He won't let her go

Oliver went back inside and saw Orion standing by the stairs in his pajamas and looking in his direction. Oliver walked toward him and asked affectionately, "Why aren't you in bed yet?" Oliver picked up the boy and start to walk toward his bedroom.

"Dad, is she my mother?" Orion asked bluntly. As an observant kid, he could differentiate between how Oliver treated Ava and how he treated Kiara. The love for Ava in his father's eyes was so obvious that he couldn't stop but ask.

Oliver stopped on the stairs and gave his son a complicated look then he smiled and walked toward the bedroom. He didn't answer him. He knew it was a matter of time before Orion will figure it out besides although Ava looks very different from when she was married to him there was still similarity. Since Orion has seen her picture it's only natural that he will recognize her. After they came into the bedroom Oliver put Orion down on the bed and looked him straight in the eye and asked softly, "Do you like her?"

Orion nodded and said in a serious tone, "Yes dad, I do. I don't know what is it about her but I feel very comfortable around her, when she hugged me earlier I didn't want to let her go but I don't want to like her dad." As a 4-year-old, Orion couldn't really understand his feeling for Ava, why he felt comfort in her soothing voice or in her soft touch, he felt like he has been craving for such comfort but he also didn't like having these feelings for the woman his father has been suffering for.

Oliver paused and asked softly, "Why don't you want to like her? Is she not treating you well?"

Orion lowered his head and said, "No, she treats me really well and I want to be with her but if she is my mother then why doesn't she live with us? Why doesn't she ask me to call her mother? Why doesn't she recognize me? Does she not want me?"

Orion's innocent questions broke Oliver's heart. If only he could explain everything to him. If only Ava waited until he could tell her about their son. If only they didn't have to stay away from each other for 3 years and Orion wouldn't have to grow up without her. But he couldn't say all this to his 4-year-old son. In the end, Oliver said in a light but serious tone, "Orion, don't think that way. There are many complications in our relationship that neither, you can understand at this age nor I can't explain to you right now so can I please ask you to do something for me? Dad is trying to bring your mom back to you please be patient and wait a little longer and don't ask anything inappropriate to Miss Mackie, OK!" Oliver didn't answer him clearly neither he denied Orion's claim.

"OK," Orion said lightly and lowered his head sadly. His father was right, he couldn't understand why his mother wouldn't recognize him. Although he never had a mother he has seen children interacting with their mother at school, he could feel that even though Ava was very warm to him but she didn't treat him like her son so Orion concluded in his heart that Ava didn't want him.

The next morning, A & D group.

Daniel was sitting in the office holding a confidential file in his hand. Earl was very efficient, he sent him all the details about Ava's pregnancy and her child. Daniel kept reading the reports word by word again and again with a deep frown. He looked very frustrated, as he was about to pick up his phone to call Earl, his phone started to ring, it was Earl.

"Earl, I was about to call you. Did you see the report?"

"Yeah and that's why I called you."

"So the baby Ava gave birth to was not stillborn."

"Well, that's how it appears. Ava did give birth to a child safely but the child was diagnosed with Congenital Heart disease and due to his premature birth the child didn't survive. At least that's what the hospital record says. However, I have a theory."

"You think the child survived. "Daniel stated flatly and his face sank. Now his suspicion was turning into reality. Why did he decide to investigate this matter? It's not going to do him any good. "What's your theory?"

"Well, I think the child survived after his birth but Oliver Knight hid the news because he was not sure if the child would live, he must have sent him to Switzerland for treatment. It was news that he adopted his son from Switzerland so it's possible that the child has been there for treatment the whole time. Since Ava was not in a good condition at that time he hid the news from her too, or probably he wanted to hide it from her and that's why he had to hide it from others." Earl analyzed narrowing his eyes as he tapped his finger on his desk rhythmically.

Daniel closed his eyes painfully, "Did you find any record in the hospital in Switzerland? Is it possible to get any proof that the boy was Ava's?" When he decided to investigate this, he hoped…no he prayed this child would not be Ava's because if she finds out Orion was her son, the son she thought she has lost then she will go back to Oliver. He knew her love for that child was more than anything in this world.

"No. The Switzerland hospital is very strict about their rules and regulation so there is no way we can get anything from there. If you need proof the only way is a DNA test. You can retrieve Orion and Ava's DNA samples and send them for testing." Earl explained.

"Alright, Earl you did really well, I don't know how to thank you for what you did for me but please do me another favor and help me with the testing as well. I'll send the samples to you as soon as possible." Daniel said in an urgent voice.

Earl paused and said after hesitating, "Danny, what if that kid is actually Ava's?"

Daniel clenched his fist and said looking into the distance, "I don't know Earl. But I will not let her go back to Oliver." Daniel knew Ava didn't love him yet but he also knew Ava always felt indebted to him, so even if he has to make her stay by using that reason he will, but he won't let her go at any cost.