The shrill scream of Ivy's alarm echoed in the quiet apartment, but she was already awake—eyes wide, heart racing. She lay on her side, one arm curled protectively around Leo as he breathed softly beside her. The old radiator hissed near the window, casting faint shadows that danced like ghosts across the ceiling.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
Again.
She shut it off without a word and gently eased out of bed.
In the kitchen, Ivy gripped the counter and stared at the chipped edge of her coffee mug. It read "Best Mom Ever", a cheap gift from a dollar store—but one Leo had chosen with wide eyes and sticky fingers.
"Mommy," a voice yawned behind her. "Are bad people coming?"
Her chest squeezed.
Leo stood there in his dinosaur pajamas, rubbing his eyes. She crouched down, forcing a smile.
"No, baby. Not as long as I'm here."
He nodded like he understood everything and nothing at all.
By the time she dropped him off at daycare, Ivy had practiced her breathing a hundred times, her steps careful, her face unreadable.
I won't let the past touch him. Not him.
But deep down, a seed of doubt had cracked open.
Downtown Manhattan – Thorne Enterprises
The skyline glittered like a crown outside Aiden's floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, his office was a museum of minimalism—cold, immaculate, and expensive.
Richard, his private investigator, placed a file on the desk. "You were right."
Aiden didn't answer immediately. He flipped through the contents. A hospital report. A blurred photograph. A birth certificate.
Leo Reyes.
Mother: Ivy Reyes.
No father listed.
"Paid everything in cash," Richard said. "Used a different name. No known address at the time. But she resurfaced three years ago—started working under her real name. No paper trail before that."
Aiden's fingers stopped on a park photo. Leo was laughing, mid-run, a balloon in one hand, joy lighting up his face.
His eyes.
Aiden swallowed, jaw clenching.
He looked like... him.
Richard continued, "Do you want to initiate contact?"
Aiden stared at the picture a moment longer, then shut the file.
"Not yet. Find out everything. Where she lives. Who she talks to. I want eyes on her, but I don't want her to know."
Richard nodded and left.
Aiden leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, where a faint crack split the paint—like a warning. He hadn't realized until now how much silence weighed when it came with a child's laugh you didn't know was yours.
Maddie's Apartment – Late Afternoon
Ivy sat on the couch, legs tucked beneath her, hands curled around a warm mug she didn't drink from. Across from her, Maddie studied her with narrowed eyes.
"You're scaring me," Maddie said softly. "You've been off for days."
Ivy exhaled shakily. "You remember when I said I didn't know who Leo's father was?"
Maddie's expression changed in an instant—her guard up. "Yeah."
"I lied."
The silence was sharp.
"I knew who he was. I always knew. I was just... too scared to say it out loud."
Maddie sat down slowly. "Who?"
Ivy hesitated, her throat tight. "Aiden Thorne."
Maddie blinked. "You mean Aiden-freaking-Thorne, the CEO of Thorne Enterprises?"
Ivy nodded.
"You slept with him?"
"It was one night. I didn't even know who he was at first." She stared into her tea. "And when I found out... when I found out I was pregnant, he was gone. I had nothing. No number. No name. And by the time I realized who he really was, it was too late."
Maddie stood, walking toward the window, processing.
"Ivy... you went through everything alone. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid." Her voice cracked. "Afraid he'd find out. That he'd take Leo. And that if I said it out loud, it would make it real."
Maddie turned, her expression softening. "You should've trusted me."
"I know. I'm sorry."
After a moment, Maddie came back and pulled Ivy into a hug. "Okay. Then let's figure out what to do next. Together."
Nightfall
The hallway was quiet when Ivy returned home. The flickering bulb above her door buzzed like a warning. She reached into her bag for her keys—then froze.
A white envelope sat on her doormat.
No stamp. No address.
She picked it up with shaking fingers and stepped inside, locking the door behind her twice.
Inside the envelope was a single sheet of cream stationery. The words were typed in clean, black ink.
You knew this day would come, Ivy. He has your eyes. That's how I knew.
You can't hide him anymore.
Ivy's breath hitched.
No name. No return address.
Just the sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, and Leo's soft laughter drifting in from his room.