Audrey's POV:

I gently knocked on the door, lowering my voice.

"Noah, it's me, Audrey. Can you let me in?"

There was a slight rustling from behind the door, but it remained firmly shut.

I moved closer to the door crack, continuing gently.

"Noah, I'm really worried about you. Can you let me see you to make sure you're okay?"

Noah's footsteps approached the door, and the next second, the lock clicked as it turned.

When the door slowly opened, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially Caspar-I could feel his shoulders visibly relax.

Noah stood in the doorway, his eyes red and puffy, clearly having just been crying.

The moment he saw me, he immediately threw himself into my arms,his little hands clutching tightly to my clothes as if afraid I might disappear.

I gently stroked his hair. feeling his small body trembling slightly in my embrace.

When Noah noticed Caspar standing a bit further away, he immediately burrowed deeper into my arms, burying his little face in my shoulder.

Caspar watched this scene with a complicated expression.

Part of me thought he deserved this for bringing it on himself, while another part felt a pang of sympathy.

Looking at Noah's little hands gripping me so tightly, I couldn't help but sigh.

After all, Caspar was Noah's father, and no matter how much I disliked him, I couldn't let a four-year-old develop such deep animosity toward his own dad.

"Noah," I said softly, "your daddy was worried about you. He's been standing outside your door, just as concerned as I was."

But Noah lifted his head from my arms and turned toward Caspar, those little eyes flashing with angry light.

"Daddy bad! I don't want daddy!" he said clearly,his voice childish but full of accusation.

Noah's simple words were like an invisible knife piercing Caspar's heart.

I saw his expression freeze instantly, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes.

I gently patted Noah's back, stopping him from saying more.

Sure, kids say the darndest things, but hearing words like that must be devastating for any parent.

"Noah, I know you're angry because Daddy said you couldn't see me,"I explained softly.

"But I really have been busy with other things these past couple of days."

I stroked his hair gently. "Look, when you locked yourself in your room.wasn't Daddy worried sick? He loves you and cares about you."

I looked up at Caspar, those deep eyes now filled with the frustration of being rejected by Noah.

I gently turned Noah's little face so he was looking at me.

"What you just said really hurt Daddy's feelings. Can you see that? Daddy is very sad right now."

Noah followed my gaze to look at Caspar,seeming to notice the pain in his father's eyes for the first time.

"If someone said to you 'Noah is bad, we don't want Noah,' wouldn't that make you very sad?" I guided him gently.

Noah looked into my eyes and nodded seriously.

"Daddy feels the same way. Would you like to say sorry to Daddy?"

With my encouragement, Noah slowly walked toward Caspar and quietly said,"Sorry,daddy."

Caspar's expression immediately softened. He crouched down and gently hugged Noah.

He looked up at me over Noah's head, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes.

It seemed like ever since yesterday, he'd developed some inexplicabl hostility toward me.

Just then, Noah's stomach suddenly started rumbling loudly.

"Noah hasn't eaten all morning," Edward explained from the side, his voice tinged with worry. "After he locked himself in his room, he refused to eat anything."

I crouched down,coaxing gently: "Noah, you're hungry, aren't you? Shall we go get something to eat first?"

With my coaxing, we all went to the dining room together.

I sat beside Noah, helping him cut his sandwich into small pieces,watching as he ate in tiny bites.

Caspar sat across from us, occasionally shooting meaningful glances my way.

After the meal ended, I got up to leave, and Noah immediately grabbed my hand, panic flooding back into his eyes.

Seeing his tight grip and pleading expression, my heart melted.

I wanted to spend time with Noah, but when I lifted my head and caught Caspar's gaze, I instinctively reached for my neck, where his bite mark still throbbed beneath my carefully arranged scarf.

*Who knows what kind of mood swings he might have today? Yesterday he was practically feral.*

Caspar seemed to understand the meaning behind my hesitant glance.

His expression shifted, a brief flash of unnaturalness crossing his features before settling back into his usual controlled demeanor.

"How about this," I suggested, "to apologize to Noah for not being around,can I take him to the amusement park?"

Noah's eyes widened with excitement, his small head nodding vigorously.

Seeing Noah's excitement, Caspar ultimately didn't object.

But he interjected immediately. "Tll be joining you."

There was a momentary stiffness in my expression. The whole point of taking Noah out was to get away from Caspar and his intimidating presence.

Caspar caught my expression and stepped closer, lowering his voice so Noah couldn't hear.

"About yesterday," he said quietly, "I apologize for my behavior. It won't happen again."

The apology, though minimal,surprised me.

Caspar Thornton didn't strike me as a man who apologized often, if ever.

I sighed, realizing I didn't have much choice. Noah needed this outing.and if Caspar's presence was the price to pay, I'd have to accept it.

A few hours later, we stood at the entrance to New York's largest amusement park.

Noah gripped my hand tightly, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I noticed he was fascinated by everything in front of him-the carousel,roller coasters, colorful balloons. His little head kept turning, trying to take in everything at once.

"Haven't you ever brought Noah to an amusement park before?" I asked Caspar curiously. "He seems so amazed by everything here."

Caspar's expression was unusually embarrassed as he cleared his throat:"This is my first time here."

I was stunned for a moment, never expecting that this Wall Street financial mogul had never set foot in an amusement park.

Looking at his slightly awkward demeanor, I suddenly realized that this man who controlled hundreds of billions in assets was, when it came to some of life's simplest pleasures, just as much of a newbie as his four-year-old son.

I couldn't help but chuckle.

Throughout the afternoon, I took Noah on various age-appropriate rides-the carousel, kiddie train, bumper cars.

Watching him wave happily from the carousel, Caspar's eyes sparkled with a tenderness I'd never seen before.

As evening approached, Noah had worn himself out and fell asleep in the car on the way back, his littlehead resting on my shoulder.

I gently stroked his hair, feeling an indescribable warmth wash over me.

However, we had no idea that throughout the afternoon, we'd been photographed by a paparazzi photographer.

Just as we were about to return to Thornton Estate, Caspar's phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and answered casually.

"Grandmother," he greeted briefly.

I could hear an immediate questioning voice on the other end, but couldn't make out the specific words.

Caspar's expression grew increasingly grave, and finally he just said, "T'll handle it," before hanging up.

"What's wrong?" L asked quietty, not wanting to wake Nosh.

Caspar handed me his phone the screon displaying a photo-the thre of us at the amusement park. Caspar and I holding Noah's hands together.all of us smiling brightly.

Above the photo was a bold headline: "Thomton Family Secret: Has Noah'

s Birth Mother Finally Returned?"

My heart sank.