Chapter 84
“But I started falling in love with your mother when she left...”
Théo's calm demeanor slowly changed, and his gaze revealed a flash of confusion and curiosity as he realized what his father meant.
“After your mother left, I started looking everywhere she could have gone, but I was too late; your mother had already left the country. She even hid in a place I couldn't find.” A bitter smile appeared on Ethan's lips before he continued. “I only found out about you in the last few days, and that's why I asked to find your mother and, of course, you.”
Ethan paused to take a deep breath as he watched Theo's reaction, and he could feel his son's emotions stirring, his eyes slightly red and looking as if his defenses were slowly crumbling, just like his.
He got up from his seat and went to sit next to his son before continuing.
“I made a mistake, son, and I want to apologize to you for my actions in the past, for making your mother suffer and for leaving you without a father by your side. I'm really sorry...” Ethan didn't care anymore if Theo refused, he just wanted to hug him at that moment, so he pulled Theo onto his lap and hugged him tightly. “I'm sorry, son, and I promise I'll fix everything. I won't let you and your mother suffer again!” Ethan whispered with a trembling voice.
They hugged each other without saying a word for a long time, and Ethan couldn't hold back the tears as he felt his son's body shaking in his arms, and Ethan realized that Theo was crying.
He simply let him cry in silence. Like him, he also cried silently for the first time in his life.
Before long, Theo finally stopped crying and raised his eyes slightly to see Ethan's face. When their teary eyes met, a slight smile appeared on their faces, and their smiles seemed to convey a promise to no longer blame each other.
“Do you forgive me?” Ethan asked when he saw that his son was not as tense and cold as before, and Theo even smiled at him.
“I don't think you need to apologize to me, Dad!” Theo said in his serious tone. “But you should ask Mom for forgiveness...”
Ethan couldn't help but smile when he heard his son's response, and he gently ruffled Theo's hair.
“I've begged your mother for forgiveness several times, but it seems she hasn't completely forgiven me yet. But don't worry, son, I'll try harder to regain her forgiveness and trust!” Ethan replied.
“I'll be rooting for you!” Theo smiled. “Oh, really, Dad, I've read so much bad news about you out there.” Theo narrowed his eyes at his father. “Is all that news true?”
The smile on Ethan's face disappeared immediately after hearing Theo's question.
“No! They're just rumors. Please don't believe gossip. I... I already explained this to your mother, and I hope she understands.”
Theo was pleased to hear his father's response, as that was what he wanted to hear. He didn't want to have a playboy father, and he feared that one day many women would show up claiming to be his father's wife.
“That's why I want your help, Theo!” Ethan said, looking at Theo.
“My help?” Theo was confused when he heard his father's words.
“Yes, I want to win your mother back, and I want us to be a family again, and I also want us to live in the same house as other families!” Ethan's eyes sparkled as he expressed his deepest desire.
“Are you serious, Dad? You know I'm just a kid, right?” Instantly, Theo's face tensed, and he worried that his father's wishes would not come true.
Even though he wanted this to happen, to have a normal family like other children, he couldn't force his mother to take his father back.
“Yes. But you're brilliant for your age, and that was my wish even before I knew you were born. I wanted to chase your mother back the moment she left me!” A hopeful smile appeared at the corners of Ethan's lips, hoping that his wish would come true.
Théo took a deep breath and looked at his father with compassion, which made Ethan, who saw him, look confused; his smile slowly faded.
Ethan placed his hand gently on Théo's shoulder, staring intently into his eyes with his gentle gaze.
“Theo, why don't you seem happy to hear that? Don't you want us to live in the same house? As a family?” Ethan's voice sounded gloomy. “I wanted to be reunited with you and your mother, and the three of us living under the same roof...”
Theo just shrugged and smiled before responding to his father.
“Of course I want that, but it's going to be hard for you to win Mom's heart back, because I think Mom already has a boyfriend.” He felt sorry for his father, because he knew that his mother now had a close relationship with Uncle Daniel.
They weren't just friends, they were more than that, and sometimes Uncle Daniel had told him that they would soon become family. He wouldn't reject anyone who got close to his mother, as long as they loved her sincerely.
Daniel Spector!
Ethan was only able to vent the frustration he felt when Daniela's face popped into his mind, and at that moment, he was the only person close to Lilian.
“You mean your mom's boyfriend is Daniel!?” Ethan asked calmly, even though he was jealous, and Theo's eyes blinked a few times, too shocked to hear that his father actually knew Uncle Daniel.
“D-Dad... Do you know Uncle Daniel?” He asked.
“I'm not close to him, but I know his parents well. Do you know who his family is?” Ethan was curious to know if Theo had already met Daniel's family, but Theo shook his head slightly.
He never knew Daniel's last name and forgot to ask.
“No, I don't know...”
Ethan felt relieved to hear Theo's answer.
“Well, son... you don't have to worry about Daniel being my rival, because he'll never win your mother over!” Ethan said confidently.
He was sure that Daniel's parents would never accept her into the Spector family, and Daniel didn't stand a chance of marrying Lilian.
Theo narrowed his eyes at his father and realized that he was too confident about winning his mother back.