“Mom, what’s this?” Leo looked curiously at the silver compass I handed him, his small fingers gently caressing its delicate surface.

I sat down beside his bed, my heart racing. After a night of contemplation, I decided to at least let Leo know where this gift came from. I couldn’t continue deceiving him, especially when danger could arrive at any moment.


“This is a gift from Uncle Ethan,” I said softly, watching his reaction.

Leo’s eyes lit up, excitement sparkling in his green pupils. “Really? Why did he give me a gift?”

I took a deep breath, feeling a strange calm descend upon me. “Because… he cares about you very much.” My voice was soft and warm as my fingers gently stroked Leo’s cheek.


“Will he come see me again?” Leo turned the compass over and suddenly discovered the engraving on the back. His brow furrowed slightly, an expression identical to Ethan’s when deep in thought. “Mom, what does it say here?”

I moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body, and read softly: “To my son Leo, may you always find your way home.”


My voice trembled slightly as I spoke these words, my eyes growing moist. These simple words contained so much emotion—Ethan’s regret for the years missed, his hope for the future, his love for Leo.

Leo’s expression changed from curiosity to confusion, then to a hope I’d never seen before. His eyes widened, lips trembling slightly, small hands clutching the compass tightly. “‘Son’? Mom, does this mean…” His voice was filled with anticipation, his eyes sparkling with disbelief.

I nodded, tears falling uncontrollably. “Yes, baby. Ethan is your daddy.”

Revealing this secret felt both painful and relieving, like setting down a heavy burden. Leo sat quietly for a moment, processing this information. His little face displayed a kaleidoscope of emotions, from shock to confusion, then to a gradually blossoming joy. Then he asked the question I feared most, his voice barely audible: “Why did he only come find us now? Didn’t he want me?”

“No, baby, it’s not like that.” I hugged him tightly. “He didn’t know you existed. We… we lost touch. He just found out you’re his son, and he immediately wanted to meet you.”

My fingers gently stroked his back, feeling each breath, each heartbeat. This little life, my everything, my world, now knew his father’s identity. I was both afraid and eager for his reaction.

“Really?” Leo’s voice carried longing as he lifted his head from my embrace, hope shining in his green eyes. “He wants to be my dad?”

“Yes, he very much wants to.” I kissed his forehead, feeling the softness of his skin. “But it’s up to you, Leo. If you don’t want to meet him, we can wait—”

“I want to meet him!” Leo almost jumped up, his face breaking into a radiant smile. That pure joy made my heart both warm and ache. “Can we go now? Will he teach me baseball? All the other kids’ dads teach them baseball.”

I smiled as I wiped away tears from the corners of my eyes. “We can arrange that. But first, baby, I need you to know that we might have to leave our home temporarily and stay somewhere safe for a while.” I spoke softly, trying to keep my voice calm, not wanting to frighten him.

“Why?” Leo frowned.

“Because Mom’s work is a bit complicated.” I tried to explain in a way he could understand. “Some bad people might cause trouble, so we need to stay somewhere they can’t find us.”

“Like in spy movies?” Leo’s eyes sparkled, fear instantly replaced by excitement. “Are we going to a secret base?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Something like that. So you don’t have to go to school today. We need to pack some essential things.”

Leo nodded excitedly, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation. For him, this was just an adventure, and most importantly, he was finally going to meet his father. He jumped off the bed and began running around the room, gathering his favorite toys and books.

I stood by, watching him bustle about, my heart filled with mixed emotions. Was this decision right? Letting Leo know Ethan’s identity, accepting Ethan’s protection? Could I really trust Ethan?

—

Thompson’s office felt more oppressive than usual. The curtains were drawn tight, with only the desk lamp providing dim light, casting distorted shadows on the walls. He sat behind his desk, expressionless, looking at my report while his fingers rhythmically tapped the desktop, the sound particularly jarring in the quiet room.

“Is this all?” He finally looked up, his tone carrying dissatisfaction. “Two weeks of undercover investigation, and you’ve only discovered these surface anomalies?”

“I need more time to access the core systems,” I maintained a professional tone. “Morgan Group’s security measures are extremely strict.”

Thompson stood up and walked to the window. He slowly pulled back a corner of the curtain, allowing sunlight to pierce into the room like a sword, casting sharp light and shadow across his face.

“William Morgan speaks highly of you.” His voice was calm but carried a dangerous undercurrent. “He says you’re a clever young person.”

My heart raced, but I maintained a calm exterior. “I’m just doing my job.”

“Is that so?” He turned to face me, his gaze sharp. “Then why did Sophie Bennett contact you? Why did you meet her secretly during work hours?”

I felt a chill. He knew about my meeting with Sophie.

“She approached me, claiming to have information about William Morgan.” I decided on partial honesty. “As an investigator, I have a responsibility to explore all possible leads.”

“What did she tell you?”

“Nothing substantial.” I lied, looking directly into his eyes, refusing to back down. “Just some speculation about company politics.”

Thompson stared at me for several seconds, then walked back to his desk. “I hope you remember your position, Reed. Your task is to investigate financial crimes at Morgan Group, not to get involved in their family disputes.”

“I understand.”

“Good.” He sat down. “Next week’s Asian investment project launch is a critical juncture. I hope you can provide more valuable information before then.”

I nodded, preparing to leave. As I stood up, I noticed a photograph on his desk, partially visible beneath some documents. It was Leo’s school, without a doubt. My heart nearly stopped, but I forced myself to keep my expression neutral.

“One more thing, Reed,” he called after me. “About your personal life… keep a low profile. It’s better for the investigation.”

The threat in his words couldn’t have been clearer. He knew about Leo’s existence and possibly that Ethan had discovered the truth. I suppressed my anger and fear, calmly leaving his office.

In the hallway, my phone vibrated. It was a text from Ethan: “Everything’s ready. Address sent. See you tonight.”