The Shape of Absence

I pulled out my phone and tried to call them, but no matter what I did, the call would not go through.

It seemed they really wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

Still, they had given me so much money. I could raise the child alone.

I soon settled down in a new city.

My belly grew day by day. When it was time to give birth, I called an ambulance by myself.

I raised my child well, but he looked too much like Adrian.

His eyes, his nose bridge, even the curve of his lips when he pressed them together. It was like they had been cut from the same mold.

His personality was similar too.

When he fell, he did not cry. He climbed up by himself and patted his knees, looking solemn and precocious, exactly like that father of his.

Soon it was open day at his preschool.

Other children had their fathers and mothers sitting beside them. Only the seat next to me was empty.

A little kid ran over and asked him, "Owen, why did your dad not come?"

I opened my mouth, but my mind went blank for a beat. Slow and clumsy, I did not know how to answer.

He lifted his face and said very seriously, "It is enough that Mom came. I can take care of Mom by myself. I do not need a dad."

Several parents nearby laughed when they heard him. "This child is so sensible."

One parent looked at him a few more times, then suddenly made a sound of surprise.

"Why does this kid look more and more familiar?"

He tilted his head and studied Owen for a while before slapping his thigh.

"I remember now. He is practically a smaller version of my boss.

"But our boss and his wife are very loving. He did not want his wife to suffer through pregnancy, so they even adopted their child."

I froze where I stood, my mind slowly processing the meaning of those words.

Several parents exchanged glances, their eyes circling over me.

A little boy suddenly laughed and pointed at Owen. "Then aren't you a bastard?

"Your mom is dirty. She is the other woman that rich boss keeps outside. No wonder your dad did not come. You are an illegitimate child."

An adult beside him tugged him back, but there was a meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth.

Owen's small shoulders trembled. He clenched his fists and lunged forward. "Do not talk about my mom!"

By the time I came back to my senses, he was already sitting on top of the other boy.

The child's father rushed over and lifted Owen up. The little boy seized the chance to scratch him, leaving a long bloody mark across Owen's cheek.

The man glanced at me. Seeing that I was raising a child alone, he decided I was easy to bully.

He held Owen up and sneered. "Since this child has no father to discipline him, I will do it for his dad."

Then he raised his hand and slapped Owen's backside.

Owen's eyes reddened, but he bit his lip hard and refused to let his tears fall.

My head buzzed. I rushed forward like a madwoman, snatched my child back, held him in my arms, and turned to leave.

But in the middle of the night, Owen developed a fever.

His little face burned red, and even the breath coming from him was hot.

I carried him on my back and ran all the way to the emergency room. The hallway was packed with people.

After registering, I held my burning child and curled up on a chair. Helplessness rose over me in waves.

At that moment, a faint murmur came from my arms.

"Daddy... Daddy..."

I held him in silence for a moment, tightened my arms around him, and pressed my cheek against his hair.

"Your dad does not remember us. He went to be someone else's dad."

The intercom called our number just then. I quickly stood up with Owen in my arms and hurried toward the exam room. Just as I reached the door, a woman suddenly squeezed in from the side and rushed ahead of me.

"My child scraped his hand. Let us go first."

The moment our eyes met, both of us froze.

It was Vanessa Hale.

Her eyes fell on the child in my arms.

She frowned, her tone turning uncertain. "Why does this child look so much like..."

"Impossible. The doctor said Adrian cannot have children at all."

I looked sincere and was about to say, "That was a misdiagnosis."

Then steady footsteps came from behind her.

Adrian Blake stepped to Vanessa's side. "What is wrong?"

The moment I looked up, I met Adrian's dark, deep eyes.

For some reason, the back of my neck went cold.

A vicious flicker passed through Vanessa's eyes.

Before I could speak, she softened her voice and turned toward him. "Adrian, you forgot, but she is the one who used to bully me all the time.

"She even threatened me just now. She said she would not let me live peacefully."

She shrank into Adrian's arms, her fingers tugging lightly at the hem of his jacket. "I am scared. Teach her a lesson for me. Have her sent out of the country, okay?"

Adrian let go of Vanessa and lowered his eyes to look at her. His tone gave nothing away. "She bullied you?"

Then he released Vanessa's hand and walked toward me, step by step.

I backed away.

His gaze burned, and his voice carried a faint hoarseness.

"What is your name?"

My heart jumped under his stare. "Lily Parker."

It felt so familiar. Every time he came to catch me, he had that same fanatical look in his eyes.

After a while, he lifted his chin toward the nurse. "Let her see the doctor first. The child has a high fever."

Behind him, Vanessa nearly ground her teeth to pieces, glaring at me with hatred.

Fortunately, Owen was fine. After the IV drip, we could go home.

As I walked, I thought about everything that had happened today. I had to move to another city. I could not stay here anymore.

I was still wondering where I should go when an arm suddenly reached from behind and covered my mouth and nose.

I lost consciousness in an instant.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a pitch-black little room.

Adrian's clear, cold voice scraped past my ear.

"Lily Parker, be good and become my woman.

"I can give you everything you want. You are not allowed to run."

I moved my hands and feet. In the faint clinking of metal, I looked down at the cuffs and shackles locked around me.

Familiar behavior, familiar lines, familiar Adrian.

People say you cannot step into the same river twice.

But Adrian could.

For a moment, I was in a daze. I almost thought I had gone back in time.

"Why did it take you so long to find me this time?"

I did not know which part of that sentence had struck him.

His pupils shrank violently. He raised a hand and pressed hard against his temple.

His whole body swayed. The next second, he collapsed straight toward me.

At that moment, the door was violently pushed open.

Vanessa stood at the very front. Behind her were Mr. and Mrs. Blake.

Vanessa's gaze passed over everything and landed on my shackled wrists and ankles. Her whole body swayed.

Mrs. Blake clutched the doorframe and almost fainted. "Lily Parker, why is it you again? How did the two of you end up together again?"

They rushed in, flustered, calling for a doctor while a group of people gathered around Adrian and helped him up from the side of the bed.

The doctor arrived quickly. After an examination, he looked up.

"This is good news. Mr. Blake's brain clot is clearing quickly. His memory should return soon."

Mrs. Blake forced a slight smile.

Mr. Blake frowned and said nothing. He sighed again and again, then finally waved his hand after a long while. "Take him away first and let him rest properly. Have the nurses take good care of him."

After Adrian was helped out of the room and the door closed, three pairs of eyes turned toward me at the same time.

Mr. Blake spoke, his tone tired. "Ms. Parker, we originally did not want to hurt you. But now there really is no other way."

"Who told you to let Adrian find you again?"

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

Less than twenty minutes later, orderly footsteps sounded outside.

The door opened. Several uniformed officers stood at the entrance with serious expressions.

"Lily Parker, correct? We received a report that you broke into a private residence and stole commercial secrets involving a large sum of money. Please come with us."

I froze, then snapped my gaze to Mr. Blake, shaking my head again and again.

"No. I did not."

Mrs. Blake stood to the side and took a document from her pocket, handing it to the officer in front. "This is our report receipt and the evidence list. Thank you for your trouble."

Vanessa stepped forward then. She reached out and traced my face, jealousy flashing in her eyes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Blake, would it not be better to handle it cleanly?

"Slash her face, then send her to prison.

"Even if Adrian remembers her, once he sees this ugly face, he will only feel disgusted."

Mrs. Blake was silent for a moment before slowly nodding. "Vanessa is thinking further ahead."

I was tightly cuffed to the bed, my wrists and ankles locked in metal. I could not move at all.

"No. Please..."

Vanessa had already come forward with a small knife. She patted my face with the back of the blade.

"Do not worry. I will be quick.

"He has refused to get married all these years. Once his memory comes back and he sees that ugly face, he should finally let go."

I closed my eyes in despair.

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Owen used all the strength in his little body to push past the people blocking the way and rushed in without hesitation.

"Grandma, please let my mom go. Do not hurt her."

Owen cried as he ran straight into Mrs. Blake.

Mrs. Blake was caught off guard and stumbled.

She looked down, and the angry words she had been about to say froze in her throat.

"Oh my, whose careless child is..."

That face.

Mrs. Blake froze.

His eyes, his nose bridge. He looked exactly like Adrian as a child.

At the same time, Mr. Blake also stared down in a trance.

Looking at Owen's face, he picked him up in disbelief and asked excitedly, "Little one, whose child are you?"

Owen was frightened by the scene. Crying, he shouted, "Grandpa, please let my mom, Lily Parker, go.

"I do not have a dad. She has worked very hard raising me alone. Do not bully her."