Chapter Sixteen

A couple of months later, the living room of Ethan's apartment is full of energy. Mae and Kate are engaged in a deep conversation when Ethan casually strolls down the stairs.

"Mom, I'm so happy!" Mae exclaims, a beaming smile on her face.

"I'm glad to hear that!" Kate replies, returning the smile.

"I never realized being a mom could be so exciting!" Mae adds, her enthusiasm evident.

"Hey, ladies!" Ethan calls out.

"Hi, Ethan!" Kate waves at him.

"It's good to see you again," Ethan says, planting a kiss on Kate's cheek.

"Right back at you," Kate smiles warmly.

"I wish I could stay longer, but Shaun's waiting for me at the office," Ethan says reluctantly.

"That's fine!" Kate responds, and Mae rises from her seat.

"Just make sure you give him what he deserves," Mae says with a playful wink.

"Will do," Ethan replies, giving Mae a kiss goodbye.

"See you soon, love!" Mae smiles as Ethan exits, the door clicking shut behind him.

"He's such a great son-in-law," Kate says as she settles back onto the couch.

"Way too great," Mae mutters quietly.

"Have you told your dad about the baby yet?" Kate asks gently.

"He doesn't need to know," Mae replies, crossing her arms.

"Mae, no matter how mad you are at him, he's still going to be the baby's granddad," Kate insists.

"I love him, Mom, but I need space to heal," Mae explains.

"Of course, you love him. You could never hate your dad—he adores you," Kate says.

"He's doing just fine without me," Mae mutters.

"You both are so stubborn! Why not just admit you miss each other and patch things up?" Kate suggests.

"We're both Wilsons for a reason," Mae shrugs.

"Fair point!" Kate laughs.

"Anyway, how are Dad and Camilla?" Mae asks, changing the subject.

"I actually came by because of Camilla," Kate replies.

"Is everything okay with her?" Mae asks, concern creeping into her voice.

"Nothing's wrong with your sister. It's just that Liam's struggling to find a job, and we're trying to cover Camilla's tuition," Kate explains.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Mae asks, surprised.

"I didn't want you to think I was just asking for money," Kate admits.

"Mom, you can always ask for help from me," Mae reassures her.

"Not everyone feels that way, sweetie," Kate replies.

"I don't care what anyone else thinks," Mae says firmly.

"You're the best daughter any mom could ask for," Kate says, wrapping Mae in a hug.

"I know," Mae grins, and they both chuckle.

"I should head back and tell Liam the news," Kate says, standing up.

"Can't you stay a bit longer?" Mae pleads.

"I wish I could, but we need to sort out those bills," Kate says.

"I can help with that!" Mae offers.

"You've already done enough, darling. Liam and I can handle the rest," Kate assures her.

"But I—"

"Mae, I know you want to help, but trust me, you've done enough," Kate interrupts gently.

"Fine, I'll wire you some money by tomorrow," Mae concedes.

"I need to go now," Kate says with a sigh.

"Sure thing," Mae replies, forcing a smile.

"I'll bring Camilla next time," Kate promises as she heads toward the door.

"Tell her I love her!" Mae calls after her.

"I will! Bye, Mae," Kate says before disappearing outside.

"Maybe if I convince myself she loves me, I can actually believe it," Mae thinks, her mind spinning.

As Kate steps outside Ethan's apartment, she's startled to find him leaning casually against the wall.

"Ethan—what a surprise!" she exclaims.

"Coffee?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, what?" she responds, puzzled.

"Do you want coffee?" he clarifies with a grin.

"Sure," she laughs nervously.

"Let's go," he says, leading the way.

At MARS Café, Ethan and Kate sit by the window. Ethan has a steaming latte, while Kate sips a glass of orange juice. The air between them feels heavy as thoughts race through Kate's mind. Her hands are clammy, and she avoids looking Ethan in the eye.

"Is something wrong with the juice?" Ethan asks, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Kate responds, startled.

"Is the juice okay?" he asks again.

"Yeah, it's really good," she replies with a shaky smile.

"Glad to hear it," he says warmly.

"Why did you bring me here?" Kate asks, finally breaking the tension.

"I want the real story, and I think you're the one who can tell me," Ethan says seriously.

"What do you want to know?" she asks.

"Why does Mae's dad dislike you?" he asks, his voice steady.

"Hasn't Mae filled you in on what happened?" she replies, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't remind someone who's trying to heal about old wounds," he answers, his tone soft.

"Do you really want to know?" she asks hesitantly.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't," he insists.

"I met Liam after college. We started dating, and things got serious quickly. He worked for the Blackwood family, and was really important to them. But he went too far with some things, and one day it backfired," Kate begins, her voice steady but heavy with memory.

"What do you mean 'went too far'?" Ethan asks, intrigued.

"He had a risky business idea, and things spiraled when he involved the wrong people for money. He lost his job, sold everything to pay his partners back, but they still weren't satisfied," she explains.

"Who wasn't satisfied?" he presses.

"His partners—they wanted more after draining him dry. They started threatening him, and in desperation, he set me up with Caleb, a wealthy bachelor. I was against it at first, but when I saw Liam getting beaten by these men, I agreed," Kate says, her voice quivering.

"Take your time," Ethan urges softly.

"After a few months, Caleb and I started dating, and eventually, we got married. When Mae was born, I saved up enough for Liam and me, but I couldn't just leave her. Caleb wouldn't let me take Mae away either—he adored her," Kate continues, a small smile appearing on her face at the thought of Caleb's love for Mae.

"He really loves her," Ethan observes.

"I sent Liam the money I saved, telling him I'd stay a while longer. He paid his partners, but they wanted even more. So Liam asked me to stay for another two years, and I agreed because I couldn't leave Mae. Those men started demanding outrageous sums, and they followed me. Caleb, who was just supposed to be a 'nanny' in their eyes, was helping me," she explains, her voice thickening with emotion.

"That's why she went for therapy," Ethan realizes.

"You heard about that?" Kate asks, her eyes welling up.

"Kind of," he replies softly.

"What happened after therapy?" Ethan asks.

"Caleb sent Mae to boarding school after her eighth birthday, thinking it would be the best way to separate us. But Mae reached out again. I visited her, and one day, I saw a suspicious man hanging around her school," Kate remembers, her voice trailing off.

"Who was he?" Ethan interrupts.

"One of Liam's partners, Jake. He sent a man to pose as Mae's teacher. They planned to kidnap her," Kate says, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I couldn't let that happen. I urged Caleb to do something, which led me to sneak in drugs to Mae during my visits," she continues, the weight of the memory settling on her.

"Drugs?" Ethan exclaims, his eyes wide.

"Yes, just enough to get her out of school. It worked—she collapsed the day before they planned to take her," Kate recalls, frowning.

"Caleb thought Mae was using, so he put her in rehab to keep her safe. I didn't see her again until she was fifteen," Kate adds softly.

"That explains her anxiety disorder," Ethan notes, a touch of sympathy in his voice.

"Exactly," Kate sighs.

"I just want her to heal, especially since she's going to be a mom soon," Kate says, her voice full of concern.

"You really care for her," Ethan observes.

"Of course I do. Mae's been there for me, even when I didn't deserve it," Kate responds.

"If you care so much, why do you keep asking her for money?" Ethan asks.

"I don't want to, but we have no choice. Jake and his men are still after us," Kate replies, sounding defeated.

"Protecting one daughter doesn't mean you hurt the other," Ethan points out.

"You have no idea how hard it is to ask for money," Kate replies quietly.

"If there was another way, would you take it?" Ethan asks, his eyes serious.

"I just don't want to lose my family," she admits.

"Then you need to stop using Mae," he says firmly.

"How do you know it's using? This is survival!" Kate retorts.

"Sounds like a choice to me," Ethan responds coolly.

"Do you think you could have done better?" she challenges.

"I know I would have because I'd never hurt my child," he responds.

"If you had to choose between Mae and your own child, what would you do?" Kate presses.

"I'd never be put in that position because Mae wouldn't do that to me," Ethan answers without hesitation.

"I knew you were too perfect to be real," Kate scoffs.

"I'm not perfect," he insists.

"Right, but you seem to have all the answers," she quips.

"I've got a proposal for you," Ethan says, pulling a sleek black credit card from his jacket pocket.

"What kind of proposal?" she asks, intrigued.

"This card has a lot of money on it—enough to last you until Camilla finishes college. Take it, and don't ask Mae for money again," he says, sliding the card toward her.

"What's in it for you?" she asks, suspicion in her voice.

"I want to help Mae deal with her emotional baggage. She's about to have a baby, and she can't deal with your issues on top of that," Ethan says, his tone serious.

"This is generous, but money doesn't solve everything," Kate argues.

"There's more where that came from. If you need more, just come see me," he reassures her.

"Ethan, you're just an assistant," she laughs, still skeptical.

"This assistant has more money than the entire Wilson family combined. That card has a fortune on it. It can take care of Jake and his friends for good," he grins.

"I don't believe it," she scoffs.

"Why not check it out? The PIN is Mae's birthday," he suggests.

"What are you really after?" she presses.

"I want Mae to be happy and for you to be there for her—money's been the barrier," he explains.

"Are you paying me to be a good mom?" she scoffs.

"I'm asking you to get it together for your daughter," he repeats.

"What if I refuse your offer?" she challenges.

"Then I'll convince Mae to cut ties with you," he replies, a smug smile on his face.

"Don't flatter yourself—Caleb tried that, and look where it got him," she snaps.

"Funny, Bella said the same thing. Now she and Mae aren't friends anymore. You can test me if you want, but you wouldn't want to be without a safety net when Jake comes around," Ethan warns.

"Wow, you're worse than the devil," she says, incredulous.

"Is that a yes?" he asks, leaning back in his seat.

"Even if I wanted to say yes, Jake will still be a problem," she points out.

"I'll handle Jake, you focus on Mae," he offers.

"Why do you care so much?" she asks, confused.

"When you love someone, you go the extra mile for them," Ethan replies earnestly.

"Mae's lucky to have you," Kate admits.

"And I'm lucky to have her," he says sincerely.

"Thanks for being different," she says softly.

"Well, I have to go now. Appreciate you sharing," he says, standing up.

"Sure," Kate replies, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders.

"Bye, Mom," Ethan says before walking out.

"Mom…" she murmurs, looking down at the credit card in her hands. "Maybe with him around, she can finally heal and find closure," she thinks, a small glimmer of hope stirring inside her.