Cammy held Dylan’s small hand in hers as they stepped out of Eve’s apartnt, leaving Greg behind for now.
Dylan’s grip was tight, hesitant. His crutches tapped against the wooden floor, the only sound breaking the tense silence between mother and son. He hadn’t said a word since agreeing to co.
His little face, usually filled with warmth and curiosity, was guarded—uncertain of what was to co.
Duncan stood as soon as they entered Cammy’s apartnt, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never been so nervous in his life, not even during his biggest business deals.
But this wasn’t business—this was his son, his family, his last chance to do sothing right.
Cammy guided Dylan to the couch and knelt before him. She took a deep breath, gathering her words.
Duncan sat across from them, his hands clasped tightly together as he waited.
"Dylan, sweetheart," Cammy began gently, stroking his hair. "Mommy and Daddy need to talk to you about sothing very important."
Dylan looked at her, then at Duncan, his small hands tightening around the fabric of his pants. "Is it about that woman?" he asked, his voice sharp, his pain still fresh.
Cammy’s heart clenched, but she shook her head. "No, baby. This is about you, about us."
Duncan leaned forward, his voice soft but firm. "Dylan, your mommy and I... we are not going to live together anymore."
"Rember, I told you about that when we were in the resort? Do you still rember?" Cammy asked, and Dylan nodded.
Cammy swallowed the lump in her throat. "It ans that Mommy and Daddy won’t be husband and wife anymore."
Dylan’s breath hitched. His big, innocent eyes darted between them. "You don’t love each other anymore?"
Duncan exhaled slowly, rubbing his palms against his jeans before reaching for Dylan’s hand. The boy hesitated but didn’t pull away.
"Dylan, love is... complicated, different between husband and wife. It is not like the love that parents have for their children," Duncan admitted. "But what’s never complicated is how much we love you. That will never change. Not ever."
Cammy nodded, cupping Dylan’s cheek, her thumb brushing away a tear before it could fall. "Sweetheart, this doesn’t an we’re not a family anymore. We are. Always. You are the most important person in our lives, and we will both be here for you, no matter what."
"But we won’t live in the sa house ever?" Dylan whispered, his voice quivering.
Duncan shook his head. "No, buddy. But that doesn’t an we won’t see each other. You’ll have two hos now. And whether you’re with Mommy or , we’ll both be loving you every second of every day."
Dylan wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Will you still co to my soccer gas?"
Duncan smiled despite the ache in his chest. "Of course, buddy. I wouldn’t miss a single one."
Dylan turned to Cammy, searching her face. "And you?"
Cammy kissed his forehead. "Always."
"So, does it an that the two of you can now have a new husband and a new wife?" he asked with a bit of confusion.
Cammy glanced at Duncan, who nodded at her. Giving her a go signal to tell him the truth.
"Yes, baby. We can. Daddy can have a new woman in his life to take care of him. Just like how I take care of you. Do you want Daddy to be alone and sad in our old house?"
Dylan shook his head. "No, that house is big and he will be lonely if he is alone."
"Exactly. So, the woman you saw with Daddy, she will take care of him. No need to be angry and hate him. We already talked about it, and Mommy is okay with it."
"Who will take care of you?" Dylan asked Cammy.
"You will, silly," Cammy quipped, but Dylan has a different suggestion in mind.
"But once my cast is off, I’ll be back in the dormitory. Uncle Greg should be your husband."
Duncan clenched his fist, not expecting Dylan to say that.
Silence filled the room for a mont. Then, Dylan hiccupped and threw his arms around Cammy first, then—after a long hesitation—wrapped them around Duncan too.
Duncan closed his eyes, holding his son close, feeling his little heartbeat against his chest.
"I don’t want things to change," Dylan murmured against his father’s shirt.
"I know, sweetheart," Cammy whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But no matter what changes, one thing stays the sa—we love you more than anything in this world."
Duncan kissed the top of his son’s head, his voice rough with emotion. "Forever and always, buddy."
After nearly an hour spent with Dylan, Duncan let out a weary sigh and stood up. "Dylan, Daddy has to go now. I actually escaped from the hospital just so I could talk to you, but if I don’t go back soon, the doctors will have my head."
Dylan nodded solemnly. Though there was still pain in his eyes, it was no longer burning with anger. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Goodbye, Daddy."
Duncan crouched to his son’s level and gently ruffled his hair. "Not goodbye, buddy. Just see you later, okay? No matter what happens, I will always love you."
Cammy watched as Duncan left, his shoulders heavier than when he arrived. There was no victory in this mont—only exhaustion and the remnants of a love that had shattered beyond repair.
As soon as Duncan was out of sight, Cammy took a deep breath and turned to Dylan, smoothing his hair back. "Co on, sweetheart. Let’s get so lunch."
She quickly invited Eve, Greg, and Cassey to join them. The apartnt, which had felt like a battleground just monts ago, soon filled with the warmth of shared food and company.
"Gosh, that was intense!" Eve comnted, shaking her head. "So, how did it go?"
"It was... fine," Cammy answered carefully. "The talk was about Dylan, and that was all I wanted to focus on today. I didn’t bring up the conservatorship issue. I’ll talk to Duncan about that later—with Grace there to back up.
The conversation earlier was already stressful enough, and I need to save my energy. Greg and I still have dinner with his father later."
Greg, who had been quietly picking at his food, glanced up. "We can skip that if you’re too drained. It’s no big deal."
"No, Greg, it is a big deal." Cammy looked him straight in the eyes. "Didn’t you see the way your father reacted when he found out who my mother was? What if we’re related?"
Greg let out a short laugh, but Cammy and Eve didn’t join in.
"There’s no way," Greg assured her. "If we were, I would know. More likely, my father and your parents were business rivals back in the day. That would explain his reaction. My dad holds grudges like trophies—it’s probably just that."
Cammy wasn’t convinced. She pressed her lips together, her unease lingering like a dark cloud in the back of her mind. ’I don’t think it’s that simple. Sothing about this feels... off.’
But she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. Not yet.
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