CEO Daddy My Mommy Is Dead

I am dead.

My son, the child I had with Silas Sterling, was left all alone in the city of Chicago.

It happened because I made a complete fool of myself at that high-society gala, screaming and causing a scene.

Silas had finally reached his limit and decided to divorce me.

What he didn't know was that I was out of time. My clock had run out.

At the busy Chicago Greyhound station, little Andy dragged his short legs, struggling to climb onto the bus.

I could only watch, a weightless spirit floating in the air.

Where was he going all by himself? Was he really trying to find his father?

My heart hammered against a chest that no longer beat as I watched the crowded, bustling terminal.

He was only five years old. What if something happened to him?

Fortunately, Andy was lucky. Despite the stumbles and the scary crowds, he eventually made it to the towering headquarters of Sterling Global.

He stood by the glass doors, his small face filled with helplessness and hesitation. He paced back and forth for hours, too terrified to step inside.

By the time Silas walked out of the building at the end of the day, Andy was huddled near a trash bin.

He had found a piece of half-melted candy in his pocket and was eating it greedily.

He chewed slowly, even licking the sticky sugar off his dirty fingers.

When Silas appeared, Andy scrambled to his feet.

A tiny, barely audible whisper left his lips. "Daddy..."

But Silas didn't hear him. He didn't even look his way.

His eyes were cold as he walked straight toward his waiting town car.

I screamed from the air, desperate and silent. "Andy, go to him! That's your father! Go to your daddy!"

Our divorce had been ugly, and Silas hated me with a passion. But now that I was gone, he was the only family Andy had left in this world.

Andy seemed paralyzed by Silas's intimidating, icy aura. He stood there like a statue, too afraid to move a muscle.

The car engine roared to life. Suddenly, Silas's assistant, Liam, noticed something moving near the trash.

He didn't know the boy was his boss's son. He was just being observant. "Mr. Sterling, look at that kid over there."

Silas glanced over and saw a filthy, disheveled child standing in the shadows of the alley.

His brow furrowed in immediate disgust. I knew that look. His germaphobia was kicking in.

My spirit trembled. I started praying to a God I wasn't sure was listening. "Silas, please. Recognize him. Take Andy home."

"I'm begging you. Whatever happened between us is our business. Don't take it out on our son."

Silas turned his head away with a look of pure indifference. "Drive," he commanded.

Liam wanted to say something more, but seeing Silas's darkening expression, he shut his mouth and pulled the car away.

I was frantic. I hovered beside my son. "Andy, run! Chase the car! This is your last chance!"

But Andy couldn't hear me. He stood frozen, his small hand tightly gripping something I had given him.

The sun was setting. I had no idea what would happen to a five-year-old alone on the streets of Chicago at night.

Terror gripped me. If I could still cry, I would have been blinded by tears.

Just as I thought all hope was lost, Silas's car suddenly pulled a U-turn and came back.

Liam stepped out of the vehicle and slowly approached Andy.

He knelt down, using his most gentle voice. "Hey there, kiddo. What's your name?"

Andy answered in a trembling voice. "Andy Su."

"His last name is Su?" Liam looked genuinely surprised.

He walked back to the car to report to Silas.

"Sir, the boy's last name is Su. Just like hers."

Silas's sharp gaze cut through the window, scanning Andy from head to toe.

His eyes locked onto Andy's clenched fist. Inside was the only thing I had left the boyDa small, silver heirloom locket.

Silas's face went pale, then dark with a sudden, violent emotion.

"Get him in the car," he barked.

Andy climbed into the backseat, curling himself into the smallest ball possible. He kept his hands and feet tucked in, terrified of getting the expensive leather dirty.

Silas sat right next to him, but the space between them felt like a canyon.

It was obvious he didn't like the boy.

To him, Andy was just a reminder of a woman he despised.

But as the head of the Sterling empire, he couldn't just leave his own blood roaming the streets.

Silas brought Andy back to the Sterling estate.

Martha, the head housekeeper, was busy dusting when she saw Andy's face. She dropped her cloth in shock.

"This child... he looks just like Mrs... I mean, Miss Su," Martha stammered, catching herself.

It was clear Silas had banned my name from the house. Even my former title was a sin to speak.

Silas's face was like a thundercloud, dark and heavy.

"Martha, go to the storage unit. Find whatever junk Nina left behind. See if there's anything with her DNA on it."

"Yes, sir. Right away," Martha said, scurrying off to avoid the tension.

Silas was suspicious. He suspected Andy belonged to me.

It was hard to deny. Andy had my eyes, and he was holding my locket.

I floated through the hallways of my former home. It looked nothing like the place I remembered. Every trace of me had been scrubbed away.

I doubted Martha would find anything easily.

Sure enough, it took thirty minutes for her to emerge from the basement, covered in dust.

She was holding an old teddy bear I used to love. A single strand of my hair was caught in the fur.

Martha handed the hair to Liam.

Liam then knelt beside Andy, speaking softly. "Andy, can I have a piece of your hair? Just one."

Andy nodded obediently.

Liam secured both samples.

"I want the results the second they're ready," Silas ordered.

Liam left, leaving Silas, Martha, and Andy in a suffocating silence.

Andy stood in the center of the grand foyer, not daring to twitch.

He peeked at his surroundings with wide, fearful eyes, occasionally glancing at the cold man who was his father.

Martha was a kind soul. Years ago, when everyone else looked down on me, she was the only one who showed me warmth. She felt for Andy now.

But she was just an employee. She wanted to comfort him, but she didn't dare cross Silas.

After what felt like an eternity, Silas finally spoke.

"Martha, take him upstairs. Scrub him down and find him some clean clothes."

"Right away, sir!"

Martha took Andy's hand and led him up the grand staircase.

As the warm water hit his skin in the bath, a look of pure relief washed over Andy's face.

After the divorce, I had been left with nothing. We had lived in poverty, struggling to even find enough to eat. Andy hadn't felt luxury in years.

"Don't be scared, little one," Martha whispered as she washed him. "You're safe now."

Watching them, my soul felt a rare moment of peace. I was so grateful for her.

By the time Martha finished bathing Andy, Silas had disappeared from the living room.

Andy looked up at Martha with big, confused eyes.

Martha was at a loss. She wanted to ask Silas where the boy should sleep, but he had already locked himself in his study.

With no other choice, she took Andy to the staff quarters and let him sleep in her bed for the night.

The next morning, Silas appeared at the breakfast table just as Martha was finishing the meal.

Andy followed Martha into the dining room, his eyes instantly locking onto Silas's.

The estate didn't have any children's clothes, so Andy was wearing one of Martha's oversized shirts.

He was so thin that the fabric hung off his skeletal frame, making him look tiny and fragile.

Silas looked away quickly, sitting down with his usual cold elegance.

Years hadn't touched his looks. If anything, he was more handsome, more commanding than ever.

No wonder so many women were still throwing themselves at him.

Andy stood by the table, twisting the hem of his shirt, unsure of what to do.

Silas picked up his fork, finally acknowledging the boy's presence. "Martha, let him eat."

Andy climbed into a chair, but he kept his head low.

He watched Silas out of the corner of his eye. Even though he was starving, he didn't touch a thing.

He only ate a bite of something after he saw Silas eat it first.

Silas watched him, looking conflicted but saying nothing.

The DNA results weren't back yet. He wasn't even sure if this was a mistake.

What if the boy wasn't his?

In the executive suite at Sterling Global, Silas stood by the floor-to-ceiling window.

He was thumbing through a set of worry beads, his expression unreadable.

Liam walked in, clutching a manila folder.

Silas didn't turn around. "What does it say?"

Liam handed him the report. "The probability of a biological relationship between Nina Su and the boy is 99.99%. He is hers, sir."

Silas froze. He gripped the beads so hard the string snapped, and they scattered across the floor.

The sound of the beads hitting the hardwood was like gunfire in the silent room.

Silas grabbed the file and stared at the words until they blurred.

It took several minutes for him to process the reality.

Then, the rage exploded. He hurled the file across the room. "How dare she? How dare Nina do this?"

Liam watched the outburst nervously. "Sir... do you want to run a test between you and Andy?"

"No," Silas snapped instantly.

I felt a jolt of panic.

What did he mean? Why wouldn't he check if Andy was his son?

Liam looked just as confused as I was, but he knew better than to ask.

Silas rubbed his temples, his face pale with fury.

"Liam, be honest. That kid looks four, maybe five. He looks exactly like Zane Sinclair, doesn't he?"

Liam went dead silent. He didn't know how to answer that.

Anyone with eyes could see that Andy was a perfect mix of me and Silas. He only looked small because he was malnourished.

But Silas's prejudice was a blindfold. He was punishing Andy for my supposed sins.

Liam struggled to find the right words.

Before he could speak, Silas swept everything off his mahogany desk in one violent motion.

The crash echoed through the office, followed by Silas's raw, guttural roar.

"Get out! Everyone get the hell out!"

For the next several weeks, Silas stayed away from the estate. He didn't check on Andy once.

The only mercy was that he didn't kick the boy out.

Andy was a ghost in that big house. He would sit for hours, perfectly still, watching Martha work.

When she had a break, she'd talk to him, and he was always so polite.

He clung to Martha like a lifeline.

Kids are intuitive. He knew she was the only person in that house who truly cared if he lived or died.

Andy was curious about the mansion, too.

He had spent his whole life in the gritty outskirts of Oakhaven. He had never seen anything this grand.

Sometimes, he would reach out a finger to touch a crystal vase or a silk curtain.

But he would pull back instantly, terrified that if he broke something, he'd be punished.

At five years old, he had already learned how to read a room and suck up to everyone.

Even in his sleep, he stayed curled in a tight ball, as if he expected to be hit.

He'd whisper in the dark, tears staining his pillow. "Mommy, please come back. I miss you."

My heart shattered. I wanted to reach through the veil and hold him.

Even as a spirit, the pain was physical.

Back at the office, Silas slammed his pen down after signing a contract.

"It's been a month! What is Nina playing at?"

"She's heartless. She dumps the kid here and goes into hiding. Liam, find out what her angle is."

Liam looked at his disheveled boss. "Sir, should I track her down? Find out where she's staying?"

Silas waved him off, his voice dripping with venom. "No. If she doesn't want to show her face, she can stay gone forever."

He let out a cold, bitter laugh.

"She thinks if she leaves the kid here, I'll go soft. She thinks I'll take her back for the sake of a child. She's dead wrong."

"I'll house the boy because of the blood connection, but that's it. As for Nina... I told her during the divorce to never show her face again."

Listening to him, I felt a wave of cold sorrow.

Silas didn't realize that I had granted his wish. I was never coming back.

Andy had been there for weeks, and Silas hadn't even asked him where his mother was.

But why would he? He wouldn't waste a second on a woman he loathed.

7

When I first found out I was sick, I actually tried to bring Andy back once.

We stood outside the Sterling gates and saw Silas walking out with Seraphina Hart.

Seraphina was looking at him with heart-eyes, talking a mile a minute. Silas wasn't annoyed; he was actually listening.

I knew Silas hated chatterboxes.

So, his childhood sweetheart really was special to him.

The rumors were true. The Sterling and Hart families were planning a merger through marriage.

It was bound to happen eventually.

Back when I was a spoiled heiress, I was obsessed with Silas.

I couldn't stand the thought of him loving someone else.

At a major charity gala, I had seen Seraphina crying in his arms.

My old temper flared up. I lost my mind.

I stormed over and slapped her right in front of everyone. I didn't care about the consequences.

The entire gala went silent. All eyes were on us.

Silas looked at me with pure disgust, and Seraphina ran out in tears.

8

Silas didn't say a word to me at the party. He was terrifyingly calm.

But the moment we got home, he threw the divorce papers in my face.

I knew he was angry. I knew I had acted like a lunatic.

But I never thought he would actually leave me.

I had forgotten who he was.

Silas was the king of the Sterling empire. He was untouchable, refined, and cold.

People had lost their businesses for saying the wrong thing to him.

And I had humiliated him and his beloved in front of the entire city.

They were childhood friends. Even if they weren't lovers yet, he cared for her.

I had been the villain. I had been the one to ruin his evening and hurt an innocent woman.

The high I felt from the slap vanished, replaced by a crushing weight of regret.

My family's business had already gone under. Silas's family had only been propping us up because of the marriage.

But after the gala, that protection was gone.

The Sterlings hated me. They saw me as a gold-digging brat who didn't deserve their son.

When Silas demanded a divorce, no one stood up for me.

To settle the score, they bought out the last of my father's assets, erasing the Su name from Chicago.

I knelt outside Silas's bedroom door for an entire day, my legs going numb.

The staff looked at me with pity, but Silas never opened the door.

The next morning, I gave up.

My voice was a raspy ghost of itself. "Silas, I'm done. I'll sign the papers."

The door opened, and I saw him. He looked at me as if I were a stranger.

I limped to the table and signed my name.

He snatched the papers away as if he were afraid I'd change my mind.

"Pack your bags, Nina," the maid said. "It's time to go."

I left the Sterling estate with nothing but a suitcase and a broken heart.

10

Our marriage had been a disaster from the start.

I had chased him since we were teenagers. Everyone knew I was crazy about him.

And everyone knew he didn't care for me.

He always preferred Seraphina.

But I was naive back then. I thought I could win him over if I just tried hard enough.

I followed him everywhere. I was a nuisance, a shadow he couldn't shake.

Seraphina had the history, but I had the pedigree. My family was still powerful then.

Our grandparents arranged the match. It was a business deal.

When my family went bankrupt right before the wedding, I thought it was over.

But the Sterlings didn't want to look like they were breaking a promise, so they went through with it.

I was over the moon. I thought I had won.

But I was still a brat. I was loud, demanding, and constantly picked fights with him.

By the time I learned how to be a good wife, it was too late.

It took a divorce for me to realize he never loved me. Not even a little.

The Sterlings were just waiting for an excuse to throw me out.

I gave it to them on a silver platter at that gala.

11

With my family gone and no money left, I had no choice.

Silas made sure I couldn't find work in Chicago.

I moved to Oakhaven and found a job as a low-level clerk.

A few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant.

I thought about not going through with it, but I couldn't do it.

My heart was already dead. I knew I'd never marry again. This baby was my last chance at family.

I worked myself to the bone to provide for Andy.

To stay hidden from Silas, I changed jobs constantly, moving from one tiny apartment to another.

At my lowest point, I was washing dishes in a greasy diner while seven months pregnant.

Then I ran into Zane Sinclair, an old neighbor from my childhood.

He helped me find a stable job and looked out for us. He's the reason Andy survived.

But my luck didn't last. I collapsed at work one afternoon.

When I woke up, the doctor's eyes were full of pity.

It was a terminal illness. Late stage. Incurable. I had weeks, maybe months.

My only thought was Andy. Who would take care of my baby?

12

I spent days in that hospital bed before deciding to send Andy back to Silas.

But when we arrived at the Sterling estate, I saw him with Seraphina again.

My heart sank.

Seraphina and I were enemies. She would never be kind to my son.

Andy tugged on my hand. "Mommy, isn't that Daddy? Why aren't we talking to him?"

I couldn't answer. How do you tell a child his father is about to replace his mother with her worst enemy?

I panicked.

We went back to Oakhaven, but my health declined rapidly.

I tried to make the trip one last time, but I collapsed at our front door.

I was coughing up blood, and Andy was screaming.

I knew the end was here. I pressed the locket into his hand. "Andy... find Zane. Tell him to take you to your... your father. Promise me?"