{CHAPTER THIRTY}

~~~~~~~~

The room was filled with the soft echoes of tears, reflecting off the beautiful walls. On the black and white bedspread of a medium-sized bed sat the nanny, clutching her necklace that held a picture of her family close to her heart. Gasping through her tears, a smile broke across her lips as she whispered, "My son, my boy is alive and well, and he has become such a fine young man." Her gaze fell on the small photo of her husband in the photo. "Oh honey, if only you were here to witness how much our son has grown. You would be so proud. Even though I couldn't see him closely, I know he's the one because he carries your smile and your beautiful eyes."

She rose from her bed and walked to the window, shutting her eyes as she inhaled the refreshing breeze that the wind brought. A sense of happiness washed over her as she glanced at the photo again, this time smiling broadly, her teeth shining as she whispered, "My boy, Victor, your mom is alive, and she can't wait to meet you."

Then, taking a slow, deliberate walk to her bedside, she gazed intently at a framed photo of a man in a suit alongside a teenage girl, her hair styled in a messy bun, with baby hairs framing her face and adding an endearing touch. The girl nestled against the man from behind, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek, and they radiated happiness in the picture, reflecting the deep bond of a father-daughter relationship. The nanny crouched down to reach the photo resting on her lamp table, her fingers delicately tracing the man's face. With a voice filled with emotion, she whispered, "Thank you for saving me that day. Thank you for giving me a second chance to be with my son."

She continued, "I know you would have been so incredibly happy and proud to witness your beautiful daughter blossoming into the woman she is today, marrying the man of her dreams, if you were here." With a warm smile, she summed up, "I promise to honor your kindness by taking care of her as best as I can."

******

"Ugh, another failed attempt," I sighed, frustration creeping into my voice. "Why is it so difficult to find a grown man with a birthmark on his head? This is beyond frustrating." I slammed the door of my car shut, letting my annoyance spill over as I settled into my seat. My forehead creased with irritation as I reached for my seatbelt, buckling it with a huff. After a moment to collect myself, I let out a soft sigh and turned the ignition. With my hands gripping the wheel, I pulled away, determined not to quit in my search.

As I drove, my mind was consumed by thoughts of last night with Jackson and the way we made love. The memory brought a warm blush to my cheeks, momentarily distracting me from my frustration over my failed attempt to find the young boy who saved me on the night of the accident with Dad. I felt an undeniable urge to locate him—perhaps just to thank him. But that thought faded as I lost myself in the intimacy Jackson and I shared yesterday. When I came to a sudden stop at a traffic light, I caught a glimpse of my wedding ring, admiring its beauty, much like the admiration I felt for the man I married, each thought intertwining in my mind.

With a gentle kiss on my ring, the traffic light turned green, and I eagerly started my car, my heart racing with anticipation as I hurried to meet my "husband."

In an instant, my phone beeped with a message—speak of the devil; it was Jackson checking in on me, letting me know he had stepped out to meet a friend. It was bittersweet that Victor was his only family, but that had changed now that we're married—he has me and my family to lean on.

I picked up the phone, keeping my eyes on the road while I quickly scanned the message. It read: "I didn't see you after waking up; it seems like you had somewhere important to be. I just wanted to let you know that I'll never forget yesterday... oh, and I need to meet Victor soon. I love you."

Reading the message properly made me realize that I had initially missed a part: "I'll never forget yesterday." Suddenly, an awkwardness washed over me, and my cheeks flushed red—what did he mean? Was he referring to our wedding or the intimacy we shared yesterday? I shook my head to clear my thoughts, blinking rapidly. "Quit acting like a child, Hanna. Even if he was talking about that, it shouldn't feel strange; he's your husband, and you're his wife. I had a moment with my husband; that's not a crime." I reminded myself with a nod, my hands gripping the steering wheel as I focused ahead.

I quickly closed his message after sending him a love emoji and switched to my chat with Lisa. I informed her about another failed attempt to locate the young boy, but I didn't get a reply since she wasn't online. It hit me—she must be by her mom's side.

Before I could wrap my head around the message I sent to Lisa, my mom's call came through, snapping me back to reality. I swiftly popped one of my AirPods in to hear her better while still keeping my eyes on the road.

"Where are you, sweetie?" Mom asked as I picked up the call.

"Um, I'm on my way home, Mom," I replied.

With an urgent tone, she said, "You've got to come home quickly."

"Why? Is something wrong? Is Phil okay?" Phil was the first person who popped into my mind, given all the strange occurrences surrounding both him and me; it felt like we were being targeted.

"Not really," she replied. "And there's nothing wrong with Phil; he's fine. It's just the lawyer—he's here in the house," she added.

"The lawyer? What does he want?" I asked, shrugging.

"He has something to say about the company," Mom said. With a quick "hold on" to me, she called out to the nanny, and I could hear her voice through the phone. "Nanny, could you please go look after Phil outside for me?" she asked, then returned to our conversation. "Sorry about that, sweetie. I'm back now. You just need to get home quickly, that's all," she added.

"Alright, Mom, I'm nearby; just give me about 45 minutes," I said, glancing at my phone to check the time. "I'll be there soon."

"Of course, sweetie, drive safely," she said before ending the call.

Shortly after, I pulled into the driveway, anticipation coursing through me as I thought about why the lawyer had suddenly shown up. He wasn't the kind of person to make unexpected visits, except for that one time when Dad passed away. It seemed he only appeared when there was a serious issue at hand. With Mom saying it was about the company, it could only mean one thing—the company was in deep trouble.

"Mom, I'm home," I said, wrapping her in a warm hug as I stepped in her direction. Noticing the lawyer already seated, I approached him with a friendly smile, giving him a warm embrace and planting two kisses on his cheek. "Hi, it's great to see you again," I said, my smile genuine and welcoming.

With a smile that mirrored mine, he replied, "It's wonderful to see you again, Mrs. Hanna. And congratulations on your marriage! I heard you tied the knot yesterday." However, the warmth in his expression quickly faded, replaced by a somber tone. "But I'm afraid I have to interrupt your joyous moments, as we have a pressing issue to discuss."

He was on the verge of dropping a bombshell, and I felt a wave of uncertainty wash over me—were we truly prepared for what was coming?

"The company has faced significant challenges with its income over the past six months, primarily due to a sharp decline in sales."

"What?!" I gasped, taken aback. "Six months? And he didn't bother to tell us this whole time?" I looked at Mom, my face a mix of worry and shock, but I noticed she showed no signs of concern. Then it hit me, "Mom, you knew all along? And you didn't think to let me in on it?"

"It's not your mom's fault, Mrs. Hanna. She specifically asked me not to inform you because that was around the time you were just beginning your engagement, and she didn't want to overshadow your joy." The lawyer said quickly, attempting to alleviate my frustration at being left in the dark about Mom's role in this situation.

I realized he was right. Mom must have done that out of love; she wouldn't want her daughter to be burdened with worries during such a joyful time in my life.

With a turn in my direction, Mom looked at me with a heavy expression. "Listen, sweetie, I'm really sorry, okay? I just didn't know how to bring it up. You've been going through such a beautiful time in your life, and I didn't want to ruin that for you."

I nestled beside her and gently took her hands in mine. With a reassuring smile, I said, "It's okay, Mom. I understand you did it for me; it was foolish of me not to see that sooner." Then, I turned to the lawyer, my expression shifting to one of concentration, as the gravity of the situation demanded it. "So, can you tell us how serious this is?" I asked him.

"Oh, it's quite serious, Mrs. Hanna," he replied.

"B-but I thought the board members were managing the company's affairs effectively?"

"They did their best, Mrs. Hanna, but their efforts won't carry much weight if they aren't grounded in the company's lineage."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, my face reflecting both seriousness and confusion.

Mom gently squeezed my hands and said, "They need you, sweetie. The company truly needs you."

"Mom, I don't understand. D-dad wanted..." My voice trailed off as the lawyer interrupted.

"I'm aware of your dad's will and his wishes for you to take over the company when you turn 25. Unfortunately, that can't happen anymore; the company needs a savior right away, and you're the only one we could think of." He continued, "Besides, you have just three months until you reach 25, so it really doesn't matter whether you take over now or later. What matters is that we need you to step up immediately."

I was at a loss for words, so I lowered my head in concern, burying my face in my hands while they rested on my thighs.

Mom softly caressed my back, attempting to ease my worries, fully aware of the turmoil in my mind. "I know, sweetie, this is probably a shock for you, especially since you just got married and were excited about your honeymoon with Jackson. But I truly believe you need to cancel it for the sake of the company."

"That's not even the root of my worry, Mom. You know I'm not prepared for this, and I don't think I'll ever feel ready or capable of taking on such responsibility. Being the CEO isn't something I was ever happy about; you know that Mom," I said.

"I'm aware, sweetie, but you really have to step up. Your dad saw something special in you when he entrusted you with this responsibility, and he knew how significant it could be. That's why he believed you should take over when you turned 25. If not for the company, do it for your dad, okay?"

I took a deep sigh of worry, but then an idea suddenly sparked in my mind, causing my face to light up. "Jackson!!" I exclaimed, a bright smile spreading across my lips. "What if... Jackson takes the reins of the company instead?"

******

The meeting drained me; the news hit me like a ton of bricks, and my unexpected suggestion left both Mom and the lawyer visibly stunned.

I trudged up the stairs and made my way to my room, desperate for some rest to clear my mind. Breaking the news to Jackson about the company's sudden struggles and suggesting we cancel our honeymoon weighed heavily on me. I knew it would disappoint him, especially since we had both been so excited about it.

I felt it was a good opportunity to stay at my home for a while since Jackson was out meeting with his friend. I figured it would be wise to take some time to clear my head before heading back when he returned. Knowing how empty the house would feel without him, staying here felt like a better choice for me.

With an exhausted yawn, I reached for the handle of my room door, only to find it standing wide open. "That's odd," I muttered to myself, knowing I always kept my room locked, whether I was in or out. It had never been left unlocked before. "Mom must have forgotten to lock it after cleaning," I reasoned, brushing aside my initial unease. Since I no longer lived here, it made sense that she might have overlooked it while trying to tidy up my room.

My eyes widened, clearly taken aback by the chaos that greeted me as soon as I stepped inside. The entire room was in disarray: my bed was a tangled mess, books were scattered haphazardly across the floor, my bookshelf looked like it had been ransacked, and my drawers were left gaping open, their contents spilling out in disorganization.

That wasn't even what left me in shock. The moment I opened the door to my study, I was confronted by the sight of a man with his back to me, deeply engrossed in rummaging through the drawers of my desk, completely oblivious to my presence.

A look of dumbfoundment spread across my face as the man turned around, revealing his full appearance. To my surprise, I exclaimed, "JACKSON?"