Dear Ex-wife Marry Me novel (Maja) novel Chapter 1877

Fitch sat quietly in the backseat of his SUV, perusing a report as the cityscape whizzed by. The muted ring of his cellphone cut through the silence, and with a glance at the caller ID, his brow furrowed with a hint of displeasure—it was his mother.

He pressed the answer button, his tone clipped. "What's up?"

On the other end of the line, Sharon's heart ached. It had been four years—four years, and her son had not once returned to the Haskins' estate, spending all his time between his office and his own place. Even his child, Nolan, was kept a mystery to the family.

Fitch had shielded the boy so well that none of the Haskins had even caught a glimpse of him. He'd barred anyone from the estate from visiting his private residence. These years, he had become a recluse of sorts, shunning social gatherings unless pestered incessantly by his friends, Ian and Tyler. Everyone noticed the change. Fitch had turned cold, like the chill of a deep lake, devoid of warmth.

"Maple," Sharon's voice broke through, using his childhood nickname. "Isn't four years enough? I was wrong back then, I shouldn't have asked you to give up on him when he was fighting for his life. I’ve heard about his autism, how much of your life will you spend on this? Do you ever think maybe he's like this because he lacks a mother's love? Come back home. I can set you up on some dates. Having a woman around could make a world of difference, and what Nolan needs is a mother’s love."

A flicker of confusion crossed Fitch's eyes. As a father, he had done everything to be there for Nolan. Yet the boy rarely spoke, uttering no more than eight words a day, never asking for anything, always quiet, always still.

Nolan. The name had been meant to evoke eloquence, not to become a curse. Racked with guilt and pain, Fitch pondered his mother's words. Perhaps she was right; Nolan might need a mother's love. But where could he find someone who would genuinely cherish Nolan? The women interested in marrying him were attracted to his status, not out of love for his son.