Learning to Love Again

Su Lian carried her son and walked in with him. Her driver followed behind with the suitcase of all her mother's things.

Entering the living room, she sees Stephanie sitting on the couch knitting a sweater.

"I'm back and just in time for lunch too."

Su Lian placed her son in his chair at the dining table and took a seat opposite him.

"Mommy, I wanna go to the water park."

"Water park?"

Su Yichen nods his head. "Yes, some of the other people at my school went to the water park. I wanna go too."

Su Lian looks at her son and further regrets her decision of sending him to school.

Before everything he knew was limited to what she would tell him, but now he has started asking for taboo things like a father and a whole trip.

She thought peer influence only occurred in youth. Going to school and being around people his age is really changing her son's demands.

As much as she wants to give him everything he wants, being a single mom, she can't with her schedule.

There is no water park in the city they live in so they would have to travel to another city and spend the night in a hotel.

She just took on the role of President at this branch and after the Jim Silva scandal, this place was a mess. Even though she and the rest of the team have put in so much effort into damage control, building relationships, starting new projects and closing deals, there is still so much work to be done.

"Sorry baby, mommy doesn't have any time for that this week. How about next Saturday. " Su Lian rubs her son's head in an attempt to comfort him.

"I thought Sundays are your day off. Why don't you take him tonight and come back tomorrow evening?" Stephanie overhears their discussion and can't help but ask.

"I have a meeting tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is a Sunday."

"I know, but it's an important meeting."

"Your only twenty-three and sometimes I fell that you forget that. The responsibility that you take on is too much for you. No matter where we live, you're busy all the time and it's not healthy."

"I have to work. I can only rely on myself."

Stephanie remains quiet after what she says because it was true. But she still hated the fact that someone as young as Su Lian was a single mother.

Even though she was wealthy and somewhat influential, it came at a price.

She barely had the opportunity to spend any quality time with her son.

She didn't mind taking care of Su Yichen while Su Lian was at work, but she felt that it would be better if she could have more moments with her son.

These are his tender years, they go by in a flash. Before they know it, he'll be off to college.

"I brought some of mom's things."

Stephanie's body shivers slightly. "You did. That's good."

"I'm going to visit her grave after my meeting tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?"

Stephanie immediately nods her head. But in reality, she is extremely fearful and stressed.

Visiting her own daughter's grave is not something she ever dreamed of doing.

Knowing that the child you raised for so many years is six feet under the ground is heartbreaking.

No parent wants to see their child die before them.

...

After lunch, Su Lian lays on the couch and stares blankly at the ceiling.

Han Yuan's words keep echoing in her mind.

'I'll be a good father to your son.'

Did he really mean what he said? Whether he meant it or not, she couldn't help but feel guilty. He has a right to know that Yichen is his son. He has a right to be a father be a father but she's taking that away from him.

But if she tells him...