"Nick, Mummy is sorry. I love you so much" she muttered in tears, shaking with cold.

The bartenders walked up to her and placed their hands on each of their shoulders, consoling her.

"It'd all be fine, please stop crying"

"If it's destined, then you'd meet Nick again. The most important thing is that he'd surely take care of him"

Amelia looked up at the two of them, and they gave her assuring nods, Then she sniffed, and they began patting her.

Even if it takes years, she's hoping that one day, she'll meet her son. Even if he forgets about her, she won't mind.

She wants to meet again...one day.

*

EIGHT YEARS LATER, DAMEN'S MANSION*

It might not be the biggest mansion in New York, but it's surely one of the biggest, owned by Damen Stark, the rich real estate dealer.

All the shit and crazy things that happened to him years ago made him even stronger, and his determination to be rich was fueled.

He worked hard over the years to be where he is today. He stopped being a salary earner and became the CEO of his company, Starkland.

It's the biggest real estate company in the city, and the most reliable too, so he's trusted, and he makes millions every month, but he hasn't even achieved his real dream yet.

The real dream isn't to become one of the richest, it's to become the richest, and he's still chasing after that. No woman in his life, and he's not planning to welcome one.

He was woken up by the bright light from a camera this morning, and his eyes opened slowly, only to see 9-year-old Nick sitting on his stomach, snapping his sleepy face.

"Hey," he smiled.

"Dad you can't stand up yet, just continue sleeping I still need to snap more. I'm in an argument with my classmates over whose father looks the best while sleeping" Nick said.

Damen sat up immediately, and Nick rolled his eyes, sitting beside him. They're wearing the same pyjamas.

"You can never cooperate" he muttered, and Damen smiled again before hugging him.

He's his life, and pampering him became his hobby since he took him from his mother that year, the mother he doesn't even know her name.

"Dad" Nick muttered, hugging him back.

"You should go prepare for school," Damen said, kissing his hair.

"Master Nick! Breakfast is ready" a maid announced from the door.

"Fine" he broke the hug and gave Damen a peck on the cheek before jumping out the bed.

"Morning Dad!" He winked, and Damen sighed as he rushed out of the room.

"Brat"

He got down from the bed too, entering the bathroom to wash up.

He finished brushing and was about to enter the tub when his phone buzzed.

It's a text from Theo, his PA.

• The land we bought for 30M last month, a plaza will be built there this month and it'd go for four times the original price, we made it boss!

Roman smiled a little before dropping his phone, and he finally entered the tub.

He cleaned up with the next 30 minutes, and another 20 minutes were spent dressing up in a classic Frenzy suit.

His cologne was mixing with the air as he walked out of the room with his right hand in his pocket, but getting downstairs to the living room, he saw no maids in sight.

Nick is in the living room though, busy with his three phones.

One for the internet, one for games, and one for pictures.

He's currently snapping pictures of himself.

"Nick?" Damen called.

"Hmm," he replied without looking at him.

"Where are the maids?"

"I fired the three" Nick replied.

"Not again" Roman muttered.

"They f**king left a fishbone in my meal. What if I had died? I sent them all away" Nick replied, finally looking up at him.

"Geez, and why aren't you preparing for school?"

"I'm not going to school today" Nick replied.

"You're kidding right?" Damen said sternly, and the door opened, revealing Kate.

She's Nick's female friend and classmate.

"Good morning Mr. Stark!" She waved at Damen, and Nick grabbed her hand.

"We plan to play PS5 throughout today, bye Dad!" He said and started taking her upstairs.

"You're doing this on purpose, Liam," Roman said, and he stopped.

"Find me my mum" he replied without looking back, then he went upstairs with Kate completely.

Damen sighed and walked to the dining room, making himself a cup of cinnamon tea with the hot water from the flask.

Nick has been asking about his mum since he clocked 5, and it hasn't been easy.

He has been searching for her since then, but he just couldn't find anything, and Nick isn't taking it easy at all. His mood swings are on another level.

Earlier this morning he was snapping pictures of himself, but now he's rebelling and not going to school just to frustrate him.

He has fired close to twenty maids just this month alone, and anytime he visits the company, the staff even fear him more than Damen himself.

He sighed again before drinking from the cinnamon tea, his favorite since he now hates coffee.

Amelia's face appeared in his memory, and he closed his eyes.

"Please...let me spend one more hour with Nick before you take him away" her pleading voice invaded his head.

He opened his eyes immediately, guiltily dropping the cup of tea before walking away from the dining table.

*

TASTY RESTAURANT, 10 AM*

"Table 10 is taking too much time to be served!" Madam Brooke said from the kitchen stand.

"It's almost ready!" One of the maids replied from the kitchen

Two minutes later, pretty Amelia came out of the kitchen with the tray of food for that particular table, smiling as she walked there to serve.

Her hair is in a bun, and the blue apron looks like it was made for her. She didn't age at all, she still looks the same, or even prettier

"You forgot to add the wine," the woman at the table said.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, will be right back" she quickly apologized and rushed back to the cellar to get it.

It hasn't been easy, even after becoming a graduate, she still wasn't able to get herself a good job that pays well since then, so she had to settle for what she found here.

Tasty restaurant is one of the best around, and they get patronized well, so Madam Brooke pays all the servers well, and she even gives her special treatment cos she likes her a lot.

She got the wine and took it back to the table, then she returned to the kitchen, but Madam Brooke blocked her.

"You should rest now. Rest for five minutes before joining the others again" she said, and Amelia smiled.

"Thanks, ma'am"

She sat on a stool and got a burger from a tray which she ate from as she rested.

*

ZUMA SEA*

A black Mercedes-Benz drove into the shoreline, and Damen came out with Theo, his PA.

They walked to the walkway in the middle of the river, and they stayed there together as they checked out the land surrounding the water.

It's Damen's next target to buy Cos, a seaport that would be built there soon, and he'd make billions if that happens.

"I'll draw the cheque immediately we get back to the company," he said, inserting his hand into his pocket before facing Theo.

"So....when are you traveling again?" He asked.

"In two days' time boss, but don't panic, I'll recruit a new PA and a lot of other needed staff tomorrow. I'll handle everything before leaving" Theo replied.

"No PA can work diligently like you, it's a fact" Damen replied, and Theo smiled.

"About Nick's mother...

"Still the same, I don't think she's still in this country, and Nick is still busy giving me a hard time cos of her" Damen nodded.

"He'd get over it soon," Theo said.

"Who? That brat? You know what he can do and if he wants something, he's gonna stand on my throat to get it, so he's just starting with me" Damen replied calmly, and he immediately narrowed his eyes when he saw a ferry in the water.

There's a guy inside with a girl, and he smirked when he saw the guy's face.

"Isn't that Cassie's boyfriend?"

He got his phone and dialled her line without waiting.

"What's up Nick's dad!" Cassie's loud voice came.

"Where's Jace?" He asked.

"My boyfriend? He's out of town" she replied.

"Guess who's on Zuma sea right now with a girl" Damen smiled.

"What!" Cassie gasped.

"Do you want pictures?" Damen asked, and she hung up immediately.

Damen pocketed the phone and looked back at Jace and the girl on the ferry.

"Today is not gonna end well for you both" he smiled knowingly.

Three minutes later, Cassie's car drove onto the shore, and he blinked.

"Did she fly or what?" He muttered as she came out of the car and rushed to them, looking freaking beautiful. She's a rich model now.

"There" Damen pointed at the ferry, and she scoffed when she saw them, breathing high and low in anger.

"He lied to me that he'd be out of town, but he came here with another girl? Jace!!!!!!" She screamed with all her guts, and Jace looked her way from the ferry.

His eyes widened immediately. The expression on his face shows how scared he became.

"Cas.. Cassie" he stuttered, and she took off her right heel.

"You f**king son of a gun!!! How dare you cheat on me with that bony thing beside you!!!!" She shouted, throwing the shoe, but it didn't reach him.

It landed in the water, and she took off the second one immediately.

"Scum!!!! Get out of that ferry now before I come there to meet you!!! Jace!!!" She screamed, throwing the second shoe.

It also landed in the water.

"Cassie I can explain, Cassie. Jace begged.

"Who's she?" The girl beside him asked.

"She's my....my cousin" he replied, and Cassie's eyes widened.

"RIP, Jace" she smirked, and before anyone could get it, she jumped into the water and started swimming to the ferry.

"What the hell!" Theo gasped beside Damen.

"I knew it'd be chaotic" Damen muttered.

Jace increased the pace of the ferry, but it was useless cos Cassie caught up shortly and climbed in.

"Cassie, Cassie I can explain...

Jace was still begging when she held his head and hit her forehead on his own.

"Gawd!!!" He screamed as his head banged, but it wasn't over.

Cassie grabbed his p*nis beneath, pulling it hard together with his balls.

"Cassie!!!!!!!!"

*

6 PM, DELIGHT KIDDIES SCHOOL*

A taxi stopped in front of the school, and Amelia came out fast.

The school closed twenty minutes ago, and kids are pouring out to wait for their parents.

"Mummy!" A tiny voice called, and she smiled when she saw her little Iris waiting with another kid in front of the gate.

"Baby!" She walked to her and carried her off the ground, hugging her afterwards.

"Mum I missed you throughout school today," she said.

"I missed you throughout work too baby" Amelia replied, kissing her curly cute hair.

She broke the hug to kiss her beautiful blue eyes too.

"I got 10 on 10 in today's test," she said.

"I trust you" Amelia smiled, kissing her forehead afterwards.

"Good evening Mrs. Mendez" the girl beside them greeted.

"How're you doing Kendra? Manson isn't here yet?" Amelia replied, and a sports car drove in immediately.

Manson came out of it, a really cute guy who already looks apologetic.

He's Kendra's brother, and since Kendra is Iris's friend, he's also close to Amelia a lot.

"I'm so sorry for coming late Kendra," he said, carrying little Kendra.

"I'm used to it" she replied, and Amelia smiled at her seriousness.

"Movies tonight at your favorite cinema?" Manson said.

"Deal?" Kendra replied.

"Sure," Manson said, and she hugged him.

"Miss Lia" he smiled, facing Amelia.

"It's Amelia" she replied.

"I like Lia better, so stop correcting me every time. I won't listen" he said, and she chuckled.

"See you tomorrow, Manson," she said and made to stop a taxi.

"I'll drop you off, please let me" he quickly said.

"Again? You're not my driver you know?" She replied.

"I don't mind" he smiled, and she returned the smile as he opened the car door for her.

They dropped both Kendra and Iris at the back of the car, and they sat in front.

They never stopped talking till they got to Amelia's house, and she stepped out, carrying Iris again.

"Do you mind if you and Iris join Kendra at the cinema tonight?" Manson asked.

"I'll be busy, I'm sorry Manson" Amelia replied.

"It's ok, see you tomorrow" Manson smiled, hiding the disappointment in his voice.

Iris waved at Kendra as Amelia took her in, and Mason sighed.

"You know Mrs. Mendez is married, right?" 5 years old Kendra said from the backseat.

"Why are you telling me?" Manson replied.

"I see the way you look at her," she said.

"Smarty-pants huh?" Manson smiled handsomely before driving away.

*

INSIDE THE HOUSE*

Amelia got to the door, and she sighed when she touched the doorknob, obviously scared to go in.

"Mum, are you scared?" Iris asked from her arm.

"No, baby" she smiled.

She got married to Roman Mendez five years ago when she figured out she can't continue hating men forever, and also she needs a supporter, but the marriage has been hell.

Roman is a complete psycho.

She looked at the door of the second apartment, and she inhaled when she saw it was still locked. Julia is not back yet.

Julia is her neighbor.

She finally opened the door, and as expected, Roman was already in the living room, smoking slowly while watching the news on TV.

"And why are you just coming?" He asked without looking away from the TV.

He dropped his cigar though, stopping the smokes.

"I never knew I was gonna take long at the restaurant, I'm sorry" she replied, and he stood.

"B**ch! I stayed hungry for hours waiting for you to come! Do you have plans to kill me?" He said as he started walking fast towards her.

Amelia quickly shifted back, but she still didn't escape the slap he gave her.

"Roman!" She gasped.

"Dad...stop hurting my mum" Iris started crying, and he smiled before taking her from Amelia.

"She deserves it for starving your dad, angel. Calm down ok?" He said, wiping her tears.

"Now you go back out there, and don't come back in till after an hour" Roman ordered.

"But it's gonna rain according to the weather forecast" Amelia gasped.

"Out!" Roman yelled, and Iris started crying again in his arms.

Amelia rushed out of the house before his hand could reach her, and she looked up at the sky when the cold air hit her skin.

She's not tolerant of cold so she began shaking, rubbing her bare arms.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she checked to see a message from Julia.

• The interview is tomorrow, trust me you'd get it this time, it's 100 percent assurance!

She smiled with small hope before walking away from the house, rubbing her cold arms.

She decided to take a stroll till an hour would be over since there's no balcony to stay on.

The wind got heavier and heavier as she walked down the street, but she didn't care.

She kept walking till the raindrops started falling on her arms, and she stopped.

She stayed on that spot on the road for several minutes till the rain started falling for real, and she didn't bother to hide.

She squatted there, in the rain, and then the cute name came out of her mouth.

"Nick"

She smiled sadly as the rain drenched her.

"Nick, I miss you" she muttered as tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes.

Wherever he is now, he'd surely be living well as a nine-year-old dude.

There's no passing day without her thinking about him and missing him so badly, and each day, she always wishes for their paths to cross, but it just isn't happening.

Will they truly not meet again?

That thought wrecked her each time, and right now as she thinks about it, it made her tears rush out under the rain, and for the 99th time, she cursed Sam and Fiona from the depths of her heart.

She was still squatting there in the middle of the road when a car began driving towards her from the other end.

The full lights were on, and the car stopped in front of her.

She didn't look up, and the full lights remained on as the person came down with an umbrella, walking to her with his right hand tucked in his pants pocket.

He got to her and unwrapped the umbrella, covering her with it.

She could smell his expensive cologne as she began looking up gently..