Oliver\u2019s POV<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Dad said I wasn\u2019t \u201cacting like a Sterling\u201d again. Just because I drew a crooked cat at the design exhibition, his face instantly darkened like someone had spilled ink all over it. \u201cOliver, enough with these childish antics,\u201d he said coldly before walking away without even looking at me. My heart cracked into tiny pieces.<\/p>\n
That night, I slipped out of the house during the downpour, getting soaked like a lost puppy. But I didn\u2019t mind at all! I finally had a chance to look for Mommy, and I was sure I\u2019d be the first to find her. Even though I caught a fever, it was the happiest fever I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n
The feeling of her hand on my forehead was more magical than anything in the world. She worried so much her eyebrows scrunched together as she gave me medicine and cooled me down with a damp cloth. Dad never takes care of us like that\u2014he just calls the housekeeper or nanny. Mommy\u2019s hugs were like soft clouds, making me feel warm all over.<\/p>\n
Now I\u2019m bouncing around the apartment like a rubber ball! All because of her magical care! So this is what having a mommy feels like\u2014like the whole world turns into colorful balloons floating you anywhere you want to go. I never want to go back to that big house without Mommy. Never ever!<\/p>\n
Mommy was washing our breakfast dishes while I perched on a kitchen stool, my eyes tracking her every move. Since our talk about our matching crescent-shaped birthmarks, she seemed lost in thought, occasionally glancing at me with a mixture of confusion and wonder.<\/p>\n
She had no idea how hard I\u2019d worked to find her! For two whole months, I\u2019d been secretly using my resources to search all over Chicago for ladies with the same birthmark, ever since I discovered that she wasn\u2019t actually gone forever like they told us. They\u2019d been lying to us three kids for years, and I knew Dad didn\u2019t want us to be with her. That\u2019s why I had to figure out how to sneak away and find her myself!<\/p>\n
When she disappeared into her bedroom and came back wearing a gray business suit instead of her comfy pajamas, all the colorful balloons inside me popped.<\/p>\n
\u201cOliver,\u201d she said gently, \u201cI need to go to work today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going away?\u201d My voice came out smaller than I meant it to, like a sad little kitten. I\u2019d only just found her\u2014I didn\u2019t want her to leave me!<\/p>\n
She knelt to my level, her eyes kind but firm. \u201cSweetheart, I have important work to finish, and then I need to try to find your family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I just found you,\u201d I protested, feeling my bottom lip start to quiver. This time, I wasn\u2019t pretending\u2014the thought of being separated from Mommy after searching for so long made my chest hurt. And I couldn\u2019t let Dad find me!<\/p>\n
I never knew what being loved like this felt like. Not really. With Dad, it was always rules and silence, and I always felt like I was in the way. But with Mommy, just one gentle touch, one soft word, and the whole world sparkled. I didn\u2019t want to let go of that feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know this is hard for you,\u201d she said softly, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. \u201cBut you can\u2019t stay here forever without your family knowing where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
I flung my arms around her neck, holding tight. \u201cPlease don\u2019t go! I\u2019ll be super good, pinky promise! What if you don\u2019t come back?\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt her hesitate, then her arms wrapped around me. \u201cOliver\u2026\u201d She sighed deeply, then pulled back to look at me. The concern in her eyes made me feel both guilty and hopeful.<\/p>\n
After a moment, she reached for her phone. \u201cLet me see what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I listened carefully as she made a call: \u201cYes, Mr. Wright, I need to handle some personal matters today\u2026 I\u2019ll complete the design modifications remotely\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
When she hung up, she gave me a small smile. \u201cI\u2019ll stay home this morning, but I need to work in my bedroom for a few hours. Will you be okay entertaining yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be quiet as a mouse, Mommy!\u201d I promised, relief flooding through me. \u201cYou won\u2019t even know I\u2019m here!\u201d<\/p>\n
As she disappeared into her bedroom with her laptop, I allowed myself a tiny, victorious smile. The pouty face had worked perfectly. Now I just needed to show her what a wonderful son I could be.<\/p>\n
This was my perfect chance to prove I belonged with her!<\/p>\n
The moment her door clicked shut, I sprang into action. From my wrist, I tapped my smartwatch.<\/p>\n
I swiped to the screen and whispered conspiratorially into the tiny mic: \u201cAgent Hunter, this is Little Fox reporting! I need your support!\u201d<\/p>\n
My bodyguard Hunter\u2019s voice crackled through the watch\u2019s speaker almost instantly: \u201cGood grief! Master Oliver! Finally! Where are you? Your father has practically turned Chicago upside down looking for you!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShhh\u2014keep it down! Don\u2019t worry about me.\u201d I brought my wrist closer, lowering my voice. \u201cImportant intel: I found Mommy! The real Mommy! Time for \u2018Operation Perfect Lunch\u2019!\u201d I said mysteriously. \u201cCan you ask Chef Marcos to make his signature dishes? But wait!\u201d I paused dramatically, \u201cThey need to be in regular takeout containers, nothing fancy or it\u2019ll blow my cover!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut young master, Mr. Sterling has already\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHunter!\u201d I interrupted, trying to sound as grown-up as possible, \u201cThis is my secret mission, super mega important! She really is my mom! I just want to spend more time with her\u2026\u201d My voice softened, knowing Hunter couldn\u2019t resist, \u201cPlease, don\u2019t tell Dad? Pretty please?\u201d<\/p>\n
I heard Hunter sigh through the tiny speaker, and I knew I\u2019d won. \u201cFine. Delivery in two hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the best!\u201d I whispered, grinning, then quickly tapped the screen to end the call.<\/p>\n
Two hours later, my smartwatch buzzed with a coded vibration\u2014our secret signal. I peeked through the peephole and saw Hunter outside, disguised as a deliveryman, his baseball cap pulled low over his eyes.<\/p>\n
I slipped out the door quietly. \u201cYou\u2019re three minutes late,\u201d I whispered, glancing at my watch.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraffic on Damen Avenue,\u201d he replied, handing me a plain brown bag that smelled amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot too late\u2014she hasn\u2019t come out yet,\u201d I whispered, relieved.<\/p>\n
After sending Hunter away, I worked quickly to transfer the gourmet food\u2014herb-roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and fresh vegetables\u2014onto Mommy\u2019s simple white plates.<\/p>\n
I had just finished when Mommy\u2019s bedroom door opened.<\/p>\n
She stopped in the doorway, her eyes widening as she took in the neatly arranged table, the folded napkins, and me standing proudly beside it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cOliver\u2026 did you do all this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Unfinished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 3 Chapter 3 Oliver\u2019s POV Yesterday, Dad […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30402"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30402\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}