The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 147

Bria’s voice came through the phone, gentle and caring. “Hey, Steven, are you feeling any better today?”

“Yeah, much better. Once I’m completely back on my feet, I’ll come see you.”

She sounded thrilled. “I’ll be waiting. Honestly, I can’t wait to finally see our son in person and just hold him for real!”

“I sent you photos of him, didn’t I?”

She laughed softly. “Photos aren’t the same. I want to actually hold him, hear him call me Mommy… I want the real thing.”

Steven smiled, but it felt tight, a lump caught in his throat.

“Steven, thank you. Thank you for thinking of me and taking care of everything. All these years, every time you came to visit, I heard every word. Your encouragement kept me going, pushed me to fight to wake up. I’m so grateful for that, and just… so happy right now.”

Steven’s nose stung. He spoke softly, “You’ll be even happier from now on. I promise.”

“Of course we will. We have to make the most of every day from now on. I always knew I could count on you, Steven. I never regretted trusting you.”

“…Bria, I… I’ll never let you down.”

“I know. Thank you for loving me so much.”

Steven didn’t know what to say. His heart was a mess. Over the past few years, he’d flown out to Switzerland every six months to see her. He’d told her everything—every detail about his life, his work, his struggles. When he got married, he must have explained his reasons a hundred times, telling her it was only a business arrangement, that there was no love between him and his wife, that it was all for Bria. He’d even joked about what a terrible person he must be for doing this.

The truth was, sometimes he’d repeated those lies so often that even he started to believe them. Really, he just needed someone to confide in, to let out all his darkness. He never expected she’d actually hear it all, let alone wake up one day.

“Steven? Why are you so quiet?”

“I’m here—I just want to listen to you.”

“I want to hear your voice. I really can’t wait to see you.”

“Alright. As soon as I’m better, I’ll come get you.”

“Next time you come, you have to bring our son. Promise me you won’t forget.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t forget.”

“Okay. I miss you. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

They talked for another ten minutes or so before running out of things to say, and finally hung up.

Afterwards, Steven leaned back against the headboard, feeling a heavy pressure in his chest that he couldn’t shake.

Cody was just a kid, caught up in his toys. He didn’t notice the worry written all over his dad’s face.

“Cody…”

“Yeah, Daddy?”

“…If you had to have a new mommy, would you be okay with that?”

Cody paused, a Lego brick in his hand. He looked up at Steven, curious. “Are you going to make Aunt Shannon my new mommy?”

Steven blinked, surprised, and was lost for words. Cody was still too little to understand how complicated things really were. Steven wasn’t even sure if Cody could accept Bria.

Cody thought for a bit, then shook his head firmly. “I don’t want a new mommy.”

“Why not? I thought you didn’t like your mommy?”

Cody tilted his head, considering. “Well… it’s not that I don’t like her. I just got upset because she never wanted to play with me. But my new daddy taught me about being good to your parents. He said Mommy went through a lot to have me, and I should be a good son and be nice to her.”

Steven frowned, feeling that ache in his head again.

Cody added, “And he said if I wasn’t nice to Mommy, he’d hit me every time he saw me. And cut off my ears!”