“We are getting a divorce, Julia!”

The words that escaped Logan's lips immediately startled Julia, who was eating. She paused for a second, trying to understand what her husband meant by what he had just said to her.

“What?” Her brows furrowed as she stared at him in utmost shock.

“You heard me right, Julia and I am sure of it. It's time to end this madness we call a marriage!” he declared, taking out a document and slamming it on the table.

Julia turned to look at Liam, her five-year-old son, who was eating, and then at Amelia, her stepsister, who had returned with her husband from overseas.

Julia had been married to Logan for five years, but guess what? On the night of their marriage, he had to leave the country, claiming he had business abroad to take care of.

She didn't want him to feel like she was a bad wife, so she accepted to let him go with the promise that he'd return after a month, knowing she was carrying his child, Liam.

Months and years went by, and now, after five years, he was finally seeing his son in person for the first time. It was also the first time in a long while that she would share a bed with her husband.

But what did she receive instead? A divorce paper to sign.

“You can't be serious right now, Logan… this is a prank, right?” she stuttered as she tried to maintain her composure.

“This isn't a joke or whatever you call it, Julia. The truth is, I have always wanted your sister, and seeing you’ve been lying to me, I had to use the opportunity to have and keep her as mine!” he declared, his hand reaching for Amelia's as she sat down by his right-hand side, pretty close too.

Julia's eyes welled up with tears as the sight before her struck her heart a billion times. The man she had been waiting for had been cheating on her with Amelia overseas, and even worse, they were engaged.

"That's true, Julia.... Come on, how long did you think you could keep deceiving him?" Suddenly, Amelia interjected, her words instantly angering Julia.

“And what's that supposed to mean, Amelia? You are the one trying to take my husband, and you claim I'm lying? About what?” she snapped, her eyes turning red at this moment.

“Oh please, Julia… you can fool the world and even the Steele family, but you can't fool me!” Amelia pressed, letting out a scoff immediately.

“I…” Just as Julia was going to speak, Logan cut in bluntly.

“I knew you were going to lie, so I prepared for it in advance.” He took out a paper from his briefcase and tossed it toward Julia.

Grabbing the paper in the air, she opened it, and staring at it, she saw something that immediately got her trembling in her seat.

She turned to Liam, her little boy, her brows furrowing before she darted her eyes back to the paper.

“You still don't get it?” Logan cackled as he grabbed the glass of wine and sipped from it viciously.

“No! No, I can't accept this!” She ripped the paper into pieces and flung it backward. “Liam is your son, and I am sure of it! An ordinary paper can't tell me that he isn't! There's no way I am believing this!” she asserted, standing her ground.

“That paper, as you call it, was given to me by a specialised top doctor, which I'm pretty sure you can't afford to pay for…” Logan uttered as he stood up from the chair.

“You know, when Amelia told me this… that Liam wasn't my son, I wanted to doubt it because I thought I could manage you now that you had my child. But guess what, Julia?” He got closer to her, and with his hand reaching for her hair, he tucked in a few loose strands behind her ear.

“I felt betrayed knowing that he was never my son!” he spat angrily, making Julia sense his anger.

Tears were already trickling down her eyes.

“That's not possible, Logan. You were the one I slept with before our wedding and…” Just as she was going to speak, Logan cut in again.

“I haven't even had sex with you! Fuck, what was I thinking? I thought I fucked you, but guess what? I didn't!” Logan yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Julia had been drunk that night before the wedding, and she was certain it was Logan unless the earth was playing some kind of trick on her.

If Logan isn't Liam's father, then who is?

“Just sign the papers and leave already, Julia! He doesn't want you and your bastard child. Don't you get it?” Amelia let out, making Julia stand to her feet immediately.

“My son is not a bastard, Amelia! Watch your words!” Julia warned, but all Amelia could do was snort.

With a sinister sneer on her lips, she stood up from the chair, walked over to where Logan was standing, and purposefully wrapped her arms around his.

“Well, the result said so, Julia, so what will it be? Sign the contract and leave or waste your time arguing with Logan Steele? It isn't worth it, trust me!” Amelia mocked as she laughed at Julia.

At this point, Julia couldn't help but give Amelia's words a second thought. Her eyes darted to Logan first, who looked unapologetic, then to her son, who seemed lost. After all, he was still a child and wasn't going to understand it now.

Julia's fists clenched tightly as she finally made her decision. She knew it was going to be tough, but it was better; it was the best thing to do.

With a heavy sigh leaving her lips to show how heartbroken she was, she picked up the pen from the table and then the divorce papers.

She flipped through the pages, each sending a jolt of pain, regret, and anger through her veins. After all she had done to keep her marriage alive, it still ended.

Just as she was going to finally sign the paper, Logan swiftly got a strong grip on her hand, making her turn to look at him.

“I see you've got some nerve, Julia… you don't even have money, so why would you want to sign the divorce papers? I can make you my slave if you beg for the mistake you made!” Logan suggested harshly, but immediately, Julia pulled her hand out of his grip.

“I'd rather die than be your slave, Logan!” She signed it immediately and tossed the paper to his face.

“Don't expect any money from me, Julia, and you are leaving this house without anything!” Logan declared, still in the arms of Amelia.

Julia couldn't help but snort disdainfully. She hated him so much now.

She turned to her son, grabbed him by his hand, and pulled him away from them. Without taking anything with her, she left Logan Steele's house, slamming the door shut.

“Mommy, is Logan not my Daddy anymore?” Liam finally asked as he pulled Julia back.

“I'm sorry, Liam, but I promise to find you another Daddy, okay? I'm really…” Just as Julia was going to speak, Liam clutched his side.

“What's wrong, Liam? Are you okay?” Her voice tinged with panic echoed as she crouched down, gripping her son's shoulders.

“It hurts, Mommy... It hurts!” Liam cried out, and just then, he collapsed.

“Liam? Liam!”

“Liam? Liam?” Julia cried out as she stared at her son's unconscious body on the ground.

With a sense of urgency coursing through her veins, she stormed to her feet and rushed towards the highway, carrying him in her arms. She swiftly stopped a taxi and, climbing into it with tears in her eyes, she gave the driver directions.

“Take us to the hospital!” she declared.

With a swift nod, the driver ignited the engine and zoomed off, heading to the hospital faster than anyone could ever imagine.

The second they arrived, Julia didn't hesitate to pay him for his services. Carrying her son out of the taxi, she rushed into the hospital.

“Someone help! Please help my son, I don't know what is wrong with him… please!” she cried bitterly. First, it was a divorce, then the revelation that she had slept with someone else before her wedding, and now her son's sudden sudden collapse.

At the sight of Julia and Liam, the nurses brought out a stretcher and conveyed him immediately to the emergency unit.

“You can't go in yet, ma'am. You'd have to wait!” one of the nurses informed Julia, making her halt right before the emergency doors.

Julia panicked at this moment, her mind slamming with a thousand thoughts about her son's safety. She began to bite hard on her fingernails as she paced around the hallway in the hospital.

All she wanted was the news that her son was okay and healthy now.

Just as she kept pacing back and forth, a sudden call from behind halted her right in her tracks, making her turn around immediately. To her surprise, she found Logan fuming with rage and her despicable, cunning sister, Amelia.

“What have you come here to do?” she snapped, thinking they had gotten the news that her son was now in the hospital.

“Stay calm, puppet… we aren't here for you, and we don't care why you are here. We have our own business to attend to, you know…” Amelia snarled as her hand reached for her tummy, catching Julia's attention.

“Amelia is pregnant for me, Julia…” Logan let out as he turned to her and kissed her right on her forehead. “And unlike yours, this child is mine… I'll do whatever it takes to protect my baby!”

Logan declared like he was having a showdown with Julia. She didn't want to care, but no matter how much she tried to push it out of her mind, she definitely couldn't.

“Mrs. Julia?” The doctor's voice rang from behind her, making her turn to look at him.

“Come with me.”

She didn't hesitate to follow him, ignoring Logan and his mistress because they couldn't give her son the life she prayed for.

The second she got into the room where her son was placed, Julia rushed over to his bedside, embracing him tightly as tears trailed down from her eyes.

“Mommy… I didn't mean to make you worry about me,” he said softly, his tone carrying a tender touch.

“I'm sorry.” Those were the only words she could mutter as she held him in her embrace at this point.

“Mrs. Julia, I am sorry to cut in, but I think this is important.” The doctor paused for a second, making Julia snap her focus toward him.

“What's wrong?” she asked, noticing the worried look etched across his face.

“Liam, your son, has leukaemia and he needs a bone marrow transplant immediately!” the doctor blurted out.

“Wait, what? How?” She panicked, her eyes bulging out with shock as she asked for more details.

“I'm not sure, but that's the case, and we need to carry out the surgery as soon as possible! I am not sure the temporary treatment will hold him that long,” he asserted, adding to the chaos she was facing.

“Fine… take me… I should be a…” Just as she was going to say, the doctor shook his head.

“I am your doctor, remember? You are not fit to give him yours. How about his father?” he suggested, freezing Julia in her tracks for a split second.

As it stood, she desperately needed to find Liam's father. At least, to know who she had slept with five years ago before her wedding.

“Julia?” The doctor called out one more time just to pull her out of trance, seeing that she was lost.

“I… I will inform him about it. Thank you so much.” She bowed to him, her brown hair covering her face briefly as she lied. She didn't even know who Liam's father was.

“And that reminds me, you need to pay the bills for the emergency today… you wouldn't want to owe the hospital. That's all I can say… regards!” He turned on his heels and left the room.

Julia felt more bitter than she did in the first place. She turned to her son and, seeing how pitiful he looked on the bed, she couldn't help but cry.

“Don't cry because of me, Mommy. I will be fine. Remember, I am a superman who would save mommy!” he said, making Julia chuckle in pain.

Just as she reached for his hair, caressing it softly and gently, her phone rang out, pulling her out of her thoughts immediately.

She reached for it in her pocket and, pulling it out, she placed it on her ear.

“Julia? You need to come to the company right away! The CEO is back and he wants every staff member present!” Sandra, Julia's best friend from high school, announced, halting Julia in her tracks.

“But today is my free day.” Julia argued, trying to make Sandra understand.

“That's the CEO's orders, and I heard he can't be disobeyed. You wouldn't want to lose your job, would you? I'll save a seat for you. Get here as fast as you can!” Sandra commanded as she ended the call.

Her last words made sense to Julia, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Julia was broke, and if there was anything she needed to do to save her son, it was to work and save up. She couldn't lose her job, not now that things were this way.

“Mommy will be back soon, okay? Just stay here… please!” she begged as she leaned closer to Liam and kissed him right on his forehead.

She turned around and was going to leave, but Liam's grip on her index finger held her back.

“Don't worry, Mommy… I promise to find you a handsome and rich husband since Logan doesn't want us anymore!”

Liam's words made a smile spread across her lips, and with a nod, she left the room, heading right for the company.

Julia sprinted through the corridors of the hospital, her footsteps echoing against the tiled floors. The urgency in her movements was evident as she neared the exit, her heart pounding in her chest.

Just as she reached for the door handle, she collided with a tall man. He had a head of black, curly hair meticulously styled, and he was dressed impeccably in a navy blue suit adorned with subtle red accents at the cuffs.

His Italian leather shoes gleamed under the hospital lights as he instinctively reached out to steady Julia, who stumbled and fell to the ground.

"Shit!" Julia exclaimed, her frustration evident as she looked up at him briefly. "Watch where you're going!" Her voice was sharp with urgency and irritation.

Before he could respond, she scrambled to her feet, her eyes briefly meeting him before she turned sharply on her heels and dashed out of the hospital exit.

He paused in thought as he watched Julia leave.

“Why does she look and smell familiar?” His heart raced as he couldn't quite place a finger on what had just happened.

“Sir Caspian, are you okay?” Caspian’s assistant, Dominic, asked, wondering why he had kept staring in a particular direction.

“You see that lady that just bumped into me? Find out who she is. I want every tiny detail about her. Is that clear?” Caspian Michaelson, CEO of Global Tech Company, commanded as he turned to Dominic.

Just then, Liam walked out of his room and sighting Caspian, a delightful smile spread across his lips.

“Daddy! I have finally found you!” Liam exclaimed as he ran towards him and embraced him tightly.

“Daddy?”

“Julia… over here!” Sandra called out the second Julia entered the meeting hall where other staff were already seated.

Julia rushed over to where Sandra was and took a seat by her right-hand side, closer to the conference table.

“You don't look okay, what's wrong?” Sandra asked as soon as Julia took her seat.

“I…” Julia opened her mouth to speak, but Sandra cut her off briefly.

“I want the truth, Julia. You know you can trust me!” Sandra urged as she placed her hand on Julia's. This made her comfortable in some way, so she decided to open up to Sandra.

“I just got a divorce, Sandra… and guess what, my son needs a bone marrow transplant from his father,” Julia explained briefly, blinking her eyes as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to trail down her ashen cheeks.

“What? You divorced Logan?” Sandra was so shocked because she knew how long Julia had been waiting for him to return to the country.

“I had to, Sandra. He's dating Amelia, my stepsister, and they are going to have a baby soon,” Julia spoke with bitterness in her tone as she stared at Sandra.

“What the fuck? That bastard! I should have known!” She tried to keep her voice down so a rumour wouldn't start. “So what will you do about Liam… he needs his father.”

“That's the most intriguing part of it all, Sandra. Logan isn't my son's father… it happens I had an affair the night before the wedding and I don't know who it is!” Julia opened up fully to Sandra, whose jaw dropped instantly.

“There’s no way I can find him…” Julia added, and just then, the doors to the hall opened, drawing everyone's attention immediately.

“The CEO is here!” a voice announced, making everyone, including Julia, stand to their feet.

They turned simultaneously, drawn by the sound of approaching footsteps echoing down the hall.

The first thing that caught Julia's attention was a pair of Italian leather shoes, impeccably polished, followed by the sight of lean, long legs encased in perfectly tailored trousers that accentuated his stature and poise.

His navy blue suit, adorned with subtle red accents at the wrists, was expertly tailored, hinting at wealth.

As he moved closer, his black curly hair swept over his forehead in a controlled tousle, framing his chiselled features and complementing his intense, icy blue eyes that seemed to pierce through the room with an unspoken authority.

It was Caspian, their elusive boss who had returned from the States after five long years. The murmurs of recognition and admiration rippled through the crowd as he entered, commanding attention effortlessly.

The air in the room seemed to shift as all eyes turned towards him, greeting him with a mixture of respect and awe.

Amidst the subtle chaos of welcoming cheers and whispered conversations, Caspian's gaze unexpectedly locked onto Julia.

At that moment, time seemed to slow down for her. She stood there, struck by his presence, unable to find words as she felt the weight of his intense gaze.

And then, it dawned on her; the man she had bumped into at the hospital, the one who had unintentionally disrupted her rush, was none other than Caspian himself, Global Tech Trillionaire and her BOSS.

“Fuck!” she exclaimed as she turned her gaze away from him, biting her lower lip in embarrassment.

“You may have your seat!” Caspian's deep voice commanded. Every lady in the room was already swooning over his charm and good looks.

Well, except Julia, who felt embarrassed.

Soon, the meeting commenced with Dominic taking the lead in discussions while Caspian remained unusually still, his gaze fixed on just one direction; Julia.

His intense stare at her did not go unnoticed, especially by Sandra, who leaned over to whisper to Julia, her curiosity piqued.

"Why does the CEO keep staring at you like that, Julia?" Sandra's voice barely above a whisper carried a mix of intrigue and concern.

Julia's heart skipped a beat as she turned her head slightly, following Sandra's gaze to where Caspian sat.

Their eyes locked in a sudden, electric moment. His icy blue eyes held an intensity that both unsettled and intrigued her, stirring a strange mixture of discomfort and attraction within her.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. Julia felt an inexplicable pull towards him, as if his gaze had the power to captivate her entirely.

She tore her eyes away, feeling vulnerable under his penetrating stare, yet secretly longing for it to continue.

But then, reality crashed back. A pang of guilt and concern gripped her heart as she remembered Liam, her son, and his condition.

“With that, the meeting has come to an end. Thank you!” Dominic declared, and everyone began to stand up and leave.

Julia couldn't stay much longer as she needed money and had a plan. She stood up, and just as she was about to leave, Sandra gripped her hand.

“Are you sure you don't want to know why he had his eyes fixed on you, Julia?” she giggled softly, whispering into her ear.

“I don't know, Sandra, and I don't care. Please, I have to go to the HR department right now!” Julia asserted as she pulled her hand away from Sandra's grip.

With a last glance at Caspian, she dashed out of the place, his eyes still not leaving her trail.

Reaching the HR department, she walked up to the manager.

“How may I help you this time, Julia?” the lady asked grumpily, not taking her eyes off her computer.

“I don't know if this is the right time, but I need my pay. Half of it, at least,” Julia declared, making the lady pause for a second.

“Your pay? The month just started, Julia. I'm sorry, but it won't be possible,” the chubby lady responded, shaking her head in refusal.

“You don't understand, ma'am. I really need to…” Just as Julia was going to say, the lady cut in sharply.

“We don't have anything for you, Julia. Now leave before I call security!” she yelled.

Julia felt tears in her eyes again. This was her only hope of paying her son's bills. She needed the money.

“But…”

“I said leave!” she struck her hand on the desk angrily, jolting Julia immediately. “Security!” she called out, prompting Julia to act swiftly.

With a sniffle, Julia turned on her heels and left the place, heading right for the exit of the company. The second she got out, she realised it was already late.

“I need to get back to Liam,” she mumbled as she headed for the bus stop.

She was still on her way when, unfortunately, it began to rain heavily.

“Oh no! Not now,” she bit her lower lip as she ran towards the bus stop that was close by.

Her clothes were drenched, clinging uncomfortably to her skin as raindrops continued to pelt down relentlessly.

Julia hurried towards the bus stop, her hair now a mess and water dripping down her face, adding to the discomfort.

The cold seeped through her clothes, sending shivers down her spine despite her efforts to shield herself from the rain.

She huddled under the shelter of the bus stop, desperately trying to stay warm, her teeth chattering faintly against the backdrop of the pouring rain.

Just as she sat down on the bench, reflecting on her life, the flickering light of the signpost for the shop opposite the highway caught her attention.

“A pawnshop?” she called out as she stared at it, and then it came to her.

She looked down at her ring and, knowing how expensive it was, nodded her head in sadness.

“I know I promised never to take this ring off, Logan, but I have no other choice. I am doing this for Liam… I'm sorry!” she let out, and without a second thought, she stood to her feet and sprinted towards the shop.

As Julia pushed open the creaking door, a small bell chimed, announcing her arrival into the dimly lit shop.

The air was heavy with the smell of stale tobacco and damp wood. She hesitated in the doorway, her heart skipping a beat as she noticed the intimidating figures of muscular, rough-looking men occupying each corner of the room.

Their hardened stares bore into her, making her feel uncomfortably exposed in their presence.

Swallowing nervously, Julia tried to avoid their intense gazes as she approached the counter.

“How may I help you?” his deep, gruff voice cut through the silence like gravel crunching underfoot.

He looked up from his task, his eyes briefly scanning her before settling on her face.

“I… I'd like to sell my ring,” Julia stammered, her fingers fumbling as she slid the ring off her trembling hand and placed it on the counter in front of him.

The man took the ring, turning it over in his rough, calloused hands, his expression unreadable.

“This looks nice,” he sneered as he took a close look at the item in his hand.

“But it's old now, and I can only offer you $800 for this,” he let out, making Julia's eyes bulge.

“What? No! That won't be enough…” she shook her head as she let out.

“Then I'm sorry, I can't help you,” he emitted, handing the ring back to her.

Julia wanted to save her son, but selling the ring for lower than its actual price wasn't what she wanted. She took the ring back, and just as she turned to leave, the door was pushed open, revealing Logan and Amelia before her.

It was almost like they were monitoring her every move.

“Well, well, if it isn't Julia… I told you that she'd want to sell the ring, didn't I? She never loved you, Logan. She only married and tricked you for money!”