Noah’s The university looked exactly the same.
That was the first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the car.
The same wide entrance.
The same old stone buildings.
The same rows of trees lining the walkway.
Even the faint smell of rain-soaked pavement seemed familiar.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the place I had once called home.
Two years ago, I had walked through these gates as a student.
Now I was returning as a professional.
And somewhere inside this university was a part of my past I had spent years trying not to think about.
“Daddy.” I looked down.
Ethan was holding my hand.
He wasn’t supposed to be here for the entire event, but Amelia had brought him because he had refused to stay home without me.
I crouched.
“You stay with Auntie Amelia, okay?” He nodded.
“Okay.” Amelia smiled.
“Don’t worry.
I’ll keep him with me.” Clara stood beside her, adjusting Ethan’s little jacket.
“Go.
We’ll take care of him.” I nodded.
“Thank you.” Ethan suddenly reached for me.
“Daddy hug.” I smiled and hugged him.
“I’ll be back soon.” “Uncle?” I froze.
Amelia and Clara exchanged a look.
Ethan looked up at me.
“Uncle here?” I cleared my throat.
“I don’t know.” He frowned.
“Want Uncle.” I kissed his forehead.
“I know.” Then I stood.
And walked toward the university entrance.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
Inside, the hall was already crowded.
Former students.
Professors.
Researchers.
Company representatives.
I recognized a few faces from my old department.
Some recognized me too.
“Noah?” I turned.
A former classmate stood in front of me.
His eyes widened.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” I smiled politely.
“Hi.” “It’s been years.” “Yeah.” He looked at me carefully.
“You disappeared after graduation.” “I had family matters.” He nodded.
“I heard you were working at Ashford Biotech.” My smile faded slightly.
“Yes.” “That’s impressive.” “Thank you.” He continued talking, but I barely heard him.
My attention had shifted toward the entrance.
Because someone had just walked inside.
Adrian.
He wore a dark suit, his expression calm and professional.
Several people immediately approached him.
He greeted them politely.
Then his eyes moved across the room.
And found mine.
Everything around me seemed to disappear.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Adrian gave me a small nod.
Nothing more.
No pressure.
No attempt to approach me.
Just a quiet acknowledgment.
I returned the gesture.
My heart was beating far too quickly.
I looked away.
Why was seeing him again affecting me so much?
I’d already spent three weeks away from him.
I should have been used to it.
Apparently, I wasn’t.
The event began shortly afterward.
I took a seat near the back.
Adrian remained near the front with several Ashford representatives.
I tried to focus on the presentation.
Research developments.
New medical technology.
University partnerships.
Everything should have been interesting.
But my mind kept wandering.
Then the speaker mentioned something that made my entire body tense.
“E-17.” My head lifted.
The presentation continued.
“E-17 was one of the university’s earliest studies involving designation-related genetic markers.” I stared at the screen.
The researcher explained that the project had been discontinued years ago.
Officially, because of insufficient funding.
But I knew that wasn’t the entire story.
I looked toward Adrian.
He was staring at the screen too.
His expression had become unreadable.
My hands tightened around my notebook.
Why was E-17 being discussed here?
The presentation moved on.
But I couldn’t concentrate anymore.
When the session ended, I immediately stood.
I needed air.
I left the hall and walked toward the courtyard.
The moment I stepped outside, I took a deep breath.
Rain had begun falling lightly.
I closed my eyes.
“You always leave when things become uncomfortable.” I opened my eyes.
Adrian stood several feet behind me.
I turned.
“I needed air.” “I know.” He didn’t come any closer.
That distance made me strangely comfortable.
“You heard the presentation.” “Yes.” His expression tightened.
“You knew about E-17.” “I’ve heard the name.” “That’s not what I asked.” I looked away.
“I don’t want to discuss it.” “Alright.” His answer surprised me.
I looked back.
He wasn’t arguing.
He simply accepted it.
“Thank you.” He nodded.
For a moment, the rain was the only sound between us.
Then Adrian asked quietly, “How is Ethan?” My chest tightened.
“He’s good.” “Does he still ask about me?” I hesitated.
“Yes.” A small smile appeared on Adrian’s face.
“I miss him.” “I know.” The words came out softly.
Adrian looked at me.
“And you?” I froze.
He seemed to realize what he’d asked.
“You don’t have to answer.” I looked down.
“I’m trying to figure things out.” “I understand.” Another silence.
Then he said, “I won’t interfere with your month away.” I looked at him.
“But when you come back, I’d like us to talk.” “About what?” “Everything we haven’t said.” My heart tightened.
“Adrian…” “Not today.” He took a step back.
“When you’re ready.” Then he walked away.
I watched him disappear through the doors.
For some reason, I felt like crying.
Not because he had hurt me.
But because he had finally stopped trying to force his way into my life.
He was giving me a choice.
And somehow, that made choosing what I wanted even harder.
I returned to Amelia and Clara a little later.
Ethan immediately ran toward me.
“Daddy!” I picked him up.
“Did you behave?” He nodded proudly.
“Yes.” Clara laughed.
“He was perfect.” Amelia studied my face.
“You saw him.” I didn’t bother pretending.
“Yes.” “And?” I looked at Ethan.
“Nothing happened.” Amelia raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing?” “Nothing.” She smiled.
“Then why do you look like someone just handed you the hardest decision of your life?” I didn’t answer.
Because she was right.
Adrian hadn’t asked me to come back.
He hadn’t demanded answers.
He hadn’t tried to take anything from me.
He had simply asked me to talk when I was ready.
And for the first time, I wondered whether the thing I was most afraid of wasn’t Adrian hurting me again.
Maybe it was the possibility that he wouldn’t.
The ride back to Amelia and Clara’s apartment was quieter than usual.
Ethan sat between his aunts, happily telling them about everything he had seen at the university.
“Big building!” Clara smiled.
“Was it really that big?” Ethan nodded seriously.
“Very big.” Amelia glanced at me through the mirror.
I knew that look.
She was waiting.
I pretended not to notice.
When we arrived, Ethan ran inside with Clara.
I stayed behind with Amelia.
She closed the car door and turned toward me.
“Now.” I sighed.
“Now what?” “Tell me what happened.” “Nothing happened.” “Noah.” I rubbed my forehead.
“Adrian was there.” “I assumed that.” “We talked.” “About?” “E-17.” Her expression changed.
“And?” “He didn’t pressure me.” Amelia looked surprised.
“Really?” “Yes.” “He didn’t ask why you disappeared?” “He said we should talk when I’m ready.” She was quiet.
Then she smiled slightly.
“That’s actually good.” I looked at her.
“Why?” “Because he’s finally giving you a choice.” I looked toward the apartment.
“I don’t know if I want that choice.” “That’s because you’re afraid of what you’ll choose.” Her words hit too close.
I walked inside without answering.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
The university kept replaying in my mind.
The hall.
The presentation.
Adrian standing in the courtyard.
His voice.
When you’re ready.
I turned over and stared at the wall.
I had expected him to be angry.
I had expected accusations.
Instead, he had been patient.
That made everything more complicated.
My phone lit up.
I reached for it.
A message from Adrian.
I hope you got home safely.
I stared at it.
I typed: Yes.
Then another message appeared.
Goodnight, Noah.
I smiled before I could stop myself.
Then I immediately frowned at myself.
“Stop.” I placed the phone down.
A few seconds later, I picked it up again.
I read the messages one more time.
Then I locked the screen.
The next morning, Ethan woke up unusually early.
“Daddy!” I opened my eyes.
He was standing beside the bed with his stuffed fox.
“Good morning.” He climbed onto the mattress.
“Uncle?” I sighed.
“You’re really determined, aren’t you?” He nodded.
“Uncle.” I picked him up.
“You miss him that much?” “Yes.” I kissed his forehead.
“I know.” He rested his head against my shoulder.
“Uncle come home?” I froze.
Home.
That word shouldn’t have affected me.
But it did.
I didn’t know whether Adrian could ever be part of our home.
I didn’t even know whether I wanted him to be.
Yet when I imagined Ethan growing up without knowing his father, something inside me hurt.
I hugged him closer.
“We’ll see.” A week passed quickly.
My return to Ashford Biotech was approaching.
I spent most of my time with Amelia, Clara, and Ethan.
We went shopping.
We cooked together.
We watched movies.
We laughed over things that didn’t matter.
It was exactly what I had needed.
But the closer my return date came, the more nervous I became.
One evening, Amelia found me sitting on the balcony.
“You’ve been staring at that phone for ten minutes.” “I’m thinking.” “About Adrian?” I sighed.
“Yes.” She sat beside me.
“You still haven’t decided?” “No.” “You don’t have to decide everything before you return.” “I know.” She looked at me.
“But you do need to decide one thing.” “What?” “Whether you’re going back to work because you want your life back—or because you’re afraid of what happens if you don’t.” I looked out at the city.
“I want my life back.” “Then go.” I nodded slowly.
Maybe she was right.
I couldn’t spend the rest of my life avoiding places because they reminded me of Adrian.
I couldn’t keep running.
Not forever.
That night, I packed my work bag.
My leave would end in three days.
Three days before I returned to Ashford Biotech.
Three days before I saw Adrian again.
I closed the bag and looked at myself in the mirror.
I was still afraid.
But this time, I wasn’t running away.
I was going back because I had chosen to.
Whatever happened next, I would face it.
For myself.
For Ethan.
And maybe…
For Adrian too.
Noah finally saw Adrian again after weeks apart, and honestly… Adrian handled it better than I expected.
He didn’t pressure Noah.
He didn’t demand answers.
He simply told him: “When you’re ready.” And now Noah has made his decision.
He’s going back to Ashford Biotech.
But the question is… what happens when Noah and Adrian are finally working in the same place again?
Ethan still misses his Uncle Adrian, Amelia and Clara are watching Noah closely, and Noah is slowly realizing that running away isn’t going to solve everything.
The month away isn’t over yet, but the distance between Noah and Adrian is getting smaller.
Thank you for reading, commenting, voting, and supporting the story!
See you in Chapter 23!
— Ari1