I take a step into my apartment tossing the heels off my feet. Today was a long day and I'm tired. I hear sounds from the living room and that is enough proof to know the boys are still up. I hope their day was better than mine.

"Finally you're back," Mia said looking up her from her phone to take a glance at me. I would have liked a nice, warm smile. "What was keeping you in the office this time?"

"It was a really busy day, there was an emergency." I look around trying to find any sign of Grace. "Where's Grace?"

"Did you think she was going to spend the whole day with her grandchildren? "She asked dropping her phone giving me her full attention.

"Um...yes?"

"Well no." She corrected walking to the kitchen and I follow behind her. "She had work to do and had to leave. Not everyone is jobless like me you know?"

"Mia," I start massaging my temples. "Being on maternity leave doesn't mean you are jobless."

"Jobless in the sense that I have nothing interesting to do." She explained opening up the fridge. "Oh yeah, I got you some groceries."

"Thank you." I smile noticing the groceries bags that she didn't bother to unpack. "I'll make sure to repay you."

"You don't have to." She shrugged taking a yogurt out of the fridge. "I used up all the money in the swear jar." She smiled pointing at the swear jar.

"Nicely played." I clap staring at the now empty jar sitting on one of the kitchen stools "That was smart I'll give you that, but you know the majority of the money in there was yours."

"Ah, shit that's true." She whispered to herself and I raise a brow. "I don't get why I have to obey this stupid rule." She groaned shoving a five-dollar bill inside the jar.

"Are you okay?" She asked noticing my mood. "You aren't giddy as usual, not that you are giddy daily. You just look sad, like I just heard my dog died kind of sad."

I'm not sad why should I be sad. I've finally got what I wanted after wishing for this all these years. He's finally back from where ever he ran off to. I'm happy where am at right now, I have Liam, Mia, Shelly and Midge, and so much more. I've got a whole lot of people who make me happy every day. I just never thought that seeing him again would get me this affected.

Ever since Ethan stepped into my office, my mind was replaying that event all over again. It hurts so much then and now it hurt more than ever. Just thinking about all this is enough to cause heartache.

"I'm fine." I clear my throat sitting up to get the fruit bar not so far from me. " Less talking about me. How was your day?"

"The same as always." She sighs leaning on the island. "Craving weird combinations of foods, feeling lazy and watching some Netflix, reading about dinosaurs and found out that you are a living proof of their existent." I throw my half-eaten fruit bar at her but unfortunately, she catches it and takes a bite from it.

I don't know but she becomes quiet all of a sudden. "What's the problem, Mia"

"There's something I have to tell you?" She mumbles walking over taking a seat beside me.

"What is the problem?" I asked not likening where this is going. "Did anything happen to Liam? Did he get in a fight?"

"No, no he was a good kid today." She holds my hand trying to calm me down. That boy has a bad temper and it's not me he got it from. "Mom was going to tell you but with her leaving she decided that I should be the one to tell you that..."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is okay." She nods letting go of my hand just to pick up a banana. "Ethan called a few days ago and he said he'll be coming back from wherever he vanished to. We didn't believe him at first but last night he came over for dinner. He's back."

"Oh." I sigh letting out the breath I was holding in. I thought it was something important like Matt fell sick or something.

"You don't look surprised." She pointed out biting into the banana. I just shrugged looking down to play with my fingers. "Why aren't you surprised."

"He was going to come back eventually," I say picking up a banana for myself too.

"You knew he was back didn't you?" She said her lips lifting upward to a smirk.

"He did come to my office today." I nod not denying anything. "I think he has moved on."

"That's impossible Dora he can't move on just like that," Mia whispered in disbelief.

"Well, he did." I snapped hitting my hand on the island table. "He moved on; he has a daughter almost the same age as Liam if not older.

Mia's face paled instantly but she quickly recovers "My brother is an asshole. You truly don't deserve him."

"Thanks." I wiped off the tears that escape from my eyes. "But you still have to pay up."

"I will hug you but I have to finish this banana." She takes another bite smirking and I let a small smile escape. "And for the swear jar, I just gave it my last dollar."

"Then you have to stop swearing, you are becoming a mother again. I pointed out as she took the half-eaten banana that I had forgotten about from my hand.

"Are you going to let him know about Liam?" She asked changing the topic and I tense up all of a sudden.

"What no, why would I do that," I say instantly standing up from the stool. "He doesn't deserve someone like Liam in his life."

"Well, he needs to know that he has a child and Liam needs a father, he needs someone who would love him the same way you do." She explained calmly.

"David loves him, Charlie loves him, Jacob loves him, Matt loves him, Grace loves him, Shelly loves him, Dad loves him, Midge loves him, for crying out loud you love him too! I could list more people if you want."

"But we don't love him the way you do." She snaps trying to some sense into my thick skull. "The only person that can show him that kind of love is Ethan. Aren't you tired of dressing up like a man when all those father and son's programs come up? Don't take Ethan away from him because of your problems."

"I didn't take Ethan away from him! He left, Mia! He left!" My voice choked up as tears run down my face. "Liam doesn't need Ethan in his life, he doesn't need someone who would walk away without any form of goodbye. Ethan hurt me deeply when he did that to me, so don't blame me for trying to protect my son!"

"I'm so sorry Dora." She apologizes looking down but I didn't miss the tears in her eyes. " I'm truly sorry. It's not your fault at all."

Great I made a pregnant woman cry.

I turn to the living room to see Jojo and Liam fast asleep on the sofa. The show they were watching was still drowning down the noise that came from me and Mia. They look so adorable. I'm just glad that my shouting didn't wake them up. I don't like shouting around Liam, I don't want him to ever see that, he already has a temper and I don't want him to think I approve of it.

"No, I'm sorry," I said letting out a deep breath sitting back down beside her. "Ever since I saw him today, I'm being constantly reminded that he left me and you bringing this up just got me mad."

"I didn't know you felt this way." She whispered looking guilty.

"Don't worry about it, it's my problem, not yours." I smile nudging her a bit which makes her chuckle. "David's running late today."

"Already want to get rid of me? Am I that much of a nuisance?" She says but I know she teasing me.

"You have been getting into my nerves lately," I smirked picking up the last banana before she could reach for it. "I'm just joking, I was thinking about dropping you off instead of him picking you up."

"You don't have to do that at all." She smiles snatching the banana from me. "I'm sure he is on his way here."

"It's the least I can do for you." I stand up and walk towards the fridge. "It's almost eight."

"Even though I agree who is going to look over Liam?"

"Charlie can babysit him for a while." I pull out some leftover pasta that Mia made. "Or we can even take him with us."

Just as Mia was about to respond the doorbell rang. I dropped the bowl of pasta and walked to the door to open it. I suspected it was David and I was right.

"Hey, Dora," David said and I move aside for him to come in.

"How are you doing?" I asked closing the door behind him.

"It was good thank you." He smiles down at me.

"Hey, baby!" Mia shouts from the kitchen. David walks over to his wife and pecks her lightly before taking a huge bite from the banana she was eating. "Hey that's was mine."

"I was hungry." He put his hand up in surrender walking to the living room where the children were.

"But there's a bowl of mac right there." She murmured to herself looking down at her fruit.

"Thanks so much for taking care of her. I hope she wasn't a problem." David asked from where he was.

"Nah, I should be thanking you guys." I smiled at him going back to my pasta.

"Well, we should hit the road now," Mia said tossing the banana in the bin. "I got to do some stretches and yoga and hunting. I need to find a few stuff and can't remember I last put it."

"I'm sure whatever you are looking for is laying around somewhere." I hand her her purse making sure everything is in there."

"I tucked Liam in, so you don't have to bother about carrying him," David says walking toward us with Jojo in his arm.

"You didn't have to do any of that I can manage." I thanked him.

"No problem." He smiled.

"Bye Dora." Mia pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, I almost forgot. Mom invited you for lunch this Sunday."

"I'll be there," I promised as she released me.

"See you on Sunday," David says before he leaves.

As soon as they are gone I head back to the kitchen to heat my dinner. There is nothing better than heated up leftovers on a Friday night. I sit on one of the sofas in the living room and go through the channels until one catches my eyes.

"The unexpected return of Ethan King is what everyone is talking about." The reporter says.

"How long has it been Tamara? Three years?" The other reporter asked.

"Four years." I scoffed stuffing my mouth with pasta.

"Well, Georgie, this young multibillionaire went missing on his wedding day and since then no one has any idea where he's been. I wonder what he has been through these years."

"I don't know what he has been doing or what has happened this last couple of years he's been gone, but boy did that man come back hotter than hell."

"Tell me about it?" I rolled my eyes.

"You, know one thing I wonder, Tamara?"

"No, what is it?"

"Off all days to go MIA, why his wedding day?" I could feel my inside bubbling up with anger. "I mean, what did she do wrong that she had to go through that public embarrassment ."

"We don't know for sure what had happened but an inside source informed us that they were having a problem with their relationship before the big day and he couldn't stand it."

"We were perfectly fine!" I say with tears at the brim of my eyes. "What stupid inside source told you that? We were perfectly fine." I let the tears slip out of my eyes.

I wipe off the tears that managed to escape my eyes. I'm not going to cry over him again today. I've moved on and I'm way better without him in my life. I don't need him. Look how far I've made it without him.

"Ethan King-"

"That's enough TV for one night," I whisper to myself placing the remote on the coffee table. I pick up my empty plate and head back to the kitchen.

I look at the fridge and smile. It's full of drawings that Liam and Jojo did. I put the dishes in the dishwasher and put all the groceries that Mia bought where they belong. Once I was done I went to Liam's room to check on him.

Looking at him sleeping peacefully reminded me of my conversation with Mia. I don't want Liam to grow up without a father figure. No matter how many times I deny it, I know he needs a real father. Not someone that will leave unexpectedly and I'm not sure Ethan can be that father he needs.

Does Liam deserve a father in his life?

Hell yeah.

Does Ethan deserve a son in his life?

Of course, he does.

The real question is if Liam deserves the pain I want through.

I glance over at Liam once more. I put off his light, giving his night light a chance to shine. I gently close the door and head to my room.

Today was a hell of a day. I hope tomorrow is better.



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So I have been trying to find time to update as much as I can. Life has been pretty hectic for me these days. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Just so you know the next chapter would be in Ethan's POV. Y'all probably wondering what's going on in his mind.

Please vote and comment.

Love you all!💗💗💗

Jo.