Eli's little fingers wrapped tightly around her hand as they walked out of the hotel lounge and into the sun-warmed courtyard. Sunday mornings were for pancakes, playgrounds, and promises—at least in Aria's new routine.
After the week she'd had—Celeste's lingering smirks, Elias's silent gazes, and the haunting pull of a past that refused to stay buried—this quiet space with her son felt like a sanctuary.
"Mommy," Eli said, tugging at her hand, "can we go to the zoo next time?"
Aria smiled. "Next weekend, if we're still in the city. Would you like that?"
He nodded, grinning, his curls bouncing with every movement. "And maybe Daddy can come too."
She froze.
Just for a second.
The word slipped out of him so easily. Not Mr. Blackwood. Not Elias. Daddy.
She hadn't corrected him the last few times. She hadn't had the heart. He was observant, just like her. He'd seen Elias. He'd felt the connection, the resemblance, the quiet recognition that lived in children too young to explain it.
"Maybe," Aria said softly, guiding him toward the sandbox.
Eli hummed happily and skipped ahead, blissfully unaware of the turmoil boiling under her calm.
"Do you think the zoo has lions?" he called over his shoulder.
"Probably," she replied, grateful for the topic change. "And maybe even giraffes."
"Giraffes are funny," he giggled. "They're like horses with necks that stretch all the way to the sky."
Aria chuckled and sat on a nearby bench. "That's quite the picture."
"They could eat clouds," Eli added with a nod, plopping down in the sand and grabbing his plastic shovel.
She pulled out her tablet. Her inbox was flooded. She filtered quickly, ignoring anything marked internal—until one subject line caught her attention.
RE: Immediate Acquisition Proposal – Virexo Technologies
Her brows lifted.
She opened the message.
>Ms. Collins,
>We've been following Calyx Tech's trajectory and its current pending acquisition by Blackwood Industries. With utmost respect, we would like to present an alternative offer.
>
>Virexo Technologies is prepared to offer a full acquisition, preserving all current staff and operations, with a $10M premium on the existing valuation presented by Blackwood.
>
>We believe in your leadership, your vision, and most importantly—your independence.
>
>Should this interest you, a confidential discussion can be arranged.
>
>Best regards,
>Erin Mahoney
>Chief Strategy Officer, Virexo Technologies
Aria stared at the screen.
Ten million more.
Complete independence.
A direct challenge to Elias's offer.
Her stomach twisted. This wasn't just business anymore—it was personal, tangled with pride and power, with the weight of their history pressing on every number and clause.
"Mommy!" Eli called, waving a plastic shovel.
She quickly closed the tablet, stood, and joined him in the sand, scooping alongside him while her mind raced.
"Look!" Eli pointed proudly. "I made a mountain. It's for the giraffes to see the clouds better."
"You did a great job," she said, smoothing the sides with her hand. "Now they can have breakfast in the sky."
Eli giggled. "If they eat too many clouds, do they get tummy aches?"
"Only if the clouds are stormy ones," she teased.
He laughed, leaning against her side. "I'll give them only the fluffy ones."
Later that evening, after Eli had dozed off with his favourite dinosaur plush clutched to his chest, Aria sat in bed staring at the ceiling of the hotel suite.
What would accepting the Virexo offer mean?
Professionally, it was brilliant. A better valuation. No entanglement with Elias. No strategic dependence on Blackwood's global infrastructure.
Emotionally… it was a message.
That she could walk away. Again.
That she would.
But there was a cost.
She wouldn't get the chance to watch Elias wrestle with fatherhood. She wouldn't see how—or if—he stepped up. She wouldn't know whether he meant it when he said he wanted to earn her trust.
Was that a price she was willing to pay?
Her phone buzzed.
She reached for it, half-expecting it to be Virexo.
But it wasn't.
Elias: Can I see him tomorrow?
Aria's fingers hovered over the screen.
She typed.
Paused.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Aria: We'll be at the city aquarium at 11 a.m. It's his favourite place. No expectations. Just be there.
She hit send.
There were no emojis. No warmth.
But there was an opening.
A door, slightly ajar.
Monday arrived faster than expected.
And at exactly 11:04 a.m., Elias Blackwood showed up at the aquarium, looking entirely out of place in a navy-blue sweater and jeans, holding a small plush sea turtle under his arm.
Eli ran up to him immediately, his grin wide. "You came!"
"I said I would," Elias replied, crouching down and offering the plush. "This guy said he wanted to meet you."
Eli squealed. "Thank you! He looks like Swimmy!"
"Swimmy?" Elias asked, eyes twinkling.
"My other turtle. But he's green. This one is blue. Maybe they're brothers?"
"Maybe," Elias said, glancing up at Aria, who had hung back by the entrance.
Aria watched them from a few feet away, her arms folded loosely, unsure whether to approach or stay hidden in the moment.
Elias straightened and met her gaze.
"Thanks for letting me come," he said quietly.
She nodded. "He wanted you here."
"Not you?"
Her expression didn't falter. "Let's just enjoy the day."
They moved together through the exhibits, Eli bounding between them like a spark of unfiltered joy.
"Look, Daddy!" Eli called out near the jellyfish tank. "They're glowing!"
Elias smiled. "That's called bioluminescence. Some sea creatures can make their own light."
"Can I do that?" Eli asked, eyes wide.
"You already do," Aria said softly, surprising herself.
Eli beamed. "Really?"
Elias looked at her, something unspoken passing between them.
"You really think so?" Eli asked again.
Aria knelt beside him. "You light up every room you enter."
"Even boring rooms?"
"Especially boring rooms," Elias added.
Eli giggled and pressed his nose to the glass. "I'm gonna be a jellyfish when I grow up. A glowing one."
"Ambitious," Elias muttered. "But I support it."
They continued on, pausing often as Eli bombarded them with questions.
"Why do fish sleep with their eyes open?"
"Because they don't have eyelids," Elias answered.
"Why do sea horses look like curly noodles?"
"Because nature got creative."
"Why do sharks always look angry?"
"Same reason grown-ups do," Aria murmured. "Too many responsibilities."
Elias laughed. "Can't argue with that."
As the visit wound down, they found themselves at the gift shop.
"Can I get something for Swimmy's brother?" Eli asked.
"You already got a turtle," Aria reminded gently.
"But he needs a home," Eli insisted. "A mini-aquarium!"
Aria sighed, but Elias stepped in. "How about we make one together? Out of a shoebox and some blue paper?"
Eli gasped. "Can we?"
"If your mom says it's okay."
Aria hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. But it stays at home. Not in the hotel bathroom."
"Deal!" Eli said and offered a pinky.
Elias took it without hesitation.
That evening, after they'd returned to the hotel and Elias had left with a quiet, "Thank you for today," Aria sat beside Eli's bed as he drifted off.
His voice was sleepy, mumbled.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"You think Daddy will come to the zoo too?"
Aria swallowed hard. "I think he wants to."
"Will you tell him… if he comes… I'll share my ice cream."
She smiled, brushing his hair back.
"I'll tell him."
He blinked slowly, fighting sleep. "Mommy?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you like Daddy again?"
The question landed like a stone.
"I like that he came today," she said gently. "And I like how happy you were."
"That's a start," Eli mumbled, and within seconds, he was snoring.
When he finally fell asleep, she picked up her tablet.
Opened the Virexo message again.
And this time, she didn't reply.
Not yet.
Some things were more than numbers.
Some decisions weren't just about business.
They were about legacies. About moments. About the soft glow of jellyfish and a little boy who believed in sea turtle brothers and pinkie promises.
Aria stared at the screen one last time before locking the tablet and setting it aside.
Tomorrow could wait.
Tonight, her heart had too much to think about.