67 I met my father

James lowered his head guiltily when he was alone with just his mother.

Did he regret it? Not at all. He would do it a thousand times again if he got the chance.

Adriana sat beside him and embraced him. "Baby, why didn't you at least tell me you were planning on coming?"

She tried to look angry, and she wanted to scold him, but she didn't want to raise her voice at all. Even if she didn't scold him right now because she has to go to work soon, she would surely arrange a punishment for him and Aria. She can't have them get used to these kinds of actions.

"I'm sorry, mommy. Aria said you got sick, and it looked dangerous, so I came here. Last time you went to a hospital because of your fever and I was afraid you would be in a hospital again. I was so far, and I felt like I couldn't do anything to help you." As he explained he cried because he felt guilty for doing such a thing.

He always behaved and followed everything his mother said, so going against her wasn't something he's used to.

He explained all of what he had done after that.

"I don't know if I should be angry or praise your cleverness." She shook her head.

"Why did you put your hair like this?" She asked, ruffling it so she could put it back to its normal style.

"So that no one recognizes me and mommy lets me stay with her." He pouted.

"Why would anyone recognize you? What- ah….." Adriana closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Of course, it all makes sense now.

Why would anyone recognize him? She made sure that her children are safe from the public. So unless he meant Noah, there is no way anyone would tell who he is.

She knew something was wrong from that time they had a video call.

She covered her mouth and looked at her son. She then brought him into a hug. "J-James. Baby, is it what I think it is?"

"The album in your office." He replied.

He wouldn't have found it by chance... he was definitely being sneaky….

Adriana didn't know, but she started crying. She couldn't believe it. This is not how she wanted her son to find out. When the moment came she wanted to tell it to her kids herself. This did not sit right with her.

"Tell me, did you want to see him?"

James nodded his head slowly.

"Okay." She smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Mommy, please don't be mad at me."

"Don't feel guilty, yeah? Baby, I'm not mad. I understand."

"Are you sure you're not mad?" He asked while he wiped his tears with his hands. "I'm not. If not, I'm sorry that you found out this way. And I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you earlier."

She lifted her thump and wiped his tears away. She then stood up and fetched her phone.

After wiping her own tears away, she took a deep breath while she waited for the other person to answer her call.

"Hello?"

James who heard the voice from the phone nervously fidgeted with his fingers.

"Where are you?"

"In the lobby, why is something wrong?"

"No, can you stay there for a few more minutes? Just stay there and then you can leave."

"Okay, are you coming down?"

"No, I'll head to work after you." After that, Adriana hung up and picked up James.

"Mommy…?"

It confused James when she brought him into the elevator. They stopped behind a plant, and she pointed in a certain direction.

"Is that who you wanted to see?" She asked in a soft voice.

With a whimper, he nodded his head and hugged her.

Wow, so that's the man who he had wanted to meet all his life? He had to admit; they shared a lot of facial features. It made him wonder if he would look like him when he grew up.

It made James excited, his heart was beating fast, and he had the urge to run to his father and ask many questions. But he knew he couldn't do that, at least not yet.

"Mhmm…."

"I'm sorry." She rubbed his back and apologized. It broke her heart seeing him like this.

She was glad that James could at least see his father, even if it were from a far distance.

This is her fault, isn't it? She's making her children suffer, and for what?

Her revenge.

But what is she supposed to do? Let it all go? As if nothing happened? As if the woman won't try to harm her children if she lets Noah know about their existence? No, she would never risk that.

"It's not safe, baby. I promise I'll make it faster so you can meet your dad, you and Aria. I promise." She swore to stay away from Noah, but now she had broken the promise she made to herself early on.

She felt terrible for it for different reasons. She felt like she was going to end up hurting him more now since her focus is her revenge and not the feelings between them.

She should at least try for her children. Even if she's afraid of getting hurt again, as long as it's for her children, it doesn't really matter.

What she did yesterday was crazy, it really was, but she wasn't on her right mind at that moment. This morning she woke up, and she thought it through. What happened yesterday is an advantage for her and she would use it.

Still, it pained her to act like this. And yet it would never stop that fire burning within her, the desire to rip someone's throat out. The anger she had cultivated would not go to waste.

How could someone be so cruel? What did she do to deserve such cruelty and hatred? And why should she just swallow it and move on as if what happened didn't? Why should she forgive when they haven't even apologized for their sins?

She would never give up. Even if she would have to shed tears, flesh, and blood. It does not matter.

She had suffered way too much.

"I understand." James hugged her tightly and smiled. "Thank you, mommy. I just wanted to see him. I understand it's not safe yet."

Adriana picked him up and carried him back inside the hotel. She thanked him in her heart for being such a mature son despite his young age.

She sat him down on the couch and smiled.

Her son is so strong.

"Do you want to stay here with your sister?" She asked.

"Can I?"

"Of course you can. We will go back home in a few days so we can make use of it. I can take you and your sister on a ride to look at the city. We can go to the park. We can do anything you'd like. I know it might not make up for the missed opportunity of meeting your father, but we can spend it together as a family."

"I would love that mommy. I really missed you."

"I missed you too, son."

"Can you tell me more about him later?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Okay now, I have to go to work so you have to stay with Caroline."

"Okay, mommy." James kissed her cheek and smiled. That was enough for him, seeing his father was enough.

He had his mommy, and that's what mattered to him. He had his sister too.

And he was happy with them.

'I met my father!' He thought he couldn't believe him. he understood it was not safe yet but he still had the greed to see his father just once more.