Flashback

~LUCAS~

After leaving the room that I shared with Katerina.I headed to the guest room to have some alone time. I couldn't find it in my heart to share the same space with Katerina after finding out what she did four years ago.

It felt like I didn't know her anymore. She felt like a stranger to me even though I have known her my whole life. All I wanted was the truth from her but she was still lying on my face and that made me feel like a fool. Why was she denying the truth while all the evidence was pointing at her?

I thought Katerina cared about me, or so I believed. In all the people in this world, I never expected that Katerina would hurt me the most. We grew up together, played together and did many things together. We were like twins even though we didn't share the same parents. Katerina knows the pain that I have gone through while growing up. She knows me more than I know myself. She has been there for me in the darkest days of my life, giving me hope and encouraging me not to give up. Katerina is like a sibling that I never had, always looking out for me.

Why would she hurt me in such away? I still couldn't wrap my head around it. I didn't want to believe that Katerina would tear my heart into a million pieces. A frustrated sigh escaped my lips when I gave it a thought.

My train of thoughts was interrupted when my phone on the sidebed table rang. I couldn't help it but frown when I realised it was a video call.

' Who might be video calling me this late?' I question myself. Heaving a deep sigh, I received the video call.

" Hello daddy?" Liam's joyous voice came from the other side of the phone and his face popped on the screen.

" I'm sorry about this, Lucas. I know it's late and I shouldn't be calling you at this time but…I just couldn't help it because Liam insisted that I call you. He wants to say goodnight to you." Monalisa explained. I looked at the little boy on the screen who had the same blue eyes and hair colour as mine. My lips curved into a smile when I stared at his little cute face.

" It's okay. If it involves my son, you can call me anytime. As his father, I'll always have time for him no matter how busy my schedule is." I explained calmly. I didn't want Liam to think that I didn't value him. I wanted him to know that he can count on me to be there for him in any circumstances. Even if my schedule is fixed, I'll always find a way to make time for him…

" Come on champ, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" I said playfully and he giggled. God, I can't imagine I missed this for the past four years.

" I wanted to tell you goodnight daddy. Are you coming to be with mommy and I?" He asked and I could feel the sadness in his voice. I was quiet for a while because his words were too heavy on me. Liam reminded me more of myself when I was a little boy. I could tell that something was already broken inside him and it would take time to repair it.

" I would love to champ but…it's already late." I watched as the happiness on his face faded away and it was replaced with sadness. I wanted to wipe away the sadness from his face but I didn't know how to. I didn't want to see him sad. I wanted him to be happy.

" Okay…" He said in a low voice, clearly disappointed. My heart ached inside my chest when I saw his reaction, reminding me of how sad I used to be whenever my father left for business trips. He used to leave me under the care of Mr Andrew, our butler. Even though Mr Andrew cared about me so much, I still craved for father-son love which I never received my entire life because my dad was a workaholic. He used work as an escapism to reality.

I heaved a deep sigh when the memories of my childhood replayed in my head. The broken little boy was still in there, buried deep inside me. I stared at Liam and my lips curved into a smile.

" I promise you that everything is going to be fine really soon. What about I tell you a bedtime story?" I suggested, trying my best to cheer him up.

" Yes! I would like you to tell me a bedtime story. I always listen to mommy's old same story every single night." Liam's eyes sparkled and I couldn't help it but smile. He looked so happy as though he wasn't sad just a few minutes ago.

He laid back on the bed and I began to tell him one of the stories that my mother used to tell me when I was little. I watched as he slowly drifted into a deep slumber with a smile on his face and my heart warmed up.

" Thank you for helping me out him to sleep." Monalisa said in appreciation, brushing hair from Liam's little face. I stared at the sleeping boy in admiration. He looked peaceful with his eyes closed.

" You don't need to thank me for anything because this is my responsibility as Liam's father. I know it's almost impossible to make up for the past four years that I have been missing in his life." I went quiet for a second, the words too heavy for me to say. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I stared at the sleeping boy.

" I promise that I'll try my best to be there for him whenever he needs me…" I said in a bold voice, determined to give it my best. The dad thing is new to me. I don't know how to go about it because I was caught off guard. Growing up in a broken family and having a father who was always distant didn't help that much. However, one thing is for sure. I'll try my best to make sure that I become the best version of it…

____________

I sat at the edge of the bed in the guest room, my mind wandering around. The image of my son's sad face never left my mind.I didn't want my son to go through the hardship that I went through while growing up. That's why I was trying to do the right thing, to give him a complete family that I never had.

FLASHBACK

It was in the evening,the third day of my business trip in Xion city. I was exhausted since I had come from a six hour meeting with our company partner. I was heading to the parking lot to get into my car and head straight to the hotel to have a good rest. On my way to the parking lot, I bumped into someone…

Slowly, I raised my head to check whom I had bumped into so that I could apologise but I froze instead.I expected the person that I had bumped into to be a stranger. However, I was perplexed when I realised that she was Monalisa Mackenzie, my runaway bride, and she was holding a little boy's hand.

The memories of four years ago came back rushing in my head, awakening the pain that I had buried deep inside my heart four years ago. I remembered how Monalisa stood me up on the altar for hours like a fool. The anger of the past surfaced and I fisted my hands into a tight balls.

All I wanted to know was why she did what she did four years ago. I didn't care to know where she was living, who she was living with or what she has been doing for the past four years. I didn't care to know whom the little boy belonged to. The only thing that I wanted to know was why she ran away without telling me anything because I have been questioning myself for the past four years but I have never been able to get answers.

I needed some sort of closure…

Without hesitation,I asked her the question directly without beating around the bushes. She explained to me the reason why she did what she did and I was surprised with her explanations.

Monalisa told me that she had to run away to protect our baby because Katerina threatened to harm them if she gets married to me. I refused to believe her and defended Katerina, knowing too well that she would never do such a thing.

Monalisa showed me a proof of the message but still I didn't believe her. I asked a friend who is an expert in technology to investigate the text message just to make sure that Monalisa's claims were true.

And...I was disappointed when I found out that indeed the text message came from Katerina's phone, the same date that our wedding was supposed to happen.

" If you dare to get married to Lucas Thompson, I'll kill you together with the child that you're carrying. You only have one option if you want your baby to survive, disappear and never show your face ever again. Don't worry about Lucas, I'll marry him in your place and make him happy." The message read.

I never thought that Katerina would do such a thing. Not even in my wildest dreams. I trusted Katerina with my everything. I believed that she would never do anything to harm me but…just like everyone else. She disappointed me.

As much as I didn't want to accept it, the evidence was right in front of my eyes and I couldn't deny it. I asked Monalisa for a DNA test just to be sure that the son she was claiming to be mine was really my flesh and blood. I searched for the doctor that I could trust and we did the DNA test. The results came out positive, meaning Liam is really my son.

I felt like a total failure because I never knew he existed. I felt like the worst dad that has ever existed in history. I grew up in a broken family and I didn't want my child to go through the same hardship. A deep sigh escaped my lips when the memories flashed in my head.

" I promise you that I'll be a good dad to you, son.I'll give you a complete family." I muttered under my breath….