Fitch sat quietly in the backseat of his SUV, perusing a report as the cityscape whizzed by. The muted ring of his cellphone cut through the silence, and with a nce at the caller ID, his brow furrowed with a hint of displeasure it was his mother.


    He pressed the answer button, his tone clipped. "What''s up?"


    On the other end of the line, Sharon''s heart ached. It had been four years-four years, and her son had not once returned to the Haskins'' estate, spending all his time between his office and his own ce. Even his child, Nn, was kept a mystery to the family.


    Fitch had shielded the boy so well that none of the Haskins had even caught a glimpse of him. He''d barred anyone from the estate from visiting his private residence. These years, he had be a recluse of sorts, shunning social gatherings unless pestered incessantly by his friends,n and Tyler. Everyone noticed the change. Fitch had turned cold, like the chill of a deepke, devoid of warmth.


    "Maple," Sharon''s voice broke through, using his childhood nickname. "Isn''t four years enough? I was wrong back then, I shouldn''t have asked you to give up on him when he was fighting for his life. I''ve heard about his autism, how much of your life will you spend on this? Do you ever think maybe he''s like this because hecks a mother''s love? Come back home. I can set you up on some dates. Having a woman around could make a world of difference, and what Nn needs is a mother''s love."


    A flicker of confusion crossed Fitch''s eyes. As a father, he had done everything to be there for Nn. Yet the boy rarely spoke, uttering no more than eight words a day, never asking for anything, always quiet, always still.


    Nn. The name had been meant to evoke eloquence, not to be a curse. Racked with guilt and pain, Fitch pondered his mother''s words. Perhaps she was right; Nn might need a mother''s love. But where could he find someone who would genuinely cherish Nn? The women interested in marrying him were attracted to his status, not out of love for his son.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    He rubbed his temples, as Sharon, mistaking his silence for


    acquiescence, sighed in relief. "Think about it, Maple. Nn''s silence might be from never having known a woman''s touch. Try starting a a new marriage, and let go of Zoey she''s history. You know you never loved her, you just felt guilty because she bore your child. If youe around, call me, and I''ll arrange the dates."


    After hanging up, Fitch said nothing, his gaze returning to the file in his hands. The assistant in the front seat nced at him in the rearview mirror and sighed. He had witnessed the boss''s transformation over these four years more than anyone.


    Two years ago, the little master had


    a fever and cried through the night. Fitch was out of town on business andter found out that a maid had


    Gruel to him in an attempt to seduce him. After that night, the household staff was entirely reced.


    The car journey continued in silence, Fitch bringing Nn to Zion City because of its undeveloped, pristine nature contrast to the bustling Greenfield but potentially beneficial for Nn''s condition. At four years old it was time for the boy to interact with the world.


    The SUV pulled up at the gates of the vi. Fitch stepped out, files in hand, and strode toward the entrance. "Where''s Nn?"


    "The young master''s upstairs, reading."


    Nn''s "reading" was limited to picture books-ones that Fitch had picked out. Shedding his suit jacket, Fitch ascended the stairs to join his son.