The Heir He Never Knew

The moment the plane touched down, a knot tightened in Serena Hayes's stomach as she stared through the oval window and the familiar skyline came into view, its towering buildings shimmering beneath the afternoon sun.

Five years had passed, yet nothing about this place felt familiar anymore rather it felt like a graveyard where she'd buried the happiest and worst moments of her life.

She never wanted to come back and if there had been another way to save her son, she would have taken it without hesitation.

The seatbelt sign chimed, pulling her from her thoughts and beside her, a small hand slipped into hers. "Mama are we there already?"

Serena turned to her son and smiled despite the ache in her chest. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Are we here?" He asked again.

She brushed a curl away from Noah's forehead. "We are."

Noah's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked out the window.

"So this is the country you were born in?"

She nodded. "It looks big, mama."

"It is."

"Will we stay here forever, right?" He asked but the question caught her off guard.

"No," she answered softly. "We'll only stay for a little while."

"And then we'll go home?"

"Yes."

Home wasn't a place anymore because home to her was wherever Noah was and as long as she had him, nowhere else mattered.

The passengers began filing out of the aircraft and Serena reached for her carry-on while Noah proudly dragged his tiny dinosaur backpack behind him.

She watched him for a moment and her heart swells with great love, she still can't believe it was already five years of raising him alone and hiding like a criminal.

She ensure no one discovered whose blood ran through her son's veins and she intended to keep it that way forever.

The arrival hall buzzed with voices and luggage wheels scraping across polished floors, soon she saw families reuniting with tearful embraces and she kept her head down because the fewer faces she recognized, the better for her.

Soon her phone buzzed and it was a text from Ethan.

Ethan: I'm outside, Exit B.

Relief washed over her, at least she wasn't facing this alone. Soon the automatic doors slid open and warm air greeted them.

Ethan Carter stood beside a black SUV, waving the moment he spotted them. "There you are."

Before Serena could react, Noah sprinted toward him. "Uncle Ethan!" He screamed.

Ethan laughed as he scooped the little boy into his arms. "Look at you! You've gotten heavier and taller, what have your mama been feeding you with?"

"No, I haven't."

"You definitely have."

"No!"

"You've been eating all the cookies, haven't you?"

Noah gasped dramatically. "Mama doesn't let me eat too many."

Serena couldn't help laughing at this point. "You make it sound like I'm starving you."

"You said vegetables first."

"I did."

Ethan grinned as Noah wrapped his arms around his neck. "I've missed this little troublemaker."

"And I missed you too."

He finally looked at Serena. "You okay?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm just tired."

He studied her face for a moment before lowering his voice. "We're here now and we'll get Noah admitted, meet the specialist, and leave as soon as everything is over."

Serena nodded. "That's the plan."

"You won't have to see him."

Her smile faded. "I know."

"You've been worrying since we boarded the plane."

"I can't help it."

Ethan gently squeezed her shoulder. "You're not the same girl who left this country five years ago."

No, she wasn't.

The girl who left had been heartbroken, frightened, and pregnant but the woman who returned had survived every nightmare thrown at her and she had built a career, raised a son and created a life from nothing.

She no longer needed Adrian Ashford and she only needed him to never discover Noah existed because if he did...

The Ashford family would never let their only biological heir leave.

She had seen what that family was capable of because they had destroyed her once and she wouldn't let them take her son too.

They loaded the luggage into the SUV before heading toward the city, traffic crawled through familiar streets Serena wished she'd never had to see again.

"So," Ethan said, glancing at her, "the hospital meeting isn't until tomorrow, how about we grab lunch first?"

She hesitated because the last thing she wanted was to linger anywhere but Noah was already pressing his face against the window. "I'm hungry."

Serena smiled. "Looks like I've been outvoted."

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into one of the city's most luxurious hotels, the restaurant overlooked a beautiful garden, quiet enough for Noah to run around while they waited for their food.

For the first time since landing, Serena allowed herself to breathe maybe they would finish Noah's treatment and leave before fate had the chance to remind her why she'd sworn never to return.

"Mama!" Noah called, pointing excitedly toward a fountain. "Can I go look at the fish?"

She looked around, the garden was enclosed. "I'll be right behind you."

He beamed before running off and Ethan leaned back in his chair. "You know..."

"What?"

"You smiled."

"I always smile."

"No, not like that."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't start."

"I'm serious, it's really nice seeing you happy again."

Her fingers tightened around her glass. "I'll be happier once we're back home."

Before Ethan could reply, a deep voice cut through the quiet afternoon. "I thought I was mistaken."

Every muscle in Serena's body went rigid because she knew that voice...

No, it couldn't be.

Slowly, she turned toward the sound and her breath caught in her throat.

Standing only a few steps away, dressed in a tailored black suit, was the one man she'd spent five years trying to forget, Adrian Ashford.

His piercing gray eyes locked onto hers, unreadable and intense then his eyes shifted past her to Ethan and his jaw hardened.

When he looked back at Serena, his voice was dangerously calm. "...You've finally come back."