Chapter 1
As the shadows lengthened within the corridors of Harborview Hospital in Janctera City, the air in a particular room carried the antiseptic tang of cleanliness.
Sean Hamilton lay in his hospital bed, weakened by the steady drip of an IV. He turned his gaze to Nadine Scott, his mother, and whispered, “Mommy, I miss Daddy.”
Fever had flushed Sean’s cheeks, and his lips were pale and cracked.
Nadine responded with a gentle smile, her fingers tenderly caressing his forehead. “Sean, darling. Daddy is busy with work right now. But Mommy is here with you, okay?”
Nadine then moistened a cotton swab in warm water and delicately dabbed at Sean’s chapped lips.
But Sean’s insistence grew stronger. He shook his head, saying, “No! I want Daddy, I miss him. Mommy, can you please call Daddy and ask him to come?”
Tears welled in his eyes as he pleaded, and Nadine felt her resolve waver. Her heart wrenched knowing that tears would follow if she refused.
Nadine and Brad Hamilton had been married for five years, and for those five years, Brad had harbored nothing but hatred for her. His animosity even extended to Sean.
Even if she called, Brad wouldn’t come, and his absence would only deepen Sean’s disappointment.
But… Nadine couldn’t bring herself to deny Sean’s plea seeing his desperate eyes. Swallowing her own bitterness, she nodded. “Mommy will try, okay?”
Knowing full well Brad wouldn’t answer, Nadine still decided to try anyway. She couldn’t bear Sean’s hopeful gaze. Even if it meant humiliation, she wanted to fulfill his wish.
Sean’s eyes brightened as he watched her eagerly. Nadine steadied herself and mustered the courage to dial the number that she had memorized deep in her heart.
Even as she dialed Brad’s number, Nadine harbored no illusions about the outcome.
The phone rang persistently until it was unexpectedly answered.
“Who’s this?” A voice, familiar yet unwelcomed, cut through the line. “Don’t you know Brad is with me now? Why are you calling him? Brad, don’t move, let me kiss you!”
Nadine’s blood ran cold as she recognized Jean Sawyer, Brad’s first love. Her face turned ashen as if doused with icy water.
Five years ago, Adam Hamilton had married her to Brad as repayment for her favor toward the Hamilton family. But Brad never loved her. Even at their most intimate moments in bed, he called Jean’s name.
A chill ran through her fingers. Unable to bear the pain of hearing Jean’s voice, Nadine ended the call abruptly, her face drained of color.
Returning to Sean, she found him eagerly waiting for Brad’s response. “What did Daddy say?”
Nadine’s heart sank and was at a loss for words. She didn’t know how she should answer Sean. Should she shatter his innocence by telling him the truth that Daddy was together with his first love?
After a long while, she still couldn’t find a suitable excuse to pacify Sean. She bit her lower lip hard and avoided Sean’s gaze.
Sean, still feverish and weak, frowned when she didn’t answer him. “Mommy, did you not get through to Daddy?”
Sean was sick, so he desperately wanted Brad by his side.
Nadine bit down on her lip and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. However, she still didn’t know how to answer Sean’s question.
In the end, she offered a flimsy excuse, “Sweetie, Daddy’s busy, he might not have heard it.”
Sean wasn’t fooled. He tried to sit up, reaching to remove his fever patch. “Mommy, I miss Daddy. It’s okay if he can’t come. I just want to hear his voice,” he said.
Nadine quickly restrained his hand, a wave of sadness washing over her. If she had known it would come to this, she would never have married Brad, no matter how much the Hamilton family owed the Scott family.
Alas, there was no cure for regret in this world.
Sean saw Nadine stop him and didn’t try to remove the fever patch again.
He remained silent and just looked at her with wide, hopeful eyes. His understanding and maturity made Nadine’s heart ache.
Nadine clenched her teeth to hold back her tears as she made another attempt to call Brad. She put it on speaker, praying that no one would answer.
As long as the call went unanswered, Sean would eventually give up and stop asking for Brad.
But who would have thought—the call connected on the second ring.
“Hello.” Brad’s cold voice was distant and indifferent. “What is it?”
Sensing Nadine’s silence, Brad’s impatience grew. “Say something!”Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.
Nadine listened to the disdain in his voice and was completely at a loss for words. She wanted to hang up, but she didn’t want to see Sean’s disappointment.
As she hesitated, Sean chimed in, “Daddy, it’s me! I’m sick. Can you come to the hospital? I’m in Room 30 on the 16th floor in Harborview Hospital.”
Sean didn’t notice Brad’s impatience and was just thrilled to hear his voice.
He continued, “Daddy, I miss you so much. If you’re too busy, can we just do a video call? The other kids at school have their dads to pick them up every day, but I’m the only one who doesn’t.”
Upon hearing Sean’s plea, Brad paused briefly before replying, “Daddy is busy.”
Despite his disappointment, Sean waved at the phone. He said, “Okay, Daddy. Take care and don’t work too hard. Goodbye, Daddy.”
The call ended so quickly that Nadine’s heart broke as she hugged Sean. Brad’s indifference toward Sean was a bitter truth she couldn’t ignore.
Despite Brad’s hatred toward her, Sean was innocent. Otherwise, such a well-behaved and sensible child should have been the darling of the entire family.
As the medicine took effect, Sean fell asleep in her arms. Nadine carefully laid him down and tucked him in.
Resting her chin on her palm, Nadine’s gaze lingered on Sean’s face. It was so reminiscent of Brad’s.
She pondered, “Sean, would the Hamilton family treat us better if Mommy divorced Brad and let him stay with Jean?”
After the IV drip finished, Nadine called a nurse to remove the needle.
As she walked to the hallway to check the medical bill, she saw Brad approaching, flanked by bodyguards. Dressed in a sleek black suit, it accentuated his tall, perfectly proportioned figure, akin to that of a model.
Brad’s features were striking, with deep-set eyes that emitted a chilly aura of aloofness and pride. The depths in his gaze were unfathomably cold.
Beside Brad, clinging to his arm, was Jean who was dressed in white. She was extremely thin, her complexion glowing and nearly translucent.
Her petite face, about the size of a hand, was nestled against Brad’s arms with a frown.