Tricia's call lit up the screen before Allison had time to sit down.

"Why did you sneak back without telling me? I thought you weren't due back for two months. Is Luc with you? Are you both staying here now, or is this just a pit stop? Where are you, by the way? I'll swing by after work and drag you out for dinner!" Tricia's words tumbled out in a single breath, loud enough that Derek could hear.

Allison, too worn out to keep up appearances, kept her reply short. "Plans changed. I had to come home early. Could you help me put my apartment up for sale? I need it gone fast—just get me a decent price."

Tricia's network stretched across the city. If anyone could move the place quickly, it was her.

She didn't hesitate, assuming Allison was ready to close that chapter.

Allison held her phone tight, careful not to say too much. She didn't want Tricia asking questions she wasn't ready to answer. "Luc's down with a fever. That's about all I can handle right now. Give me a few days, then we'll catch up."

Tricia's tone softened. "Is he alright? Maybe I should come check on you both."

"It's just a cold," Allison said. "We already saw the doctor, so you don't have to worry. I just need some quiet for a bit, but I'll call you soon."

Picking up on Allison's exhaustion, Tricia insisted, "Alright, but take care of yourself, okay? And if you need anything, just call."

Later, when Allison walked through the door, Lucas darted straight to her and wrapped his arms around her neck. She knelt, hugging him close and feeling some of her worries slip away as his small hands clung to her.

"Where were you, Mom?" Lucas asked, his voice trembling as he tried not to cry.

"I went back to my old place for a while," Allison answered, brushing a hand through his hair.

Lucas leaned in, whispering, "Can you take me there when I feel better? I really don't want to stay here."

Derek heard every word but kept his distance, letting them have their moment.

Allison set Lucas gently on the sofa, giving them both a bit of space. "This house is wonderful, isn't it? The rooms are huge, there are more toys than you can count, and the cook makes the best food. Maybe we can get used to it, at least for a little while."

Lucas pressed his cheek against Allison's arm, his voice small but unwavering. "I just want to be wherever you are. If you're staying here, then I'll stay here too."

Out in the garden, Derek stood with his hands in his pockets. "When do you plan to tell him everything?"

He expected Allison to break the news, to be the one to disappoint the boy.

She shook her head. "Not while he's still under the weather. He needs to get better first."

His gaze lingered on the house. "Have you considered what I suggested earlier? Staying a while, just until he's settled?"

"I've thought about it," she admitted. "Once he's healthy, I'll get him started at preschool. New routines, new friends—that should help him settle in. After a couple of weeks, he'll barely notice I'm gone."

Those days would give her time to sort out her heart, find work, and finish the sale of her apartment. She hoped Lucas would ease into his new world.

Derek nodded, his approval clear. "The offer I made still stands. Two million, if you stay and help with the transition."

Allison smiled faintly and shook her head. "I never raised Lucas for a payday, and I never wanted anything from his family."

Derek's eyes narrowed a little, searching her face.

Allison explained quickly, "Please don't take this the wrong way. I don't expect him to repay me in the future, and I'm not going to turn up here, asking for visits. Just let him call me sometimes, if he wants. That's all I'll ever ask."

Derek's posture relaxed, satisfied with her answer.

"I still have his guardianship papers," Allison added. "Once he's feeling better, I'll head back to Blirson and get everything transferred to you officially."

Derek accepted this with a nod, unsurprised.

The previous offer of two million had done nothing to move her, and he had assumed she was being difficult. Now, it turned out that she was quite reasonable.

That evening, Lucas curled up beside Allison. His cheeks were still flushed from the fever, and Allison had no heart to refuse him, so she pulled the blanket over them both.

With the lights dim and the house quiet, they whispered in the safety of their little cocoon.

It was the first moment they'd had to themselves since leaving Blirson.

Lucas pressed his face into her shoulder. "Mom, is that man really my dad?"

She had hoped to wait a bit longer before having this talk, but since he asked, she decided to be honest.

"Yes, he is your father," she replied, her voice soft.

Lucas hesitated, searching her face in the dark. "Then why aren't you two together? Why does he want me to stay with him now?"

Allison reached for a story he'd remember. "Do you remember the little white kitten we found in the alley last spring?"

Lucas's brow furrowed, but he nodded. "The one we fed every day, right?"

"That's the one," she said. "Remember how we took care of her for nearly a week, and then the neighbor from the next block came looking for her?"

Lucas remembered. "She said it was her cat, and it had wandered too far to get back home on its own."

Allison smiled, squeezing his hand. "You built that little bed for her with your old T-shirts, and you were so sad to let her go when the neighbor came."

That little kitten popped into Lucas's mind, and his chest tightened. "She had a home. That was her family, not me."

Letting out a quiet breath, Allison continued, "For days, that old woman searched every corner, desperate to find her pet after it went missing."

Drawing him closer, she waited until his eyes met hers.

"You have to hear this, Luc. A long time ago, your dad lost you by accident, and I was the one who found you. I raised you with all my heart. Now that he's come back, it's my turn to let you go and reunite you with him. Does that make sense?"

Lucas turned her words over in his head, confusion flickering across his face. Her gentle tone and sad eyes told him this was something heavy.

Tears threatened, but he kept them back. "Mom, I still don't get why things have to change."

Truth always finds its way into a child's heart, no matter how young or old, and it never fails to leave a mark.

Even though Lucas had always acted older than his years, this time he wasn't going to get the luxury of extra time to sort out his feelings.

Allison reached for his gaze, her words quiet but unyielding. "Luc, listen closely. I didn't bring you into this world—I found you. Because I couldn't have a baby, I kept you for myself and pretended I could be your mother. Your real dad never stopped searching. It wasn't because he didn't love you. He just couldn't find you, since I kept you hidden away."

Forcing herself to stay composed, she managed to say, "I'm the one at fault here."

She held back her tears, desperate to keep her voice steady for his sake.

Choking back sobs, Lucas shook his head. "That's not true! You're my mom, you have to be! You're the one who brought me into the world!"

Turning away quickly, Allison brushed her face and pressed on, doing her best to play the part everyone would hate, "I spent four years raising you, spent nearly every penny. But now, I can't afford to keep you any longer. Your father will take care of you and give you whatever you want."

His face crumpled with pain and rage. He tried to fling himself into her arms, but she kept him at arm's length. "I don't want him! I want you, Mom!"

She kept her features stiff, hiding every crack in her heart.

"Think about the neighbors downstairs," she said. "Remember how they would talk behind our backs? Always saying that I was the divorced woman with a kid, that no one would want to marry me because of you."

She mimicked their words, her tone cold and harsh. "They used to tell you, 'Your mom's still young and pretty. If you weren't around, she'd have remarried. Even Fred Hardy likes her, but he's a bit old—thirty-nine. Would you want a man like that as your new dad?'"

That memory burned in Lucas's mind—he remembered spitting in disgust, thinking how messy and gruff Fred Hardy was. His mom deserved better than that.

Allison's tone turned stern, her softness vanishing. "I have to work from now on. I need to provide for myself."

Lucas broke down, sobbing harder, believing she was really leaving him behind.

When Allison refused to pull him close, he pounded the blanket with both fists. "I hate this! Why can't Dad just take care of you, too?"

At that moment, Derek stepped into the room, wearing pajamas and hearing Lucas's desperate plea.

Admitting Derek was his father slipped from Lucas for the very first time, even if it happened under such odd circumstances.

A silent exchange passed between Allison and Derek. They both knew Lucas wouldn't adjust to this revelation without resistance.

The moment Derek stepped into the room, Lucas jumped up and clung to his arm.

Paternity didn't matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was his mom about to walk out the door. Tears welled up in Lucas's eyes as he clung tighter. "Please tell Mom not to go! Can't you make her stay?"

Rarely did Lucas reach out to Derek. This time, Derek scooped the boy up, holding him close. "She has her own life, bud," he said quietly. "We have to respect what she chooses."

"But I need her. I just want her with me!"

At his age, reason had no place. All the adults could do was move slowly and try to help him through it.

Allison gently wrapped her arms around Lucas, rocking him as he cried himself to sleep.

Morning brought a phone call from Allison's mother, Carlotta Wade.

Life after the divorce had kept Allison at a distance. She'd offered her parents a brief explanation and poured all her time into raising Lucas, letting them assume she was still working hard in Streley.

Her parents never pushed her to visit. Occasionally, they offered to come by, but she always dodged with excuses about business trips.

Carlotta sounded tense on the phone. "Allie, if you have a chance, you should come home."

That caught Allison off guard. "Mom, what's going on?"

Carlotta hesitated before answering, "Your dad was in an accident. A car hit him a few days ago. He's in the hospital right now..."

Worry and anger mingled inside Allison. Why hadn't anyone told her about something so serious? Then, a surge of guilt followed. "How's Dad doing? Is he alright?"

"He hurt his leg, but the doctor said it's not too bad. Still, he's not getting any younger. He didn't want me to worry you, but he's been anxious ever since it happened. Allie, if you can find the time..."

"Mom, why would you keep this from me? I'm coming home right away. Tell Dad not to worry. I'll be there soon."

After ending the call, Allison quickly pulled up her phone to secure a flight.

On her way out, a sudden thought made her turn and head straight for Lucas's room.

Still fast asleep, Lucas looked peaceful.

Allison sat beside him and whispered his name until he stirred. His arms instantly wrapped around her neck, as if he could sense she was about to leave. She hugged him close, heart aching.

"I have to be away for a little while. I need you to stay here with your dad and listen to him, okay?" She couldn't bring herself to disappear without saying anything, especially now when Lucas clung to her more than ever.

Lucas only squeezed tighter. "Mom, can't you stay? Please?"

Gently, Allison stroked his back. "My dad's sick, sweetheart. I have to go take care of him, but I'll come back as soon as I can. I promise."

The explanation did little to soothe him. He buried his face against her and sobbed, refusing to let go. "Take me too, Mom... Please take me with you..."

Life would have been simpler if Derek hadn't entered the picture. If things were as before, Allison would have just scooped Lucas up and brought him home. But now, she couldn't face her parents with a child in tow, not when that would only stir up hope they'd spent years putting to rest.

From the doorway, Derek appeared with a furrowed brow and a heavy sigh. "What's the matter this time?"

His plan was simple at first—he needed Allison to take the tough role and help his son accept the truth, but he never pictured it unraveling this way. The real reason he'd wanted her around was so she could soften the blow for Lucas, making the transition less painful.

Instead, Lucas's constant sobbing wore away what little patience Derek still had. Every tear made it harder for him to keep his cool, and lately, the noise did nothing but get under his skin.

Doubts crept in. Maybe Allison wasn't the right person to handle this after all.

Although Allison noticed Derek's growing frustration, she was too drained to argue or explain. "My dad's in the hospital, and I have to go back home," she said, voice flat. "Please make sure Luc gets his medicine while I'm gone."

Derek's expression softened when he realized how real her concern was. He carefully lifted Lucas from her arms. "The driver will take you to the airport," he said quietly.

No argument came from Allison this time. She braced herself, pushed past Lucas's cries, and headed out the door.

Her condition wasn't critical, but age had slowed his recovery. The stress had left him weaker than before, so he needed extra time in the hospital.

Hearing good news from the doctor eased some of Allison's tension. She sat at her father's bedside, peeling fruit and scolding her parents with a gentle smile.

"Why would you keep something like this from me? Am I not your only daughter?" Allison asked, voice sharper than she intended.

Her father, Stefan Wade, tried to wave away her concern with a chuckle. "You know your mom—she loves to make a big deal out of nothing. I didn't want to interrupt your work, that's all," he replied, but happiness was written all over his face.

Allison had rushed straight from the airport, not even stopping to collect her things. Stefan, always considerate, smiled and said, "Honestly, honey, I'm fine. You should get back to your job before your boss gets upset with you."

Hearing that only deepened Allison's guilt. She realized how much she'd neglected her parents while pouring everything into raising Lucas.

"Dad, I'm officially on leave. My boss told me to take time off. You didn't throw out any of my stuff at home, did you? I came empty-handed."

"Of course not, everything's still there. Why don't you stay a while? Your mom would love to cook for you." Relief spread across both her parents' faces as soon as Allison confirmed she wasn't in a rush to leave.

That evening, Allison insisted that her mom get some rest at home, while she kept watch at the hospital.

For now, her father had the entire room to himself, making things more comfortable.

Caring for Stefan kept her occupied until her phone buzzed, Derek's name lighting up the screen.

She stepped into the hallway, answering quietly.

"Mom, is Grandpa feeling better? When will you come back?" Lucas's voice carried through.

Hearing him call her father "Grandpa" caught Allison off guard. She'd never taught him that.

Her heart twisted with longing. If only Lucas truly belonged to her.

"He's doing better, sweetheart. The doctors say he'll be out in a few days, but I need to stay and look after him. I promise I haven't forgotten about you."

"Just let me know when you're coming back. I'll ask Dad to bring me so I can meet you at the airport."

"You're such a sweet boy. Thank you."

"Mom, I miss you." The honesty in his voice nearly broke her resolve. She struggled to keep her emotions in check.

"Be good for Dad, okay? Grandpa's calling for me, so I need to go. Talk soon, Luc."