Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 510

On the way back, Willow couldn't help but ask Silas exactly what he had said to Ethan. After they had spoken, she noticed Ethan's eyes practically glowing with renewed determination.

Silas recounted the conversation word for word, including his encouragement and validation of the boy's potential.

Willow was stunned. Knowing Silas as she did, he was an incredibly guarded man who rarely let people in. The idea of him actively comforting and inspiring a child was entirely unexpected.

"I had no idea you had such a soft side," Willow remarked, genuinely impressed.

Silas frowned slightly, as if evaluating himself. "Are you saying I usually come across as cold?"

"No, of course not," Willow deflected, suddenly feeling awkward. He was definitely cold, at least to people he didn't know well.

That was why Silas bonding so quickly with Ethan had been such a surprise. "It seems you and Ethan really hit it off."

"I suppose so," Silas replied simply, omitting the fact that it was entirely because she cared about the boy.

"Then why did you make such a big deal out of what he called you?" Willow asked, recalling his insistence on dropping the formal 'Mr. Thorne.' No matter how she looked at it, Silas didn't seem like the type to get petty with a child over a title.

"Because I didn't want him making me sound like I'm a generation older than you," Silas answered honestly. He wouldn't accept that distance, not even in the eyes of a child.

He wanted to be on her level, standing right beside her as her equal, without any artificial barriers of age or status between them.

Willow assumed he was just sensitive about his age and didn't press the issue further. After all, nobody liked feeling older than they were.

She smoothly transitioned to other topics as they traveled from the mountain town back to New York.

She hurried to the bedside. "That's incredible news! We have everything ready at home. We're just waiting for you."

Martha beamed and asked how the business trip had gone.

Not wanting to worry her, Willow only shared the positive highlights.

Noticing the women had a lot of catching up to do, Silas quietly excused himself, stepping out and closing the door to give them privacy.

The moment he left, Martha turned her focus squarely onto Willow. "Willow, work is important, but you can't bury yourself in it completely. You have to think about your personal life, too. Where do things stand with your divorce from Julian?"

Martha had asked this a few times before, and Willow had always brushed it off with vague reassurances to spare her any stress. But today, Martha wasn't taking a half-answer. Reluctantly, Willow offered a few more details. "It's almost done. The second hearing is coming up soon. The legal process is a bit tedious, but everything is moving in the right direction. Don't worry about it."