My Ex Husband Treated My Son Without Knowing He Was His Chapter 02

My Ex Husband Treated My Son Without Knowing He Was His Chapter 02

The next day.

Liam’s fever broke. He was back to himself, alert enough to sit on the living room rug stacking blocks.

The nanny spooned oatmeal into him one bite at a time.

I changed into work clothes and grabbed my keys.

“Incoming—Apex moved the meeting up. Ten a.m.” Elaine’s voice crackled through the phone.

“Got it. Heading out now.”

I drove to the office and shrugged into my blazer.

The woman in the mirror had nothing in common with the one who’d held a sick kid in the ER last night.

Evelyn Sterling, the Founder of Sterling MedTech, made eighteen million dollars in revenue last year.

Nobody at the company knew I had a son.

And definitely nobody knew my ex-husband was a Hayes.

In the conference room, three reps from Apex Health Group sat across the table.

The lead guy in his mid-forties was Marcus Webb.

“Ms. Sterling. Your diagnostic hardware’s been getting strong reviews. We’re interested in exclusive distribution rights on the East Coast.”

“Mr. Webb, we can work through the specifics. But before we talk exclusivity, I’d like to hear what kind of commitment you’re bringing to the table.”

“Minimum first-year purchase guarantee. Four million dollars.”

Elaine shot me a look.

That was seven hundred grand higher than our projection.

“Acceptable. But payment terms don’t exceed sixty days.”

“You move fast.” Webb smiled. “One more thing I should mention. Our Chairman’s taken a personal interest in this deal. He’d like to meet you on the day after tomorrow.”

“Your Chairman?”

“Arthur Hayes.”

My hand stayed steady around my coffee mug.

Arthur Hayes.

Nathan’s father.

The man who ran the Hayes empire.

Apex Health Group was a Hayes holding.

I hadn’t known.

Three years ago, Apex was still independent. The acquisition last year must’ve slipped past my radar.

“Ms. Sterling?” Webb was watching me.

I set the mug down.

“What time?”

“Two p.m. Apex headquarters.”

“I’ll be there.”

I walked out. Elaine followed close behind.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine.”

“Evelyn. I’ve worked for you for four years. When your face does that thing, something’s wrong.”

I stopped at the office window and stared down at the traffic crawling through the financial district.

“Apex was acquired by the Hayes family.”

Elaine froze for a beat.

“The Hayes family. As in… your ex-husband Hayes family?”

“Yeah.”

“So the deal…”

“We take it.”

“You sure?”

I turned around.

“Elaine, I built Sterling from nothing. I’m not walking away from a good deal because of someone’s last name.”

She held my gaze for a second, then nodded.

“Fine. I’m coming with you.”

“No. You stay here. Keep an eye on production. I’ll go alone.”

That afternoon, the preschool called.

“Ms. Sterling? Liam wasn’t in class today. Was he sick?”

“Yes, he spiked a fever last night. He’s resting at home. Should be back tomorrow.”

“Glad to hear it. Oh, next Friday is Open House. We encourage all parents to attend. If possible, it’s wonderful when both Mom and Dad can make it.”

“I’ll be there alone.”

I hung up.

I was used to it by now.

Parent-teacher conferences. Class parties. Emergency contact forms.

Always one name. Mine.

I got home that evening. Liam was already bouncing back, bare feet slapping against the hardwood.

“Mommy!”

He launched himself at my legs.

I crouched down and pressed a palm to his forehead. Cool.

“Were you a good boy today?”

“Uh-huh! I built a castle!”

He dragged me over to inspect.

A lopsided tower of blocks with a wooden stick jammed in the middle like a flagpole.

“That’s amazing.”

“Mommy, the teacher said we have to make a craft next week. We need a saw. She said we should get our dads to help.”

His eyes were bright. The exact same shade as Nathan’s.

“I’ll help you do it.”

“But she said a dad…”

“I know how to use a saw.”

He thought about it for a second. Then nodded.

“Okay.”

Bath time done. He was in bed, clutching his little dinosaur plush.

“Mommy?”

“Hmm?”

“That doctor last night. He was nice.”

My hand paused on the blanket I was tucking around him.

“Yeah?”

“He said ‘don’t be scared.’ And his hands weren’t cold. Other doctors’ hands are always cold.”

“I guess he was.”

“Mommy, does he look like daddy?”

I switched off the lamp.

“Time for sleep, Liam.”

“Okay.”

In the dark, his breathing evened out fast.

I sat by the bed, still for a long, long time.

Like him?

He is him.