The Son He Never Knew

"Do you regret it?" Six years later, my ex threw his wedding in my face. He was marrying another woman. And there I was, a wreck, head bowed, asking him for money.

Of course he hated me. Six years ago, I took a million dollars from his mother and let everyone believe I'd aborted our baby and betrayed him.

What he didn't know was that I'd raised that child all on my own. Now the child was sick. He was dying.

Chapter 1 In the sixth year after our breakup, at the lowest point of my life, I ran into Malcolm again. It was a class reunion, and nobody expected Malcolm to show up.

Someone joked, "Mr. Big Shot never bothers keeping in touch with us. How come you suddenly came to the reunion this year?" "Did you hear Rhea was coming? Still got a thing for her?

Came looking for her, huh?" I was sitting in the corner. My back went rigid. I looked up and saw Malcolm, a cigarette between his lips, watching me coldly.

Everyone knew how much Malcolm used to love me. He was the young heir to a wealthy family, and he'd fallen for me at first sight. That year, he cut ties with his family for me.

He gave up the power, gave up the money, and fought with everything he had to be with me. We lived in a tiny rented room.

We ate out of the same bowl of instant noodles and split the same can of soup. Life was hard, and we were happy.

Every night we spent tangled up together, we laced our fingers and swore we'd be together forever. Until I got pregnant.

His mother gave me a million dollars to get rid of our baby and leave him. That day, Malcolm knelt outside the operating room, pounding on the door as hard as he could.

Over and over, he begged me through his tears. "Baby, baby! I'll work hard, I'll make money, I'll take care of us.

I swear I'll make millions and millions, and it's all yours to spend. Okay?" "I'm begging you, don't leave me.

Don't leave our baby…" I lay on the operating table, biting down hard on my lip so I wouldn't cry out loud.

Through that one small door, I listened to Malcolm say he would hate me for the rest of his life. Nobody knew how ugly our breakup had been.

Someone shoved me toward Malcolm, laughing as they pushed, and asked him, "Mr. Big Shot, you used to love Rhea more than your own life.

How could you ever bring yourself to let her go?" Everyone joined in, egging us on, saying we should get back together.

Malcolm's buddy glanced at me and gave a scornful little laugh. Then he spoke up. "What woman can't Mr. Big Shot get? Who the hell is Rhea, anyway?

What makes her so special that our Malcolm should still be hung up on her?" He said there was a woman who'd been with Malcolm for three years.

That woman was gentler than me, prettier than me, and a better fit to be Malcolm's girlfriend than me. Malcolm had been dating her for three years.

His buddies all called that girl the future Mrs. Sterling. Word was, they were getting married soon. All the laughing and joking stopped.

Only Malcolm's buddy kept laughing, telling everyone they had to come to Malcolm's wedding. He flung an invitation my way. It hit me in the face and fell into my lap.

I looked down and saw Malcolm's name on the invitation. Next to his was another girl's. The girl's name was Constance. Even her name sounded steady and respectable.

Chapter 2 I figured she must be more sensible than me, sweeter than me, better at taking care of someone than me. She wouldn't always be making Malcolm sad.

Six years apart, and now we'd met again. Knowing Malcolm was doing well was good enough.

I held back the tears that had almost fallen, lifted my head, and said one word to Malcolm: congratulations. Malcolm stared right at me.

When he heard me say congratulations, he suddenly laughed.

He ground out his cigarette hard and said coldly, "Rhea, don't bother coming to the wedding." "My wife won't be happy if she sees you.

And if she's not happy, it'll hurt me to see it." I gripped that thin, goldembossed invitation and froze for a second. Then I smiled, nodded, and said softly, okay.

That day, everyone said Malcolm really seemed to be over me. None of them could have imagined how deeply we'd once loved each other.

And in the end, he was getting married, and the bride wasn't me. Everyone had thought Malcolm would wait for me forever.

Everyone was curious who this Constance girl was, to have Malcolm so infatuated, so devoted to her. I knew Malcolm didn't want to see me again, so I just left the reunion early.

On my way home, a friend sent me a photo of Constance. In the picture, Constance looked sweet and innocent.

I'd heard she smiled a lot and liked to act cute and needy, exactly the kind of girl Malcolm liked.

My friend asked me, "Rhea, don't you think Constance looks just like you when she smiles?" "Do you think Malcolm's still in love with you?

Is it really over between you two, just like that?" I let out a soft breath and was quiet for a long time. Then I smiled and said, "Doesn't matter anymore.

I don't care." I didn't want to get tangled up with Malcolm again. I figured he would never know that, behind everyone's back, I'd secretly had our baby. That child was sick.

He was dying. This year had been the poorest, hardest year of my life. I worked myself to the bone for money.

I wanted that child to have the best medicine, so that while he was sick, he wouldn't hurt so much.

For money, I could swallow my pride and show up at a class reunion to borrow from people.

I could also work at a private lounge drinking with customers, drinking until my stomach bled.

I thought that would probably be the last time Malcolm and I ever saw each other in this life. Until a few days later, when that girl named Constance came looking for me.

Constance had probably heard from other people that she and I looked alike, and she wanted to see me for herself.

She came to the private lounge with a few friends to party and asked for me by name. One of the girls asked me, "So you're Rhea? Mr.

Big Shot's first love?" Her eyes were full of contempt as she took in my heavy makeup, like she was telling me I was dirty. I clenched my fists and held my temper.

I didn't want trouble. I just asked them if they wanted to order drinks. If they weren't drinking, they could stop getting in the way of me making money.

The girl must have felt I'd disrespected her, because she yelled at me, "What's with the attitude? I asked you a question. Are you deaf?

I'm being nice to you and you throw it back in my face." She pointed at a bottle of hard liquor and said to me, "Fine, Rhea. You like money, right?

Chug that whole bottle in one go, and I'll give you twenty grand." Drinking that whole bottle would probably land me in the hospital.

Constance put on a show of looking a little anxious and tried to talk the girl down. "Didn't we agree we'd just come take a look and not give Miss Walsh a hard time?" "I mean, sure, everyone says she's really good at seducing men and told me to watch out for her.

Even Mal says I'm too naive, and he's worried she'll pick on me." Chapter 3 "But I'm fine." I listened quietly to Constance and more or less got it.

She was telling me how much Malcolm liked her, and how much he hated me. I smiled and didn't say anything. I just asked her friend, "So we're agreed?

I drink one bottle, you give me twenty grand, right?" Then I picked up the bottle from the table and started pouring it down my throat. Everyone froze.

None of them had expected me to actually risk my life for money.

Constance took my hand and said gently, "Rhea, honey, how could you do this to yourself, just for money?" "As women, we have to have some sense of shame.

I didn't want to say this because I was afraid it would hurt you, but you know what? Mal hates women like you more than anything…" I finished the whole bottle.

Fighting the sharp pain in my stomach, I cut her off and asked, "Where's the money?" "What Malcolm likes, what Malcolm hates—what does that have to do with me?

All I want is the twenty grand you promised me." Constance frowned and looked at me with disappointment.

In a small, soft voice she said, "Rhea, honey, honestly, twenty grand is pocket change to me. I could give it to anyone.

Just not you." "You can blame me, but I'm doing this for your own good.

I can't just stand by and watch you keep throwing your life away…" Her friend gave me a shove and laughed. "I was just messing with you. I'm not giving you the money.

What are you gonna do about it?" I laughed coldly right along with her. Then I raised my hand and smashed the bottle hard.

Shards of glass flew, and one sliced Constance's leg, leaving a cut that welled with blood. Constance's tears spilled over instantly.

The women who'd been so loud a moment ago didn't dare say a word. The next second, the door to the VIP room opened. Malcolm stood in the doorway, staring at me, icecold.

I froze where I stood. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye. Malcolm had seen me after all, in heavy makeup, drinking with men and keeping them happy for money.

The truth was, I didn't care if other people looked down on me. I just didn't want Malcolm, of all people, to know how badly I was doing.

But in the end, even that one wish didn't come true. All I could do was pretend with everything I had that I didn't care.

I forced myself to lift my head and watched Malcolm pull Constance into his arms and gently wipe away her tears.

Then, slowly and deliberately, he asked me, "Rhea, who do you think you're bullying right in front of me?" "You want money? Fine.

Apologize first." Watching Malcolm protect Constance, I remembered how, a long time ago, he'd protected me just like that. I knew Malcolm wanted me to make Constance feel better.

That was fine. For money, I'd do anything. Constance hid in Malcolm's arms and smiled at me on the sly.

I looked at the cut on her leg, picked up a piece of broken glass, and slashed it hard across my own skin. Then I held out my bloody hand and said calmly to Malcolm, "Give it to me.

The twenty grand." Malcolm looked at me, and his eyes suddenly went red. Constance saw the look on Malcolm's face, and her smile stiffened.

She took out a check and placed it in my hand, her voice soft and sweet. "Rhea, honey, I'm giving you this money today not because I owe you, but because I don't want to be like you, making such an ugly scene over a little money." I couldn't be bothered to watch her act so noble anymore.

I took the money and turned to leave, but Malcolm grabbed me and yanked me back. Chapter 4 He said my name through gritted teeth and cursed at me. "Rhea, doesn't that fucking hurt?

Would you die without the money?" The way he was frowning so hard, it almost looked like it hurt him to see me like this.

I shook his hand off hard, turned around, and said with a cold laugh, "I've always been a woman who loves money, Malcolm.

Didn't you know?" "Mind your own business, and keep your woman in line. Stop messing with me." Malcolm stared at me, his eyes frighteningly cold, like he wanted to swallow me whole.

What I'd said probably reminded him of the past, of how he'd given up everything for me, and how I'd thrown him away without mercy, for money.

My stomach hurt, and I didn't want to say anything more to him. I turned to go, but suddenly my body felt light and my feet left the floor.

The next second, Malcolm had me slung over his shoulder. Like some bandit carrying off a woman, he walked out of the VIP room with a cigarette in his mouth and me over his shoulder.

Everyone turned to look. I struggled with everything I had, telling Malcolm to put me down.

He smacked my ass and snapped at me, "Rhea, what the hell did I ever do to deserve you jerking me around like this?" He threw me into his car, leaned over to pin my legs down, grabbed my face, and snarled, "Sometimes I really want to kill you." His expression said he hated my guts.

But his eyes always seemed to be telling me he still loved me. My stomach hurt so much I couldn't speak. Breaking out in a cold sweat, I glared at him.

Malcolm frowned, opened the glove compartment, took out the antacid I used for stomach flareups, and pressed it into my hand.

In the corner of the glove compartment, I saw a lipstick I'd used up but couldn't bear to throw away, a hair tie I'd worn until it snapped, and the childish pink hair clip Malcolm had bought me back then… Every trace of me was in there.

All those days after I left, those things had kept Malcolm company in my place. My tears came pouring out.

I turned my head away and wiped them off roughly with my hand before Malcolm could see. After all these years, he still remembered I had a bad stomach.

Even with me gone, he was still in the habit of keeping medicine ready for my pain. And I hardened my heart and pushed him away as hard as I possibly could.

I forced myself to smile at him, and still smiling, I said, "Malcolm, stop chasing after me, okay?

The way you keep chasing me is so obnoxious!" "You probably don't know this yet, but I got married and had a kid a long time ago…" "Don't tell me you still think we're getting back together?

Malcolm, don't be pathetic." He stumbled back two steps from my push and stood there frozen.

The moment I got up to leave, he suddenly reached out, pinned me against the car, and grabbed me by the throat.

His voice shaking, he said through clenched teeth, "Rhea, I don't believe you." "You'd better tell me you're fucking joking.

Otherwise, I swear I'll kill you." I looked him straight in the eye and said calmly, "Fine. I'll prove it to you." I took Malcolm to the children's hospital.

It was nine at night, and the lights in the inpatient ward were still on. I stood outside the room and pointed through the glass at the little boy quietly reading inside.

I told Malcolm, "That's my kid." The boy's name was Parker. He was my precious baby, the one I loved most.

He looked a lot like me, but he had Malcolm's personality—very thoughtful, very gentle, a little bossy, with a stubborn look always around his eyes.

He'd inherited all of Malcolm's best qualities. He was such a good kid. But he'd gotten sick. Almost six years old, so thin and small, and so wellbehaved it broke your heart