Invitation

Knox sighed in relief after seeing Franz. His constant support, aside from Athan, was his best friend he abandoned without any word four years ago. He earned a slap on the back after appearing before him when he came back, but Knox deserved it.

He was grateful that nothing changed. From then on, he told Franz about everything that happened to him, and why he suddenly disappeared.

Knox remembered Franz crying while yelling at him, 'You! You should have told me at the beginning!'

A weak and regretful smile formed across Knox's face, 'I'm sorry…I was distraught and scared. I changed all my contacts…but I didn't reach you, back then…I couldn't tell you. I should have—

'Oh, you!' Franz rushed and hugged him tightly. That warm and reassuring embrace he had never felt from someone in those four years he was striving alone, was like a lever that opened the dam of tears in his eyes. He cried.

After that, he brought Knoa to Franz and ever since then, Franz has been helping him take care of Knoa despite his hectic job of managing the café and the restaurant.

Knox was brought into the present after Knoa wiggled his arms and acted cute in front of his best friend. He poutingly spoke, "Uncle, legs hurt so much! That uncle chased me all~ day!"

Shawn jokingly gaped at Knoa and complained, "What?! Why are you complaining now? You clearly enjoyed it!"

Knoa, "Hmph!"

Knox chuckled at their banter. He rubbed Knoa's head and spoke, "Baby, Uncle Shawn played with you and helped me take care of you, so it's not right to ignore him, okay? You should tell him something instead."

Knoa stared at his father for a few seconds before looking at Shawn who wore an expectant look. Knoa fiddled with his fingers and looked down, "Taking care of me, helping Papa, thank you, Uncle Chon."

Shawn's smile faltered, "Shawn."

Knoa repeated, "Chon."

"Pfft. Hahaha."

"Boss! Don't laugh!" Shawn stomped his foot, which only made Franz and Knox laugh harder. He hastily turned to Knoa and asked, "Knoa, say Franz!"

Knoa pouted but he obliged, "Franz!"

Shawn frowned and yelled, "Why the discrimination?!"

Knox soothed the bullied man by tapping his shoulder and saying, "Don't be too sad, Knoa was just teasing you. Anyway, don't you need to start cleaning? The café is closing right?"

Shawn answered while scratching his head, "Well, yeah, but there are still two customers…"

Franz spoke, "They left a few minutes ago. Let's close the café now."

Shawn, "Okay."

Knox, "Can I help?"

Franz shook his head, "Go home. Oh, you can use my car instead of hailing a cab. You'll be bringing him here tomorrow as well, right?"

"Uh, yes…but I feel bad always asking you to look for him."

Shawn exclaimed from the corner, cleaning the trash left by the two customers, "That's why I told you to just hire me as your nanny! I'm staying with Boss at his apartment, but his boyfriend keeps glaring at me so I feel unwelcomed! I can take care of Knoa all day and even help you at night if you let me stay with you!"

Franz sighed, "A child raising a child? Knox might end up raising you too, Chon."

Knoa giggled while Shawn just glared at Franz. Knox looked at Shawn after settling in one of the chairs and putting the yawning Knoa on his lap. He asked, "How about your work here?"

Shawn answered, "I'm still in training. I can still pull out, right, boss?"

Franz replied, "Well, you do more chatting than working. So, it's fine if you snatch him up."

"Hey~ I'm chatting with customers to entertain them!"

"It's too much," Franz looked at me, "Anyway, you should take him home already. Look, he's fast asleep. He must be so tired from playing all day."

Knox, "I guess…"

Franz stared at the crestfallen Knox in front of him. His eyes grew tired and his beaming face disappeared as soon as Knoa fell asleep. He glanced at Shawn who kept wiping the tables and called for him.

Shawn came over and asked, "What?"

Franz snatched the rags from him and answered, "Can you tell Andy upstairs to stop accepting customers and close after the last ones left."

Shawn looked at the wall clock next to the door and furrowed his brows. The time was only thirty minutes past eight. His boss usually closed the diner at nine, which made him wonder why. But Franz was firm and Shawn obeyed.

After Shawn left, Franz sat on a chair across from Knox and tapped his knee, then he asked carefully, "Did something happen?"

Knox lifted his head and slowly nodded. He showed the emotions he kept hidden since meeting Knoa. Franz squeezed his knee gently and added, "You can tell me."

Knox sighed, quite troubled and anxious, and then he responded quietly, "I saw him. He almost met me again. I was…scared, Franz. I can't imagine what would happen if he saw me," his hold tightened a bit around the sleeping Knoa.

He continued with a shaky voice, "What if he learns about Knoa? What if he takes him away from me? If he presses charges regarding the contract I signed back then, I can still handle that. But what if…he fights for custody? With his money and power…"

Franz held his arm supporting Knoa, and squeezed it, "Don't think too much of it, Knox. It was probably just a coincidence. The city is wide and large, I'm sure you won't bump into each other again. So, relax, you look so tired. I'm afraid you'll collapse one of these days. Don't worry too much, hm?"

There was still worry and anxiety lingering in Knox's mind. But as Franz said, thinking too much might wear him down. It will only worry Knoa and the people around him more. He glanced at the backseat where Knoa was sleeping peacefully.

A small smile broke on his lips. Just a glimpse of his chubby cheeks comforted him. He glanced outside the window as the car stopped at the red light. The dazzling lights of the city at night look lively, but his heart felt like sinking deep after recalling Azrael's face.

He looked up at the sky obstructed by skyscrapers and prayed that their path wouldn't cross again.

At the same time, on the top floor of one of those skyscrapers, a heated conversation between a father and son was ongoing.

The wide table got slammed by slightly wrinkled hands and the things above shook from the aggressive movement, including the nameplate that bears the name and position of the chairman of HZC – Horizon Corporation.

It was then followed by a thunderous voice filled with impatience, "Do as I told and get lost!"

However, the father's command fell on deaf ears. The son who stood firm before his desk and did not flinch from the outburst of his father came even closer. He answered with a determined voice, "I'm not going to take him there. I'll bring another date and don't even think of having him step inside that place, Dad!"

Veins popped on the chairman's forehead out of anger, "I did not raise you to disobey me, Athan Horace! Don't be a hardheaded child and bring that child to the party! It is time for him to find a husband, so go and pick someone you think will benefit the company. Do it."

Athan's face turned even more grim. How could his father only think of his sons as commodities?! He clenched his fist and answered, "I won't—

"Do you want me to push your sister to remarry again? She'd been locking herself in her room over a failed marriage that already ended months ago and had been neglecting her job! I can't tolerate her tardiness anymore, so if you won't bring that child, bring your older sister instead. I'll arrange for—

Slam!

A hand hit the desk with a heavy sound. The chairman glared at his son with fury, only to meet the same intense anger from those bluish eyes that gazed not at a father, but at a hated stranger.

Without a word, Athan's hand clenched on the black and gold envelope on the chairman's desk and left, slamming the door behind him with all his force. He aggressively loosened his tie, exhaling heavily to let out all his anger.

Athan felt stuffy. He felt helpless and guilt-ridden. His sister had just suffered a tiring and complicated divorce from her husband whom she loved dearly, but his father was already finding her a new partner.

He couldn't say another word to spite him and make him forget about Knox. Because he wanted his sister to not get involved in his father's inconsiderate tricks.

He wanted Knox to live a peaceful life with his son, away from the complicated lives of conglomerate children, but he should have taken him away as soon as he found out about his existence.

He should have known that the moment Knox accepted his father's offer, he was doomed to be tied under his wings.