119 All About A Son

"Miss Anna, can we talk? " Anthon's question made her shiver deep inside but somehow she managed to display a calm facade.

"There's nothing interesting to talk about me. " She looked straight into his eyes in an intimidating gaze.

"Let's talk about any uninteresting things over lunch. My house is just a block away."

It was an invitation from him which was quite amusing. Few minutes ago, he was demanding for a lunch treat, and now, it was he who was inviting her. Curious of what his house looked like, she agreed.

His house was also a two - storey building, but the floor and lot area was twice bigger than hers. The overall blend of colors was light and feminine. It was also well - furnished with elegant furnitures and branded appliances of latest models. What caught his attention was a life - size abstract painting of a woman that looked like her. What a coincidence! Her rescuer had also this type of painting. Could he also had an oil painting in his bedroom?

Staring into the tall photo frame, she realized that Anthon really treasured her. And perhaps, she was the only woman in his heart. Or else, he would not dare to place her photo in his wall.

"That's the woman of my dreams. " His voice rang into her ears.

She turned towards him and waited for his next statement which made her heart sank.

"She married someone else. " There was a sense of bitterness in his thin smile. "And I was there at her wedding."

He went ahead. "Do you like my house? I built this for her. I always had the fantasy of giving this to her one day and we would live together in this house with our little ones. "

He then chuckled. "I shouldn't be the one telling my story. "

She did not know how to react nor comfort him. Neither could she assure anything. She just held his gaze as the only way she could tell him that she was so sorry of what had happened. So sorry that they were not meant to be. So sorry that they were both having fantasies for each other. So sorry that those fantasies would remain as elusion forever.

Anthon excused himself as he was preparing the food he ordered from a restaurant. He already anticipated that they would be able to move in by noontime and this woman had nothing for her stomach.

Jia's attention was then caught by photo frames placed at a wooden shelf in one of the corners. The shelf had five layers and each layer held different poses of Jian and Anthon.

She suddenly felt a rush of mixed emotions. She was touched by the fact that Anthon could only treasure those memories with his son through borrowed moments or through saved photos but he couldn't have the chance of seeing him grow everyday. Now, she understood the weight of loneliness he must had felt because, at this moment, she could only see her son through his photos but could not hug him. He was just so near but she couldn't just easily grasp him.

It had been so many days already since she had left with Jim. And her longing to see and hug him again had already been agonizing. If it were not for her fear of being recognized and illegaly monitored, she would have sneaked long ago to her home. But Mr. Wayne had so much money and money can do so much. To hire for a private detective to monitor Jim's activity, was such a simple game for him. She couldn't risk her life over carelessness and impulsiveness.

After staring into the photo for few minutes, she could no longer hold herself that she broke into tears that soon turned into a sob. She ran into the bathroom, afraid that her tears would destroy her makeup. She stayed there for almost an hour until she had cried all her heart out.

After she calmed herself, she did a makeup retouch before going out but still it did not conceal her swollen eye bags. Anthon hurriedly stood up when he saw her coming out, without any word, he guided her towards the dining table. He could tell that she was crying.

"Missed your son? " He asked, his head lowered down. His own sadness and longing to be with his son forever, returned. Not only that, Jia's loss was intensifying his grief that his defense was already thinning out. He could break down at any moment. And perhaps, in front of this woman who was as dejected as himself.

"Yes." She said calmly. "Where is

he? "She asked, pretending she did not know.

"With his mom." He lied, choosing to close the sensitive subject.

Jia stared at him for a while before speaking up. " Anthon, since we're neighbors now, can you please bring him over to the house? "

"Sure. " He said briefly, not wanting to dwell on the topic anymore. Jian was his greatest wound, being his son who could never be completely his. And the wound could easily bleed if touched...

___

Jim's mind was almost exploding and his heart crushing. He was helpless against his dad who may had denied that Jia was in his hand to mislead him. Though the Ybañez family would remain as suspects before their innocence could be proved, he knew Jia was not in them. He could tell it. Perhaps, the only way Jia could be freed up, was to set up the engagement as soon as possible.

As he was racking his brain out, a new message notification popped out. He decided to open it. Eversince Jia was lost, he gave more attention to messages, hoping that someone might send him a message to give him a lead.

"Doc, my chest pain is worsening. Please see me as soon as

possible. "

He replied. "How about sending you an ambulance? So that you would be taken care at the hospital."

"No, doc. You were one of those who attended my open - heart surgery. I need to see you first. "

Jim sighed. Despite the weight of his problem, he could not ignore emergency calls. He took the oath sincerely to save lives.

He stood up and prepared necessary things to bring. His sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, penlight, pulse oximeter and emergency medication.

He also had Ate Nita help Jian change into an outdoor clothes. Due to his depression, he had almost neglected him. His mind was almost bursting in thinking of ways how he could find and save his wife.

Jian was bouncing with joy as he held his tiny hand while walking towards the car. The child's simple joy and excitement, somehow, lightened up the weight he bore in his heart.

Before he turned the engine on, he sent her mysterious client a message. " Give me your location and house number. "

And he got an instant reply. "Beautiful Homes Subdivision, House # 53."