Zach has never contacted me ever since our last encounter. I figured it was for the best, anyway, because after all these years, I finally let it all out.

It didn't matter who owed who or who should apologize. The best thing for the both of us was never to see each other again and live our usual lives.

That's what I did.

My mother moved into my newly-bought house when the last week of September came. Her presence made it easier for me to balance taking care of Caleb and work.

However, ever since Zach learned about Caleb, he always seemed to find a way to get close to him.

At first, it was just leaving toys by the door. But then I found out that my mother would let him into our house to spend time with Caleb, and he would leave before I came home.

I didn't feel betrayed because, despite our strained relationship, Zach was still Caleb's father. He deserved some time with him, at least.

The set-up was fine for me, but then Zach started picking Caleb up from kindergarten and occasionally took him out for a quick trip to the mall. I was okay with it, but I always became uneasy when Caleb took too long to go home.

It annoyed and worried me so much, especially when Caleb started bringing Zach into our conversation at home, saying that he wanted to live with Zach.

That was the trigger that made me more protective of Caleb. I started staying at home more so Zach wouldn't dare show up again. I also didn't give him the chance to pick my son up from his kindergarten.

I thought I could protect my son by doing this, but unexpectedly, Zach showed his ace. I was working overtime that day when my mother called me at five in the evening.

I thought she was just checking to see if I'd be home for dinner, but a worried voice greeted me when I answered the phone.

"Come here immediately, Ivy. Caleb is missing. I can't find him anywhere! He's not at school!"

My heart skipped a beat as my mind immediately went to Zach. I clenched my fist as my brows furrowed.

"What happened? How did you lose him? Where were you?"

"After dinner, I took Caleb for a walk. So many people were dancing in the central area that I just stood there for a few minutes, and then he was...gone."

Silence reigned over our call as my thoughts started to scramble. I could hear Mom's loud sobs on the phone.

"It had only been a few minutes, and I..."

I released a heavy breath, trying to maintain a calm facade. "We'll find him, Mom. Don't worry. Just stay there. I'll be there in a minute."

I hung up the phone and drove there. Holding the steering wheel, my hands were shaking, and my palms were sweaty.

There were a lot of people in the square. My mother squatted in the crowd. The tear in her eyes fell instantly when she saw me.

"Ivy, I can't find Caleb, and I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry. It is all my fault."

"Don't cry, Mom; it's all right." My voice croaked as I pulled out my phone and checked the time. "When did you lose him? Did you call the cops already?"

"Yes, the police are on their way."

My mother sobbed and wiped her eyes. "I don't know what I'm going to do if something happens to him. I deserved to be damned, and I really deserved to be damned."

I gripped my mom's hand tightly, comforting her in a way I could. I didn't know what to say, and I was afraid that if I spoke, I would cry in an instant.

A loud ringing snapped me back to reality. I immediately answered the phone without looking at the caller, but my shoulders slumped when I heard a familiar, friendly voice.

"Hi, little Ivy, long time no see. Did you miss me?"

"I'm not in the mood right now, Tyler. What do you want?" I snipped, my eyes traveling back and forth around the park, looking for signs of my son.

"What's wrong? Who's bothering you? Tell me, and I will...."

I hung up the phone, feeling annoyed, even before he finished speaking. After two seconds, it rang again.

"Tyler Rivers, would you stop fucking around? I'm not in the mood to play your little game."

After a brief pause, his tone changed to severe. "What's going on?"

"My mom went for a walk with Caleb, and now we can't find him."

"Where was he? How long had he been missing?" Tyler inquired.

"We've been in Central Park Square for more than thirty minutes." From afar, I saw a police car parking on the sides. "The cops are here. I need to go, Tyler. I'll call you back once we find him."

Two cops emerged from the car; my mom and I immediately went to them. They asked us the questions of where and when, but Mom was the one who answered. My mind was already in a daze as it was starting to get dark.

My hands were constantly shaking as I wanted to cry. I watched the cops walk around the area, asking random people if they'd seen my son.

"There are too many people, and cars come and go. We've been looking everywhere. I suggest we just go back to the station and file a case," the cop said when they came back.

"What is the point of filing a case right now? At least we know where to look while we are still here. What happens if he goes somewhere else? Where do we look for him, then? We can't leave here!"

"So, what did you do earlier? Can't even two adults keep a child close? Unfortunately, we don't have enough staff to assist you in looking around in such a large area right now."

"Yes, given that it's been an hour, the only thing left to do is return to the station and file the case, and then we can send the squad to assist you," the second officer grumbled.

"Can you even find my child? I don't think so, based on how slow you move!" I cried. I felt Mom's tight squeeze on my hand, but all I could do was shake my head.

The cops seemed irritated, but I didn't care. Caleb was missing! How could this even happen?

"Is this how you treat the people you swore to protect?" A deep, booming voice made us all turn around.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes when I saw Tyler walking towards us, his gaze stern and burning fiercely as if he would devour the cops whole.

Tyler had always been authoritative. His terrifying aura caused people to retreat, and just a deadly gaze from him would weaken a person's knees.

I assumed it was because of his power over the city. He was known as "The Master," the one behind corporations, businesses, and powerful people.

The two cops in front of us looked afraid, but they didn't make any sound.

Mom was the first one to break the silence. "Tyler, oh goodness, you're here! Please help us. It has been so long since Caleb has gone missing. Ivy and I are already worried to death."

Mom paced back and forth, her eyebrows knitted together as tears streamed down her cheeks. I wanted to comfort her, but I felt anxious and weak. I couldn't even think straight.

Thankfully, Tyler was there. He walked up towards my mom and caressed her back in a comforting manner.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Dikkens. I'll help you find him," he said before looking at me.

Tyler slowly snaked his large, warm hands around me and hugged me tightly. "I'm here," he whispered.

His words made all of the emotions I repressed erupt. Warm tears started to wet my face as I hugged him back tightly. His embrace comforted me as I clung to him, thankful for his presence.

Tyler smiled before glancing at the officers. "I'm Tyler Rivers. Can you please request to your chief to dispatch a squad here in Central Park Square? You should also contact the staff and request for the security footage of the area," he said as he wiped my tears.

The cops immediately scattered back to their car to give way to Tyler's request. I almost found it funny that he had to introduce himself when everyone in the city clearly knew who he was.

When the cops left, Tyler grabbed his phone using his other hand and dialed.

"Allen, it's me. Assemble some people and come over here in Central Park Square."

The person on the phone said something, and Tyler responded, "No, I need you to help me find somebody as fast as possible."

After the call, Tyler gazed at me using his calm and sincere eyes. He asked my mother and me to wait in the car; I was about to refuse, but he urged me to rest, saying I should leave it up to him.

I didn't want to leave my son's safety in his hands, but I knew I could trust him.

Cops and civilians surrounded the square in less than twenty minutes. Police cars with sirens and a dozen black Range Rovers arrived, their lights turned on as they scattered around the area.

Tyler stood in the crowd, surrounded by onlookers, and ordered everyone to search. The group of people quickly left a moment later.

I glanced at my mom, only to see her sleeping, her cheeks wet from all the crying. Slowly, I climbed out of the car and sat on the ground. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing, no matter how I told myself to be strong and that Caleb was fine.

A warm coat covered my shoulders, and the familiar scent surrounded my nose. I turned and saw Tyler sitting next to me. His thin shirt waved together with the strong wind.

"Come on, don't cry. Our son is smart, and he will be fine. Trust me," he uttered. His words were supposed to be comforting, but they only made me shed more tears.

"My Ivy Dikkens is a tough woman who never cried, even if I annoyed or stressed her out. Where's my Ivy now, huh? Come on. Bring her out. I know she's in there."

I snorted at his lame joke. I tried wiping the tears away, but they couldn't stop coming out.

"Stop crying, could you?"

I sniffed.

"I swear to god, if you don't stop crying now, I'm going to kiss you."

"Don't you dare!" I shouted and glared at him.

Tyler took a box of cigarettes from his pocket, a wicked smile on his face. He took one out and lit it while tilting his head. Then he leaned back against the rock, not saying anything.

His eyes were bloodshot, and under the streetlight, I could see a ring of black stubble on his chin. He appeared to have skipped shaving for two or three days.

"Have you been getting enough rest these days?" I asked, trying to distract myself.

"Not really. Something happened in the South Ridges; I had to be there to take care of it," Tyler responded with a rare calm tone. He sounded tired.

"Did you just get back when you called me?"

"Well, yeah, I just got off the highway and haven't gone home yet," Tyler answered.

My heart was pounding. Tyler turned around with a cigarette in his mouth and a sly smile on his face.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you checking me out?"

His eyes were among his most stunning facial features. He had an unfathomably beautiful smile. My heart seemed to skip a beat as I gasped for air.

With a guilty conscience, I turned away and said, "I was just curious where you were, but I don't care. It's none of my business."

A sigh of disappointment escaped his lips. "Gee, woman. You're so heartless. I hadn't slept for two days, and I came to you as soon as I got back. You could've at least kissed me, you know, not broken my heart."

After saying that, he straightened up. His side face was blurry because of the shadow. At that moment, I seemed to see the loneliness in his eyes.

I stared at him, watching every move of his chest as he breathed and blinked. I was about to say something when Tyler's phone loudly interrupted us.

"There's some breaking news." I heard the voice say. "I already sent it to you. Check it out."

Tyler immediately opened his messages and played a video recording. It was the security footage of the park, and a black Bentley appeared in it. Tyler enlarged the scale, revealing the face of Caleb in the passenger seat, and Zach was the driver.

"Tyler, we found the kid and identified the driver. His name is Zach Dempsy, the new C.E.O. of the S&D," the voice on the other end said. "The surveillance also showed that he drove the car to the East Road where his house is located."

Tyler's face darkened as he listened to Allen. I couldn't help but shake my head and grit my teeth at the information at hand.

How could Zach do this? Was he planning on taking my child away from me? Just because I refused to be his mistress?

"Send a team to Mr. Dempsy's house. I'll meet you there," Tyler said before he hung up the phone.

"I'm coming with you," I uttered, my voice strained as I imagined smacking Zach on his face.

*

Allen and a couple of people were already there when we arrived. Two security guards stood by the door of Zach's house, their faces alert.

"Lieutenant Demand isn't here yet. Those two guards won't let us in unless we have a warrant," Allen said the moment Tyler and I stepped out of the car. "How do you want to deal with them?"

"What do you want us to do?" Tyler asked, turning to face me. "One word from you, and we'll rush in."

"No. Don't do that," I said quickly while shaking my head. "I just need to know that Caleb is safe. Zach isn't a criminal, so I know he won't hurt my son. Caleb will just get scared if you guys rush in like a bunch of robbers."

With a deep sigh, I continued. "Let's just wait for the cops."

Tyler nodded. "You heard her," he said to Allen, and the latter gave a short nod and left.

On the other hand, Tyler lit another cigarette as he leaned against the car door. We were engulfed in silence as we waited for the cops to arrive. It was a couple of minutes before a car arrived, and several cops in uniform got out.

The oldest-looking policeman came toward us. However, his voice was polite when he spoke, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Sir."

“No problem, Lieutenant. Thanks for dropping in here."

The lieutenant called several of his men and marched towards the two security guards. They were a bit hesitant to let the police in, and when they refused, the lieutenant arrested them without a blink.

The people inside already knew we were coming because when we went in, no hint of surprise could be seen on their faces.

I found Caleb by the living room, sitting comfortably as he watched television. I immediately ran, grabbed, and hugged him. Caleb was surprised for a bit before hugging me back.

"Mommy! You're here! And Uncle Tyler, too!"

"Hey there, buddy. Are you alright?" Tyler asked as he shuffled Caleb's hair.

"I'm fine," he answered and turned to me, his eyes wide with fear. "Mommy, please don't be angry. I went with Zach because I missed him."

A sea of sadness and anger washed over me as I stared at Caleb. I couldn't believe that he willingly went with Zach. It never occurred to me that he would. All I thought about was Zach kidnapping my son.

Tyler squatted and held Caleb's chin softly. "Your mom was worried about you, kiddo, so if you want to go with him next time, let your mom know ahead of time. You can't just leave on your own, okay?"

"Okay," Caleb answered, his voice sad, then he turned to me again. "I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again."

Despite Caleb's softness and clinginess towards Tyler over the last two years, I didn't expect him to be gentle with Caleb. In my mind, he was this tough guy who always loved fun and pleasure, not responsibility.

But here, standing in front of them, I could see Tyler's genuine concern and care for Caleb. It melted my heart.

"It's my fault, Ivy," a voice said.

Zach entered the living room with a newspaper in his hand. "Caleb is my son, and I have the right to see him. I just became desperate because you were trying to keep him away from me," he said calmly.

I glared at him. I know what I did was wrong, but taking Caleb away from me like that was not good. He could've at least reached out to me first to discuss our arrangement.

"Who is he?" Zach asked, and when I followed his line of sight, I found that he was talking about Tyler.

Tyler raised his left brow as he stared straight at Zach. "Tyler Rivers," he simply answered as he slowly snaked his right arm around my waist.

"I'm Ivy's fiance," he added.

Zach frowned slightly. He looked at me and asked, "When did you get engaged?"

"I..."

Tyler was the one who answered for me. "I don't think she has to answer your question. That's a personal matter between my fiance and me. Isn't that right, sweetie?"

I rolled my eyes. I wanted to break Tyler's lies, but I couldn't. Still, saying that he was my fiance when he wasn't was not good. I'm directly lying in front of my son, and even if Zach and I could no longer be together, I knew that I still cared for him in a way.

That was why a frown spread on my face when I noticed a girl emerging behind him. It worsened, even more when the house owner, Mrs. Dempsy, also came. The woman's eyes immediately found mine. She looked at me up and down, disgust clearly shown in her expression.

"Miss Dikkens," she greeted. "I thought we would never see each other again. And you also had the audacity to break into my house. What do you want?"

At the sight of Monica Dempsy, painful memories resurfaced in my mind. I saw the cold operating table, the shadowless lamp, and the image of me trying desperately to flee the hospital. I remember how I felt scared as I ran away from her and the nurses. I could still feel the damp ground as I ran barefoot, trying to save my unborn child's life.

That agonizing and helpless feeling lingered in my mind. Even now, when I think about it, it bothers me so much that I can't stop shaking.

Tyler tightened his grip on me as if he sensed my unease. His strong arm made me feel extremely secure, and I couldn't thank him enough.

"Gabby, call the cops. Someone just broke into our house," Monica said as she sat down with that girl's help.

"We discovered you kidnapped Miss Dikken's son against her will," Allen said in a thick, annoying voice.

"If you want to call the cops, just talk to me," Lieutenant Demand said, holding up his badge. "My name is Lieutenant Conner Demand."

"Yes, my Zach did bring the kid home, but this is not our kid; Miss Dikkens can just take him as she wishes," Monica said as she sipped coffee like nothing important was happening.

"Mom!" Zach exclaimed. "Caleb shares my blood. He is my kid, and he's not leaving until I settle everything with Ivy!"

"With Gabby, you can have however many children you desire," Monica uttered in nonchalance. "You don't have to settle anything with that woman."

"What are you talking about, mom?" Zach refuted, "Caleb is not some street urchin. He is indeed my son. I have done a paternity test."

I looked at Caleb, whose head was down. He may be a kid, but he was a smart kid. I knew that he understood what was happening, including his grandmother's clear disgust of him.

The look on Caleb's face felt like someone had just stabbed me, and of a sudden, I had the urge to punch Monica in the face - including Zach's face.

I didn't care what they did to me, but they tested Caleb for paternity behind my back. He was only five years old and had no knowledge. Did they think about how a child would react?

"I don't care about the paternity test. The only child who will be my grandson will be from you and Gabby. A gold digger like her will never stand a chance to be a part of this family. Don't even think about it," Monica sneered.

I saw how Tyler's jaw clenched. He was about to open his mouth when I interfered.

"You overthink things, Mrs. Dempsy. Trust me, I don't want any money from you or your son," I said in controlled rage.

If Caleb wasn't here, I would definitely punch this woman in the face.

"Caleb is my son. He had nothing to do with you in the past and won't play in the future. You may think your Dempsy name is precious, but I'll tell you what? I'm not even interested in Zach," I continued.

With that, I took Caleb's hand and walked to the door. "By the way, if my memory serves me correctly, wasn't it you who began as a gold digger mistress back then?"