Chapter 163

Chapter 163
Aiden's POV

At dinner, Aria's casual mention of "dividing his assets" shocked me. I looked up sharply, studying her face. She knows, too? The thought exploded in my mind like a firecracker, sending ripples of realization through me.

When our eyes met, an immediate, wordless understanding passed between us. She gave me the slightest nod, confirming my suspicions. Meanwhile, Oliver sat across from us, completely oblivious to our silent exchange. He was too busy using his fork to strategically push his carrots to the edge of his plate, hoping no one would notice his vegetable-avoidance tactics.

So Aria knows about Dad's condition too. If that's the case, maybe the three of us could work together on this. Even Oliver might be helpful, despite being the youngest. His wild ideas sometimes had a strange way of working out.

My gaze drifted to Mommy without thinking. She clearly didn't buy Aria's theory. She still had no clue what Dad really meant by giving her those shares. It wasn't some thank-you gift—Dad was getting ready to leave.

I wanted so badly to tell her the truth—that Dad was dividing his estate, that his sudden move had a heartbreaking reason behind it. But I knew those words needed to come from Dad himself. I just hoped Cedar was perceptive enough to notice something wasn't right before it was too late.

"Aiden, you're miles away tonight," Cedar's voice pulled me back to reality.

"Sorry, just thinking about a project issue," I lied quickly, then returned to my food.

After dinner, when Cedar went to take a shower, I seized the opportunity and quietly summoned Aria and Oliver to my room.

"Any guesses why I called this meeting?" I asked after closing the door, keeping my voice low.

Oliver shook his head, his large eyes blinking with curiosity. "Are we planning some kind of surprise?"

Aria perched on the edge of my desk chair, hands folded primly in her lap like a miniature executive. "It's about Dad, isn't it?"

I nodded, turning to her first. "You know about Dad's condition, don't you? How did you find out?"

Aria sighed—an expression that looked jarringly out of place on her six-year-old face. "I overheard Grandma on the phone a while back. She was discussing doctors and treatment options. That, plus what Mom said today... I put it together." She paused. "Dad's really sick, isn't he?"

"What? Dad's sick?" Oliver's eyes widened, his voice rising sharply.

"Shh, keep it down," I cautioned, kneeling down to place my hands on his shoulders. I tried to keep my voice steady as I explained: "Oliver, Dad is sick. Very sick. The doctors say... they say he doesn't have much time left."

The words felt like stones in my throat. Even though I'd known for days, saying it aloud made my chest constrict painfully.

Oliver's eyes immediately welled up, tears threatening to spill over. "No, that can't be right. Dad's so strong, how could he..."

"Shh, don't cry," Aria moved over and gently hugged him. "We have to be strong now."

I felt my own surge of grief, but I pushed it down. This wasn't the time for weakness. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage. "Listen, we all need to step up now. Oliver, you're a big boy too, right?"

Oliver fought back his sobs, wiping his eyes with his sleeve before nodding firmly. "Yes, I'm a big boy."

"Good," I continued. "We have an important mission: to bring Mom and Dad closer together."

"But they're already together," Oliver said, confused. "They see each other every day."

Aria rolled her eyes. "He means making them a real family, dummy."

"Exactly," I nodded. "Dad loves Mom—I'm certain of that. He invited her to live here, he's giving her shares in the company... those are all signs. But Mom probably doesn't know about Dad's illness yet. If... if Dad passes away and Mom only finds out afterward, she'll regret not spending these last months with him properly."

"So what do we do?" Aria asked. Her voice was surprisingly calm, though I could see the sadness in her eyes.

"We need to create opportunities for them to be together, and somehow help Mom discover the truth on her own," I explained. "But we have to be careful. We can't just tell her outright—that should be Dad's decision."

Oliver dried his tears and nodded seriously. "I understand. I'll help. Maybe I could pretend to be sick so Mom has to stay and take care of me?"

"No, that's too obvious," Aria shook her head. "We need to be more subtle."

"What's subtle?" Oliver tilted his head.

"It means... more clever, less obvious," I explained, then looked at both of my siblings. "The three of us together, we'll figure something out."

We sat in my room, brainstorming ideas. Though Oliver would occasionally sniffle, he was genuinely trying to contribute. Looking at them, I felt a strange comfort. At least in this difficult time, the three of us were united.

As for Mom and Dad, I just hoped they would have enough time to be happy together. Life is too short, and Dad's time was running out faster than any of us wanted to accept.

Cedar's POV

The hot shower had washed away some of the day's tension. I turned off the faucet, wrapped my damp hair in a towel, and slipped into my pajamas. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the bathroom door.

To my surprise, a small figure was already perched on my bed. Oliver sat there in the blue dinosaur pajamas I'd bought him, swinging his little legs over the edge while holding an oversized storybook.

"Mommy!" His face lit up when he spotted me, eyes sparkling with delight.

I couldn't help but smile. Oliver had this magical ability to melt my heart instantly. "Oliver, shouldn't you be asleep? It's getting late."

"I wanted to ask you something," he said, closing his book with an air of importance. "Are you free tomorrow night?"

I sat beside him on the bed and gently smoothed down his perpetually unruly hair. "What's up? Something important?"

"Aria and I want to go out for dinner," he explained, eyes gleaming with anticipation as his little hands gestured enthusiastically. "To La Bella! They have the most amazing tiramisu in the whole wide world! I've been thinking about it for days!"

I laughed softly. "Sounds wonderful," I said, then realized someone was missing from his plan. "What about Aiden? Is he joining us?"

Oliver shook his head, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. "Aiden says he has to work late at the company. Some important project or something." His eyes suddenly brightened. "But we can bring him some takeout! He loves their grilled fish!"

"Then it's settled," I nodded, removing the towel from my hair. "Tomorrow night, it'll be you, me, and Aria, plus takeout grilled fish for Aiden."

"Awesome!" Oliver cheered, launching himself into my arms. His hugs were always so energetic, like embracing a jubilant puppy.

I rubbed his back gently. "Alright, time for bed now, little man."

"Can I sleep here?" He looked up at me with those irresistible big eyes. "I promise I won't kick the covers off."

I pretended to consider it, though my mind was already made up. "Hmm... If you promise to go to sleep right away and stop talking about that mouth-watering chocolate cake..."

"I promise!" He raised his hand in a solemn vow, then quickly burrowed under the blankets. "See? Ready for sleep!"

Smiling, I switched off the lamp and climbed into bed, pulling his warm little body close. Oliver smelled like milk and that bubble bath he insisted on using every night. In the darkness, I could feel his breathing gradually becoming more steady.

"Mommy?" he whispered suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"I'm really glad you're here." His voice was sleepy but sincere.

I hugged him tighter, feeling emotion swell in my chest.

"I am too, Oliver. I am too," I whispered back, listening as he drifted off to sleep.