Chapter 5 The Call

• The sun streams through the large windows of Lila’s cozy apartment in Florence, Italy. The years have been kind to her; she’s built a quiet, fulfilling life far away from the chaos of New York. Her two children, Ava and Liam, fill her days with joy, their laughter echoing through the bright, airy space she’s made her home.
• “Hold still, sweetheart,” Lila murmurs as she kneels beside Ava, slipping a soft pink sweater over the little girl’s head. Ava, with her dark curls and mischievous eyes, giggles and squirms.
• Nearby, Liam, her energetic five-year-old, sprawls on the rug with a toy truck in one hand and a dinosaur in the other. His laughter fills the room as Lila hands him another toy to keep him entertained.
• Her phone, resting on the kitchen counter, suddenly buzzes to life, the sound piercing through the warmth of their routine. Lila glances up, her brow furrowing. She walks over and picks up the phone, seeing her mother’s name on the screen.
• “Mom?” she answers, a bit surprised by the urgency in her mother’s tone.
• Her mother’s voice comes through, trembling and emotional. “Lila, how could you not tell me? You were pregnant all this time, and I had no idea!”
• Lila freezes, her breath catching in her throat. She glances back at her children—Ava now tugging at her sweater, and Liam deeply engrossed in his toys. She takes a deep breath and steps into the adjoining room, her voice steady but quiet.
• “Mom,” she begins, “I didn’t want to bother you—”
• “Bother me?” her mother cuts her off, her voice rising with disbelief. “How could you think that? You’re my daughter, Lila! You’ve always been strong, but how could you hide this from me? You’re the Montgomery heiress—you don’t need to live like this, hiding away from the world. This is your family, your legacy!”
• Lila closes her eyes, pressing her hand against her temple. The weight of her decision, one she’s carried for five years, feels heavier now.
• “It’s not about that,” she says softly, her voice almost breaking. “I had my reasons, Mom.”
• “What reasons?” her mother demands.
• Lila’s hand unconsciously goes to her chest, where a dull ache lingers. She looks back at the living room, where Ava is now chasing Liam with a giggle, their playful banter a sharp contrast to the turmoil in her heart.
• “Because of Adrian,” she finally says, her voice trembling.
• Her mother goes silent on the other end, and Lila takes the moment to explain. “I didn’t want the world to know. If the press found out… if he found out…” She trails off, her throat tightening.
• Her mother’s voice softens, but the hurt is still there. “Lila, he has no claim over you or those children. He gave up that right when he let you go.”
• Lila swallows hard, tears threatening to fall. “I know, Mom. But you don’t understand. If he knew… if he came into their lives only to leave again…”
• She can’t finish the sentence. The fear of Adrian’s indifference, of his inability to love their children, looms large in her mind.
• Her mother’s voice is firm now. “Lila, you can’t keep running from your past. You deserve happiness, and so do those children. They are Montgomerys, and they deserve to know their family.”
• “I’ll think about it,” Lila says finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
• Her mother sighs. “I just want what’s best for you, Lila. You know that, don’t you?”
• “I know, Mom.”
• As the call ends, Lila leans against the wall, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She watches Ava and Liam play, their laughter filling the room, and for a moment, her heart feels lighter.
• But deep down, she knows her mother is right. She can’t hide forever.
• The days since her mother’s call have been anything but peaceful. Each time the phone rings, Lila knows it’s her mom, pleading for her to come back to New York. “I miss you, sweetheart,” her mom says each time. “I want to see you and my grandchildren. They’re Montgomerys; they belong here, with family.”
• Lila’s resolve weakens with each conversation, but she knows the danger of returning. The life she’s built for herself and her children in Florence is her shield—a fragile barrier against the memories and the man she left behind.
• This evening is no different. As the soft hum of the Florence night seeps into the apartment, Lila sits on the edge of her bed, phone pressed to her ear.
• “Mom, I told you, it’s not that simple,” she says quietly, careful not to wake her children.
• Her mom’s voice is insistent. “Lila, it’s been five years. Five years of running. Don’t you think it’s time to come home? You can’t hide forever, and I—”
• A rustling sound cuts through her mother’s words. Lila turns, and her heart skips when she sees Liam standing in the doorway. His messy dark hair and sleepy eyes remind her so much of Adrian that it’s like staring into a ghost from her past.
• He rubs his eyes, padding into the room on tiny feet. “Mommy, who are you talking to?” he asks, his voice soft but curious.
• Lila stiffens. She covers the receiver and lowers her voice. “It’s your grandma, sweetheart. Go back to bed.”
• But Liam doesn’t move. His sharp, observant eyes—the same shade of stormy gray as Adrian’s—study her carefully. “Grandma?” he repeats. “I want to meet her.”
• Her heart squeezes painfully. She forces a smile, nodding. “Someday, baby. Now go to sleep.”
• Liam doesn’t budge. Instead, he tilts his head, a gesture so Adrian-like it sends a chill down her spine. Then, his next question freezes her completely.
• “How about Dad? Is he with Grandma too?”
• The air seems to leave the room. Lila’s grip on the phone tightens as fear claws at her chest. Her mother’s voice buzzes faintly on the line, but Lila can’t hear her anymore. She’s too focused on Liam’s innocent face, his wide eyes full of questions she isn’t ready to answer.
• Her voice trembles as she manages, “No, baby. Daddy… Daddy isn’t with Grandma.”
• Liam’s brows furrow. “Why not? Doesn’t he want to see us too?”
• Lila’s throat tightens, and her mind races for an answer, but nothing comes. She forces herself to smile, kneeling to his level and brushing a hand through his messy hair. “It’s late, sweetheart. We’ll talk about it another time, okay?”
• Liam hesitates, his curious gaze lingering on her, but finally nods. “Okay, Mommy. But I still want to meet Grandma.”
• “Soon,” she whispers, kissing his forehead.
• As she tucks him back into bed, her heart feels heavy with the weight of his innocent questions. Returning to her room, she ends the call with her mom, promising to talk again later. But as she sits in the quiet of the apartment, the echoes of Liam’s question haunt her.
• What if Adrian finds out?
• The fear she’s lived with for five years tightens its grip. She knows she can’t run forever, but the thought of Adrian discovering their existence terrifies her. Lila looks out the window at the dark Florentine sky, her mind racing with possibilities and doubts.
• She whispers into the silence, “How long can I keep this secret?”