Noah’s If someone had asked me two years ago what my future would look like, I would have smiled and said I wanted to become a researcher.
I would have talked about graduating from university, finding a stable job, and making enough money to give my future family a comfortable life.
Back then, I thought my biggest worry was passing my final semester.
Life had other plans.
Now, at twenty-four years old, my greatest achievement wasn’t hanging on a wall in a fancy frame.
It was the tiny hand wrapped around my index finger as we stood in front of the Ashford Foundation Daycare.
“Daddy,” Ethan called softly, looking up at me with those beautiful silver-gray eyes that always made my heart ache, “will you come back after work?” I smiled, crouching in front of him so we were at eye level.
His bright red backpack looked almost too big for his tiny shoulders, and a stubborn lock of black hair refused to stay in place no matter how many times I brushed it aside.
“Of course I will.” “You promise?” “I promise.” He held out his little finger.
“Pinky promise.” I laughed quietly before hooking my finger around his.
“Pinky promise.” Only then did the worried expression on his face disappear.
I couldn’t blame him.
We had only moved back to the city three weeks ago after spending two years in a quiet town where everyone knew everyone.
Everything here was new—the streets, the apartment, the daycare, even the people.
I had accepted a part-time laboratory assistant interview nearby because it was one of the few companies willing to consider someone who had never completed his degree.
Dropping out of university had closed more doors than I cared to count.
But if I had to choose again…
I’d still choose Ethan.
Every single time.
The daycare teacher greeted us with a warm smile as soon as we stepped inside.
“Good morning.
You must be Ethan.” Ethan immediately hid behind my leg.
I couldn’t help smiling.
“He gets shy around new people.” “That’s perfectly normal,” she replied gently before crouching down.
“Would you like to see our playroom?” Ethan peeked at me instead of answering.
I rubbed his soft hair.
“Go on.
Daddy will pick you up this afternoon.” “…Really?” “I’ll be here before you know it.” After several seconds of hesitation, he finally nodded and reached for the teacher’s hand.
Halfway to the classroom, he suddenly turned around and ran back, throwing his little arms around my waist.
“I love you, Daddy.” The words warmed every broken part of my heart.
“I love you too.” He beamed before running after the teacher.
I stood there for another minute, watching him disappear through the colorful classroom door.
Only after I was sure he had settled in did I finally leave.
Outside, I released a slow breath.
Everything I did…
Every difficult decision.
Every sleepless night.
Every tear I cried.
It had all been worth it because of that little boy.
Adjusting the cream-colored scarf around my neck, I checked my reflection in the glass entrance.
The fabric completely covered the faint mark hidden beneath it.
Good.
No one needed to see it.
No one needed to ask questions I had spent two years avoiding.
I turned and started walking toward the pedestrian crossing that connected the daycare to the towering headquarters across the street.
Ashford Biotech Group.
The company where my interview would take place.
The name alone was enough to make my chest tighten.
I had considered rejecting the interview the moment I received the invitation.
Returning to this city had already been difficult enough.
Working for the Ashford family felt like tempting fate itself.
But reality wasn’t kind.
Rent needed to be paid.
Bills never waited.
Ethan deserved more than a father who constantly worried about tomorrow.
So I swallowed my fear and accepted.
“Mr.
Noah Everhart?” A cheerful voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked up to find a young woman in a business suit smiling at me.
“I’m Emily from Human Resources.
You must be here for the laboratory assistant interview.” “Yes.” “Perfect.
We still have a little time before it begins.
Shall we head inside?” I nodded politely and followed her through the revolving doors.
The lobby was breathtaking.
Crystal chandeliers reflected against polished marble floors while employees hurried between elevators carrying tablets and files.
The quiet hum of conversation blended with the sound of expensive shoes clicking across the floor.
Everything about the building whispered power.
I suddenly became painfully aware of my inexpensive shirt and worn shoes.
Emily noticed my nervousness and smiled.
“Don’t worry.
The interview isn’t as scary as everyone thinks.” “I hope you’re right.” Before she could answer, the atmosphere inside the lobby shifted.
Conversations stopped.
Employees straightened almost instantly.
Several people respectfully stepped aside.
The receptionist stood so quickly her chair nearly tipped over.
“Good morning, President Ashford.” President…Ashford?
My heartbeat stumbled.
No…It couldn’t be.
Slow, steady footsteps echoed through the silent lobby.
I didn’t want to look.
Every instinct told me to keep my eyes on the floor and pretend he wasn’t there.
But curiosity…Or perhaps fate…
Made me turn.
The moment I saw him, time seemed to stop.
Adrian Ashford.
He looked older than I remembered, his black hair neatly combed back, his tailored charcoal suit replacing the white lab coat I used to associate with him.
His expression remained as unreadable as ever, and those silver-gray eyes still carried the same quiet intensity that had once made an entire lecture hall fall silent.
For two years, I had convinced myself I would be fine if we ever met again.
I had lied to myself.
My fingers instinctively rose to the scarf around my neck.
Rain.
A stack of research files clutched tightly against my chest.
A door opening.
A deep, strained voice telling me to leave.
The memory flashed through my mind so suddenly that my breathing caught.
I closed my eyes for the briefest second.
Not here.
Please…
Not now.
When I looked up again, Adrian had stopped walking.
His gaze swept across the lobby…
Then, almost imperceptibly, shifted toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the daycare courtyard across the street.
Children were laughing outside.
Among them was a little boy with bright silver-gray eyes chasing bubbles across the playground.
Adrian watched for only a moment before his attention slowly returned to the lobby.
And then…
Our eyes met.
The moment our eyes met, every ounce of courage I had built over the last two years crumbled.
I had imagined this meeting countless times.
Sometimes Adrian would recognize me immediately.
Sometimes he would ask where I had disappeared to.
In my worst nightmares, he would discover Ethan standing beside me and everything I had sacrificed to protect would collapse in an instant.
But reality was different.
He simply looked at me.
Those familiar silver-gray eyes lingered on my face for a second longer than they should have before his assistant stepped forward and handed him a folder.
“President Ashford, the board meeting begins in ten minutes.” He nodded without taking his eyes off me.
“Reschedule it for fifteen minutes.” His calm voice hadn’t changed at all.
Even after two years, hearing it made my heart tremble.
I quickly lowered my head, pretending to organize the documents in my hands.
Please…Just walk away.
Forget you ever saw me.
After what felt like an eternity, Adrian finally turned and disappeared into the private elevator reserved for executives.
Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath.
“Mr.
Everhart?” Emily called my name with a puzzled smile.
“Are you alright?
You suddenly went pale.” I forced a smile onto my face.
“I’m sorry.
I didn’t sleep well.” “I understand.
Come on, the interview panel is waiting.” I followed her toward the conference room, but my thoughts stayed behind in the lobby.
He didn’t recognize me.
That should have made me happy.
So why did it hurt?
…
The interview lasted almost an hour.
They asked about laboratory procedures, data analysis, research ethics, and why I had never completed my degree.
That last question was the hardest.
“I had…
personal family circumstances,” I answered quietly.
One of the interviewers glanced at my résumé.
“You were one of the top students in your department.
It’s unfortunate you left before graduation.” I smiled politely.
“Life doesn’t always go according to plan.” He nodded and moved on to the next question, unaware that his simple words had reopened a wound I had spent two years trying to heal.
When the interview finally ended, I thanked everyone and stepped outside with a tired sigh.
The afternoon sun was warm, but it did little to calm the storm inside me.
My first instinct was to leave the building as quickly as possible.
The farther away I was from Adrian Ashford, the safer Ethan and I would be.
I checked the time on my phone.
Three thirty.
Ethan’s daycare would close in thirty minutes.
A genuine smile found its way onto my face.
No matter how exhausting my day became, the thought of seeing my little boy always made everything feel lighter.
As I crossed the courtyard toward the daycare building, I noticed colorful balloons tied to the entrance.
Several employees stood outside chatting while children laughed and chased bubbles across the playground.
It looked like some kind of company event.
One of the teachers spotted me and waved.
“Mr.
Everhart!
Ethan has been wonderful today.” “I’m glad to hear that.” “He made lots of new friends.” “That doesn’t sound like my shy little boy.” She laughed.
“He’s shy with adults, not children.” I couldn’t help laughing too.
That sounded exactly like Ethan.
The teacher opened the playground gate.
“Ethan!
Your daddy is here!” A tiny figure looked up from the sandbox.
“Daddy!” The next second, Ethan came running toward me with the biggest smile on his face.
I knelt and caught him in my arms before he could crash into me.
“Did you have fun?” “So much!
We painted dinosaurs and I got a star sticker.” “Really?” He proudly pointed to the gold star stuck to his little shirt.
“I was the best.” “I believe it.” As I brushed the sand off his sleeves, a familiar hush spread across the playground.
Teachers straightened.
Employees stopped talking.
My heart sank.
Please…Don’t tell me…
“President Ashford is here.” The words landed like a stone in my chest.
I slowly turned.
Adrian had just entered the playground with several executives behind him.
Unlike the intimidating businessman from the lobby, he now wore a faint, almost invisible smile as he greeted the children.
The sight caught me off guard.
I had never seen him smile at children before.
The teachers explained that Ashford Biotech funded the daycare every year and that Adrian personally visited whenever new educational programs were introduced.
So this wasn’t a coincidence.
This was simply part of his job.
I quickly stood and took Ethan’s hand.
“We should go.” “Already?” “We’ll come back tomorrow.” Ethan nodded obediently, though he looked reluctant to leave.
We had only taken a few steps when another child sprinted across the playground without looking.
“Ethan, watch out!” The two children bumped into each other.
Ethan stumbled backward.
Before I could reach him, someone was already there.
A large hand steadied my son before he could fall.
“You alright?” It was Adrian.
Ethan blinked up at the tall man, his surprise quickly fading into a bright smile.
“I’m okay.” “Good.” Adrian dusted the sand from Ethan’s tiny jacket with unexpected gentleness.
For reasons I couldn’t explain, I froze where I stood.
The image before me felt…
wrong.
The cold man I remembered from university was patiently fixing my son’s crooked backpack strap.
“Daddy says I have to say thank you,” Ethan said earnestly.
“So…” He bowed his little head.
“Thank you, Uncle.” A faint smile tugged at the corner of Adrian’s lips.
“You’re welcome.” Then…His eyes lifted.
Not to me.
To Ethan’s face.
He studied him quietly for several seconds.
Something changed in his expression.
Confusion.
Curiosity.
Almost…
Recognition.
My pulse hammered in my ears.
I hurried forward and gently pulled Ethan behind me.
“I’m so sorry, President Ashford.
Thank you for helping him.” Our eyes met again.
This time, they lingered.
His gaze drifted to the cream-colored scarf around my neck before returning to my face.
There was no accusation.
No recognition.
Just an unsettling curiosity that made my stomach twist.
“We’ve met before.” It wasn’t a question.
It was a statement.
My fingers tightened around Ethan’s small hand.
“…You’ve mistaken me for someone else.” Without waiting for his reply, I bowed politely.
“Excuse us.” I turned and walked away as calmly as I could.
Only when we reached the sidewalk outside the daycare did I realize my palms were covered in cold sweat.
Ethan looked up at me innocently.
“Daddy?” “Yes?” “That uncle was nice.” “…He was.” “Can we play with him again tomorrow?” The question stole the air from my lungs.
I forced myself to smile.
“We’ll see.” As we disappeared into the afternoon crowd, I never looked back.
Thank you so much for reading the first chapter.
I hope Noah, Adrian, and little Ethan have already found a place in your heart.
This is a slow-burn Omegaverse romance with mystery, family drama, adorable parenting moments, and plenty of emotional twists.
There are many secrets waiting to be uncovered, so don’t worry if not everything makes sense just yet—the answers will come as the story unfolds.
See you in Chapter 2!
Who do you think remembered the other first—Noah or Adrian?
With love, Ari1