Jennie took a slow breath before telling him everything.
"Nicholas, it wasn't Elian."
Nicholas stared at her.
"Then who?"
Jennie hesitated.
"Nicklaus."
Nicholas's eyes widened.
"Nicklaus?"
She nodded.
"He came out of his room that day looking angry. I followed him because I was worried about him. I tried talking to him, but he became upset and pushed me."
Nicholas's face hardened.
"He pushed you?"
"Yes."
"And he didn't tell me?"
Jennie shook her head.
"No."
Nicholas's hands clenched.
"That boy allowed me to believe Elian did this to you."
Jennie remained quiet.
"He watched Elian get arrested," Nicholas continued angrily. "He knew what happened and said nothing."
"Nicholas..."
"He let me accuse an innocent man."
"I know."
Nicholas stood, his anger visible.
"I trusted him."
Jennie reached for his hand.
"It was an accident."
Nicholas looked at her.
"He pushed you."
"He did, but he didn't mean for me to fall."
She squeezed his hand gently.
"He was angry and wasn't thinking. He didn't know I would lose my balance."
Nicholas sighed heavily.
Jennie looked at him pleadingly.
"Please forgive him."
Nicholas looked away.
"For my sake."
He remained silent for a long moment.
Finally, he let out a long, tired sigh.
"I don't know how I'm supposed to forgive him after this."
Jennie gave him a weak smile.
"But you will."
Nicholas looked back at her.
He didn't answer.
But his anger had begun to soften.
Later that day, Jennie had fallen asleep again after the doctors gave her something to help her rest.
Nicholas quietly left her room.
He found Nicklaus sitting alone at the end of the hospital corridor.
The moment Nicklaus saw his father approaching, he stood.
"Dad..."
Nicholas stopped in front of him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Nicklaus lowered his eyes.
"I was scared."
"You were scared?"
Nicholas's voice was low, but the anger underneath it was unmistakable.
"Your mother was lying unconscious on the floor, and you left her there."
Nicklaus swallowed hard.
"I panicked."
"You panicked and ran."
Nicklaus couldn't answer.
Nicholas stepped closer.
"Then you watched Elian get arrested."
"I didn't tell them to arrest him."
"But you didn't tell them the truth either."
Nicklaus remained silent.
"You knew exactly what happened," Nicholas continued. "Yet you let me believe Elian had pushed your mother."
Nicklaus's eyes filled with tears.
"I was afraid of what would happen to me."
Nicholas stared at him in disbelief.
"So you allowed an innocent man to suffer for your mistake?"
Nicklaus wiped his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
Nicholas shook his head.
"Your mother asked me to forgive you."
Nicklaus looked up.
"She did?"
"She said it was an accident. She believes you never intended for her to fall."
Nicklaus's lips trembled.
"I didn't."
"I know what you intended."
Nicholas's expression hardened.
"But what you did afterward was a choice."
Nicklaus lowered his head again.
"I know."
Nicholas sighed.
"I don't know how long it will take me to forgive you."
Nicklaus nodded, tears falling silently.
"But your mother wants me to."
Nicholas turned toward Jennie's room.
"So for her sake, I'm going to try."
Nicklaus looked at his father.
"Thank you."
Nicholas didn't respond.
He simply walked away, leaving Nicklaus standing alone in the corridor, overwhelmed by guilt.
That evening, Nicholas sat quietly beside Jennie's hospital bed.
Jennie was awake, though she still looked weak.
She glanced around the room before asking softly,
"Where's Cherry?"
Nicholas looked at her.
"She's not feeling well."
He gently adjusted her blanket.
"I told her to go home and rest. That's why she isn't here tonight."
Jennie sighed.
"I understand."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jennie remembered something.
"Nicholas..."
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember the woman I told you about? The one I saw at the supermarket?"
Nicholas nodded.
"Yes. You told me about her."
Jennie stared at him for a moment.
"I know who she is now."
Nicholas looked curious.
"Who?"
Jennie's voice was quiet but certain.
"She's Mrs. Anna."
Nicholas's expression changed slightly.
"Mrs. Anna?"
Jennie nodded.
"The woman we gave our baby to all those years ago."
Nicholas slowly sat straighter.
Jennie looked at him, her eyes filled with emotion.
"It's her, Nicholas."
He remained silent, absorbing her words.
Jennie looked at Nicholas, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
"What if..."
Her voice trembled.
"What if our son is Elian?"
Nicholas froze.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
"Elian?"
Jennie nodded slowly.
"I'm not saying I know for certain. But think about it."
Nicholas stared at her.
"Mrs. Anna raised him."
"Yes."
"And Elian is Mrs. Anna's grandson."
Jennie swallowed.
"Exactly."
Nicholas's expression changed as everything began connecting in his mind.
"That's impossible..."
"But what if it isn't?"
Jennie's voice broke.
"The way I felt when I saw him... I don't know how to explain it."
She wiped away a tear.
"When I look at Elian, something inside me feels familiar. And now we've found Mrs. Anna."
Nicholas sat down slowly.
"You think the child we gave away..."
"Could be Elian."
Silence filled the room.
Nicholas looked toward the door, his mind racing.
"If that's true..."
His voice became quiet.
"Then we've been right beside our son all this time."
Jennie began crying softly.
"And I didn't even know."
Nicholas reached for her hand.
"We don't know yet."
"But we have to find out."
Jennie nodded.
"Yes."
Nicholas squeezed her hand.
"We'll find Mrs. Anna."
"And we'll find our son."
Jennie looked down, tears falling onto the blanket.
"I just hope we're not too late."