Unless, of course, someone was pulling the strings from the shadows.

Lately, Alexander had been keeping a close eye on Sebastian.

Sebastian was a man constantly on the move, his business taking him across continents.

His son, Oliver, was often left in Amy's care.

Alexander had even gone as far as hiring a private investigator to dig into Sebastian and Amy's relationship.

There was nothing inappropriate—no secret meetings, no lingering touches.

Sebastian was all charm and polite conversation, but his actions never crossed the line.

Their interactions were sparse, which was why Alexander hadn't felt the need to confront him directly.

Even now, with Liam acting out, Alexander didn’t suspect Amy.

He assumed Oliver might have said something careless, and Liam, already upset about the tension between him and Amy, had taken it the wrong way.

But he never expected Amy to encourage Liam to run away.

That was where Alexander drew the line.

Liam was only five. What if something had happened to him?

Amy could feel the accusation in Alexander’s gaze before he even spoke.

She turned to Liam. "Did you tell him I asked Oliver to tip you off so you’d sneak out?"

Liam shook his head. "No, it wasn’t Mom. I just wanted to see if what that mean boy said was true, so I left."

He hadn’t understood the weight behind Alexander’s earlier questions.

To Liam, his father was just angry because he’d run off.

Alexander’s voice was ice. "If no one put him up to it, why would Oliver even mention this to you?"

Liam hesitated, then looked at Amy.

"Mom… did you tell Oliver to say that?"

Amy let out a bitter laugh. "Alexander, you never give me credit for anything good, but the second something goes wrong, it’s always my fault."

She didn’t want to argue in front of Liam, so she kept her voice steady. "Step outside. We need to talk."

Alexander knew this wasn’t a conversation for a child’s ears. He stood and walked toward the door.

Just as he reached for the handle, Amy seemed to remember something and turned back to Liam.

"I didn’t tell Oliver to say anything about the amusement park."

Whether Liam believed her or not was another matter, but she refused to take the blame for something she didn’t do.

She turned the knob, ready to leave.

Then Liam’s voice stopped her.

"Mom… if Oliver and I both fell into a lake, who would you save first?"

Amy paused. Then she answered honestly. "I don’t know."

Liam’s voice wavered, threatening tears. "Mom… even if you saw us both drowning, you wouldn’t choose me?"

Amy didn’t want to lie. "Before, I would have saved you without thinking. But now… I’m not sure."

With that, she walked out, leaving Liam staring after her in stunned silence.

In a quiet, empty corner of the hospital, Alexander’s sharp features were tight with frustration, his dark eyes filled with disappointment.

"Encouraging Liam to run away… Amy, when did you become so manipulative?"

Amy’s response was cold. "If you’re hallucinating, see a doctor. Don’t take it out on me."

Alexander’s gaze dropped to her face, taking in the indifference there. It only fueled his anger.

Lately, this woman had a way of igniting his temper like no one else.

"Even now, you won’t admit it?"

Amy scoffed. "Admit what? That the Blackwood family, with all its staff and security, can’t keep track of a five-year-old? Or that you, the CEO of Blackwood Enterprises, didn’t even notice your own son was missing?"

Her voice turned sharp. "When Victoria’s in trouble, you drop everything. But when it’s your own child, you’re nowhere to be found."

"Instead of blaming yourself for being negligent, you’d rather accuse me of scheming."