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If Amelia had rejected Nathaniel, it meant there was still a chance. That was what he thought.
So, his expression eased, and in a quieter tone, he said, “Call me Liam. There’s no need for formalities between. us, is there, Dr. Nathaniel?”
Nathaniel smiled, tilting his head slightly. “Fine, then. Let’s make this fair, Liam.”
With that, Liam left the hospital, his mind set on what he needed to do.
For the next two years, he devoted himself to atonement.
One of the most significant moments came when he met the very man who had tried to kill him the night of his accident
Liam had sought him out to apologize, though he was not sure if his words would mean anything. But wha man said to him that day changed everything.
“You shouldn’t just be apologizing to me, Mr. Carlisle,” the man said, his voice rough with old resentment. “There are plenty of people you’ve hurt in ways you’ll never understand.”
Liam remained silent, listening.
The man exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You know… if you had just allowed me to visit my mother’s grave, just once…. I wouldn’t have hated you this much. I wouldn’t have wanted you dead”
Liam felt something deep inside him shift.
The man’s words struck him harder than he had expected.
dd
So, for the next two years, he made it his mission to meet as many of those people as he could to face them to
acknowledge their pain, and to atone for what he had done
But over time, Liam came to a realization, he was no longer suited to be a prosecutor.
The weight of the lives he had affected pressed down on him, and he knew that if he continued his work, he would only bring more harm.
So, he decided to retire
During those two years, however, he never abandoned Theodore
Once a month, without fail, he would visit him
Theodore grew more comfortable with him, even his excitement bubbling over whenever his father came to see
He would count down the days, eagerly waiting for their monthly outings
And Liam, despite everything, cherished those moments more than anything
I never stopped him from seeing Theodore
Even if I still held a wall around my heart, I could not deny that Theodore needed his father. And as much as I had once resented Liam, I could see the change in him
He was gentler He no longer demanded things from me, no longer expected me to simply follow his will. He was patient careful
It was subtle, but it was there
One morning, as Liam arrived to pick up Theodore, my son turned to me with bright, hopeful eyes
“Mom, let’s have breakfast together. You can go to the hospital after that,” he said cheerfully
I smiled, but shook my head. “I’m sorry Theo. I have a lot of patients waiting for me at the hospital today Theodore’s lips pouted slightly, disappointment flickering in his eyes. While Liam watched us in silence. Even after all the time, I still had not opened my heart to him again.
I spent my days buried in work, keeping myself occupied with the constant rhythm of hospital life. I had no time
to think about relationships–no time to wonder if I was ready to open my heart again
Not to Nathamel, who had patiently pursued me ever since we arrived at the branch hospital
And certainly not to Liam
Even though he had changed. I still refused to let myself be swayed
His monthly outings with Theodore were nothing more than what any father should do for his child for me it was his obligation, not some grand gesture of love or redemption
Theodore always came home excited chattering about their latest adventures–amusement parks, climbing trips, fishing by the lake learning how to fly a kite. To him, every moment spent with his father was precious But to me, it was simply a duty Liam had long neglected and was finally fulfilling And that was enough However, it seemed that three years had passed, so my professor called She told me my time at the brand hospital was coming to an end
*The research tear at Future Hospital is waiting for you,” she said “We need you back in City A. And don’t worry we’ve already arranged for a new team to take over your position here Many staff members are being sent in to help
That meant I would have returned and had to see Liam more often.
From what I had heard from Theodore. Liam had from home
ad resigned from his position as a prosecutor and decided to work
They had visited the house several times together, and Theodore had mentioned that Liam had been buying new
Forget Me Dc, Farewel Forever
things for his room–things to make the house feel more like home again.
Still, as I sat outside my dorm that evening, waiting for Liam to return Theodore, I could not shake the doubt lingering in my heart.
I sipped my tea slowly, my thoughts tangled in a mess of conflicting emotions.
“Am I too selfish if I still don’t want to go back to Liam?” I muttered under my breath.
The faint hum of an approaching car cut through the quiet. Liam’s car.
A moment later, he stepped out, carrying Theodore in his arms.
The little boy was fast asleep, his head nestled against Liam’s shoulder, his tiny fingers curled into his father’s
shirt.
Liam looked hesitant as he turned to me.
“Uh… Can I bring him to his room?” he asked carefully.
I met his gaze, then let out a quiet sigh.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I live with many others in this dorm. So, the answer is no.”
Liam blinked, then quickly nodded, his expression unreadable.
“Oh yeah, sorry for asking too much,” he murmured, shifting Theodore gently into my arms.
As I adjusted my grip on my son, Theodore let out a small sigh in his sleep.
Then, in a soft, drowsy whisper, he mumbled, “Let’s go camping together, Mommy, Daddy”
I froze. Liam did too.
We stood there in silence, the weight of our son’s words hanging between us.
Theodore wanted what any child would–a family that was whole, parents who were together.
But could I give him that?
I swallowed the lump in my throat and spoke, my voice softer than before,
“Thank you for accompanying Theo today.”
Then, without looking back, I turned and walked inside, leaving Liam standing alone in the quiet night.
