Chapter 3 Baby missed

Erin's POV:

"This is a news report. Today, the pharmaceutical company opened by the Thomas family in Varedo will officially be completed. Kai, heir to the Thomas family, will attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony today."

"Mommy, you burned the eggs again."

The crisp voice pulled my wandering thoughts back.

I looked down and found that the originally golden eggs had turned black, giving off a burnt smell.

Harrison beside me pouted, staring at me with a resentful expression.

I nonchalantly scooped the eggs from the pan with a spatula, put them on a plate, and pushed it in front of Harrison.

"Baby, eat up."

Harrison stared with wide eyes, looking at the eggs with disgust.

"Mommy! They're burnt! Why don't you eat them yourself!"

I shrugged helplessly. "Because mommy's are burnt too."

"..."

Harrison was speechless.

My gaze drifted to the TV. I casually picked up the remote and turned it off, plunging that familiar figure from the press conference into darkness.

"Eat quickly. After you finish, mommy will take you to kindergarten."

I saw Harrison poking at the eggs with his fork and reached out to ruffle his hair, urging him.

Five years ago, I escaped in the sound of Dad's gunshots. I didn't dare go back.

I originally planned to return after my brother came back a month later, but then I discovered I was pregnant.

The Perez family would never tolerate me giving birth to a stranger's child. So for Harrison's sake, I fled to Varedo. This wasn't Perez family territory. I settled down here.

"Mommy, can I not go to kindergarten?" Harrison asked me.

I tapped his head. "You little kid, if you don't go to kindergarten properly, what do you want to do?"

Harrison complained, "Kindergarten is too easy. I think I could go straight to Junior High School!"

I fell silent. Harrison's intelligence far exceeded his peers. Regular kindergarten was no longer suitable for him.

"I'll seriously consider your suggestion, but for now you still need to go to kindergarten," I told Harrison.

Before sending Harrison into school, I told him that Aunt Jane from next door would pick him up after school tonight.

"Mommy's club has important clients to receive. I might get off work late."

Harrison was used to this.

It wasn't until I stood at the entrance greeting guests that I realized the important client the manager mentioned yesterday might be Kai!

He was more handsome than five years ago. I stood at the back of the line, secretly observing him.

I prayed he wouldn't recognize me!

My heart couldn't help but feel bitter. If not for what happened five years ago, I should have married him already.

If Kai knew I was here, the Perez family would know too! Then Harrison would be in danger.

Fortunately, I was just an ordinary instructor now. The manager kept the senior instructors for Kai to choose from.

Just as I was quickly walking to the door, Kai called out my name.

"Erin Perez."

I stopped abruptly, my body stiffening.

It was too late to run. I watched Kai slowly walk in front of me, blocking my path.

I took a deep breath and gave him an awkward smile.

"Kai, long time no see."

Kai smiled, gentle and warm just like five years ago.

"Let Erin be my riding instructor," Kai told the manager.

The manager looked troubled and wanted to persuade him.

"Mr. Kai, you don't know. Erin is currently just an ordinary instructor. She can't serve clients like you..."

"Use Erin," Kai insisted.

When Kai recognized me, I felt terrible. I didn't know what he wanted to say to me.

About what happened five years ago, I always felt I had wronged him.

As his fiancée, I had slept with another man.

I was too careless, falling for Gloria's trap like that, destroying so many years of our relationship.

I introduced Kai to some situations at the club, trying to avoid him bringing up personal matters.

But Kai interrupted me.

"Erin, I never expected you to be in Varedo."

It seemed unavoidable that we needed to catch up. I sighed.

I resisted talking about what happened five years ago. Even though I didn't regret giving birth to Harrison, I had indeed betrayed him.

"Why didn't you go back? Your brother and father have been looking for you for five years."

Go back? How could I go back? Home was full of dangers. Kai had broken off our engagement. My life was already a mess.

The only person I missed was my brother. Thinking about how suddenly I left, not even having time to say a word to him, my heart was filled with sadness.

And Dad, under stepmother Hilda's manipulation, no longer cared about me.

"I'm living well now."

I avoided his question, my voice somewhat hoarse.

"Well?" Kai stepped forward, getting closer to me. "Hiding in this kind of place, being an ordinary riding instructor. You're the princess of the Perez family! I'll call your brother right now and have him come pick you up."

"No!" I turned around sharply, my face pale. "Don't tell them!"

Kai raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by my intense reaction.

"You're afraid?"

I looked at his probing eyes, knowing there was no point in hiding anymore. Rather than let him ask around, I might as well be honest.

I took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"I can't go back because I gave birth to a son."

Kai's face immediately turned ugly. He couldn't accept this fact.

"A son?"

"Yes, from that night five years ago, that... stranger's."

I avoided his gaze, my voice dropping.

I knew I had hurt him.

I didn't want to get entangled with him anymore. I turned and walked away.

"Sorry, Mr. Kai, I have something to do. I'll have another instructor continue showing you around."

I had the manager arrange a new instructor for Kai and took leave.

Sitting on the bus, my heart was still pounding wildly.

Kai knew I was here, which meant the Perez family would find me soon. Varedo was no longer safe.

I had to take Harrison and leave immediately, find a city where no one knew us and start over.

The bus slowly stopped at the kindergarten entrance. I had just gotten off when I was stunned by the scene before me.

Five black luxury cars lined up in a row, imposing and intimidating. The middle one was clearly a Rolls-Royce, obviously not something ordinary people could own.

The elementary school Harrison attended was for people living in this area. This was the poor district of Varedo. How could there be such wealthy students here?

Just as I was lost in thought, those luxury cars slowly drove away.

I suppressed my doubts and quickly walked toward the kindergarten gate.

As soon as I reached the entrance, I saw Harrison's teacher Linda running out in panic, her face full of anxiety.

When she saw me, she grabbed me, her voice tearful.

"Erin! Something terrible happened! Harrison was taken away!"

"What?" I was thunderstruck, my mind instantly blank.