen him so enraged. I was taken aback by his sudden outburst and was at a loss for words for quite some time.

"You're not going to tell me? Really?" He continued as he gave me a death glare. I simply averted my gaze and fumbled with my fingers.

"Fine," Tyler said, raising the corners of his mouth. "I can still figure it out myself, anyway. Zach better didn't do anything to you last night, or else I would make sure he's out of this city before the weekends."

He smiled, his beautiful slanted eyes making him appear charming and innocent, but the cruelty in his eyes was terrifying. I knew he could do it, at least in this city.

"He did nothing to me; don't cause any trouble, Tyler." My brows knitted together as I looked at Tyler. "He's Caleb's father," I admitted.

Tyler remained silent, but I could see his tensed shoulders. His pupils constricted slightly.

After a while, he raised his head, an incomprehensible expression on his face, and asked, "What? Does he want to be back with you?"

I smiled bitterly. Thinking of what Zach said last night, how he said he wanted nothing to do with me ever. I still felt miserable, but I knew it would happen eventually.

"How is that possible? He hates me."

"And you?"

"What?"

"Do you still want to get back together with him?" His voice was demanding and angry as he spoke those sentences. It was as if Tyler didn't like the idea.

I shook my head. "How can we still be together when he broke my heart before? I'm not stupid."

I knew everything could be repaired nowadays, not people's hearts. My conversation with Zach proved that.

Trying to mend two hearts that already had too much pain was painful.

Tyler smiled and raised the corner of his mouth, looking arrogant as usual.

He suddenly bent down and kissed me on the forehead while rubbing his big hand on the top of my head. He moved so quickly that he avoided being slapped by the hand about to hit him.

"What the HELL is going on?"

"Don't be such a wuss. I lost sleep last night worrying about you. What? Don't I deserve a small prize?" Tyler smirked, his eyes back to its sparkly and bright aura. "Well, I will eventually be the only man in your heart for as long as it's still available."

Pretending to be tough, I glared at him. Looking at his red eyes, I felt warm in my heart.

Tyler may be possessive, but I knew he sincerely cared about my son and me.

I had not given it much since I returned from Zach's house that night, but now, I realized that it didn't matter what had happened.

I made a mistake first. He was not over what happened, and I didn't expect him to, but he could've given me a chance to explain. Still, he didn't, so I didn't think it was necessary to correct him on what had happened in the past.

Zach already made his decision and conclusion without hearing my side first, so why would I bother?

I hadn't lost hope, though. I still wanted to be civil with him, for Caleb's sake. Maybe one day, we could resolve it.

It was comforting to think that way, so instead of desperately begging for a chance to talk to Zach, I focused on staying away. It was also time to buy a bigger house because my mom had complained that I barely saw her and Caleb. Her health was improving, and since Caleb was already attending kindergarten, I figured we could all stay in one house instead of jumping from one place to another.

It was reasonable because Mom could assist me with caring for Caleb while I was at work. She didn't have to travel far just to have a day with me and her grandson.

After several days of house hunting, I found a nice place near my workplace and kindergarten. The surrounding environment was also outstanding. My mother and I took Caleb on a house tour over the weekend.

I thought it would already be perfect, not until I ran into Zach while taking Caleb to the bathroom.

He was in the building's display room, behind the model area. A woman in a white gown stood beside him. She was not tall but had a nice figure. Looking back at her, I could already tell she also had a nice-looking face.

"Mom, mom, there is a handsome man over there who has been staring at you," Caleb's voice resounded around the area. I wanted to grab my son and run away, but I knew that it would look suspicious, so instead, I greeted Zach with a short nod.

It was a quick interaction, and I immediately grabbed Caleb's arm and left, but my son just had to stop and pull my hand.

"Mom, that guy is walking over here, and I think he's coming to you."

"What did you call her, kiddo?" The familiar voice sounded in my ears, and my heart missed a beat.

Caleb blinked, his wide eyes filled with innocence. "I called her mom. She's my mom, and I'm her son, Caleb Dikkens."

Zach was dressed in a dark tracksuit, which made him look even taller, but my gaze couldn't help but be drawn to the woman next to him. The girl was not too old, perhaps only in her early twenties. Her skin was delicate. She was the kind of girl who would be breathtaking even with the most simple make-up.

"Nice to see you, Mr. Dempsy," I greeted with a forced smile.

Feeling a little awkward, I kept wondering how small this city was. Zach didn't say anything, but his eyes were glued to Caleb. His deep eyes were looking at him over and over again, very carefully.

After a long while, Zach asked again, "Your name is Caleb Dikkens? How old are you?"

Caleb smiled at him and raised his hand, saying, "I'm four and a half years old, and it's three months until my birthday. Mommy said I'd be five after my birthday."

Standing back, I clenched my hands. After hearing what Caleb said, I noticed a solid light flickering in Zach's eyes, and I knew I'd never be able to keep Caleb away from him.

Zach was clever enough to figure out that Caleb was his son just by the way he was talking to him. Not to mention, Caleb inherited his looks. They have similar eyes and eyebrows.

Zach walked away, not saying anything. I could see the joy in his eyes as he looked delighted. The girl who accompanied him smiled politely at me and quietly followed him away; she didn't say anything the entire time.

I hadn't seen Zach since that fateful day at the sales office. However, I had felt uneasy since then, as if something terrible was about to happen. As expected, I received a text message from an unknown number two days later. The content was straightforward: the time and the address of a high-end restaurant.

It didn't have any other details like who I was meeting, but I already knew I would finally talk to Zach.

My heart pounded loudly as I sat quietly across Zach.

We were both in a private room of the restaurant. His face was etched with seriousness, but I'm confident mine was filled with nervousness and worry.

"Is Caleb my son?" he asked. It looked like there would be no pleasantries and beating around the bush. He was a straightforward person, after all.

"You already know the answer to that question," I mumbled.

"I didn't know you never aborted our child," Zach uttered while looking me straight. "Do you still have feelings for me?" His calm and tentative tone made my hand tremble slightly.

I knew we would discuss Caleb's paternity, but it never dawned on me that we would also talk about our relationship. But hearing those words from his mouth took me back to when he was mine—the time when he was still gentle, sweet, and affectionate.

"What's the point of that question?" My voice quivered, but I heard the bitterness drip from my lips. "I already have a good life. And I'm sure yours are better."

I could still remember the girl's face I saw him with. She was pretty, prettier than me, even. And I knew from that girl's eyes that she loved Zach.

"Just answer my question, Ivy. Do you still have feelings for me or not?"

My mind completely shut down at his authoritative voice. Did I still have feelings for him? Maybe. I knew that I still cared about him because I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I wouldn't be hoping to explain my side.

Zach's Adam's apple moved. "If… if you still have feelings for me and haven't given up on us yet. Maybe… maybe we could start over." His eyes were filled with eagerness and sincerity as he spoke.

It almost broke my heart to see him like this.

"Let's forget the past. I don't care if you took the money or not because you kept our baby. I just want to give you and our son a home and a better life."

I gave a bitter smile as I listened to him ramble. Why were there so many regrets in the world if the past was so easy to let go of? Even if I could put the past behind us, how could we ever return to what we were? Too much has changed.

" Zach, even if you are okay with it, what about your mom and your family?" And the girl who loves you deeply. "It will be fine. Caleb and I are fine. We don't need monetary support from you."

Zach reached out to grab my hand and rubbed his bony finger against the back of my hand. "My mom won't mind as long as we don't get married..."

"Not getting married? Do you even hear yourself?" I asked, "Do you want me as your mistress or something you keep in a cage and occasionally play with?"

"Don't make it sound like that. I mean, as long as we are together, the rest—"

"Zach Dempsy! You are goddamn disgusting!" I pulled my hand back, and my heart broke into a million pieces. "Do you think I went through all of that six years ago just to end up like some fucking secret?"

"What do you think of me? What do you think of yourself? Do you even think about Caleb, or all you thought of was how to satisfy yourself?"

It was exactly as his mother had said back then: the only way I could be with Zach was to be his mistress, just like she was. We'd never be able to have a future together. Because Zach was an illegitimate child, so his family ignored him. The person he was going to marry had to be someone that could turn his life around. That person wasn't me.

"I know it's unfair to you, but this is the best plan I've got for you and our child. Caleb is already five years old; do you want him to grow up without a father and live in a single-parent household like you?" Zach was sad looking at me, and I could tell he was really in a dilemma and heartbroken, "I wanted to make it up to you and our son."

"Fine. If you really had Caleb's best interests at heart, then marry me and give him a whole family. We don't care about money or social standing as long as there's food and a place to live. Are you capable of doing so?"

"I can't. Not for the time being, at least. Ivy, could you please give me some space? My mother's life has been difficult recently, and she is not doing well. Her only wish is that I have a solid ground in that family."

"So it's not easy for your mom, but it's easy for me, right?" I laughed. The glint in his eyes was so hurtful that it made my heartache.

With my still shaking body, I said, "Yes, I did take the 500,000 dollars from your mom. But, Zach, do you know how your mother forced me to have an abortion and abandoned you? Do you believe I went abroad because I had given up on our relationship?"

"You know what, Zach, I'm not smart, but I'm also not dumb. We're both deceiving ourselves. And, yes, I do owe you a lot, but it is your fault."

Now that everything had gotten to this point, I didn't see the point of me holding back anymore. What Zach said today was concrete proof of my thoughts. He left me of his own will and would never give me a future even if I didn't take that money. So, I would rather that he hated me, retaliated against me, or even tortured me. It would prove that he had a clear conscience and did not give up on us. However, at that moment, it seemed that money and status were all he wanted!

Zach had changed. A lot.

He was no longer the man I knew. Or perhaps I never really got to know him.

Zach remained silent as if he agreed with my words. "Huh, of course..."

"Well, since you don't have any other choice, you don't have to choose. We will be exactly like what you said before, you live your life, and I live mine. We are done!" I mumbled, my eyes starting to well up with tears. I stood up and started to grab my bag and coat.

"Ivy, can you let it go that easily? Do you want to give up on us?" Zach yelled. I scowled.

As I approached the door, I turned my back on him and said, "Zach, I love you, but I'm not going to be the other woman who begs you to stay. So, this is it."

Without looking back, I gently closed the door, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

Maybe love wasn't really for me. This path gave me pain, and yes, it also gave me my greatest joy, Caleb, but I couldn't handle it anymore. I didn't want to be associated with him anymore.