Minutes later, Nicholas stepped outside the hospital.
He stood alone in the quiet corridor, his hands resting against the railing as he stared ahead.
Jennie's words kept replaying in his mind.
What if our son is Elian?
Nicholas closed his eyes.
Suddenly, every memory of Elian came rushing back.
The arguments.
The accusations.
The fight at the hospital.
The way he had punched Elian.
The way he had ordered the police to keep him locked up.
And worst of all, the way he had allowed Elian to be blamed for Jennie's fall.
Nicholas lowered his head.
"What have I done?"
For years, he had imagined finding his lost son.
He had imagined holding him.
Telling him how much he had been missed.
But if Elian truly was that child...
Nicholas's chest tightened.
He had done the exact opposite.
He had treated his own son like an enemy.
He had accused him of hurting his mother.
He had watched him get arrested.
And he had refused to believe his innocence.
Nicholas leaned against the wall, overwhelmed.
"What if it's true?"
His voice was barely a whisper.
He looked down at his trembling hands.
"Will he forgive me?"
The thought terrified him.
What if Elian hated him?
What if Elian refused to call him father?
What if, after everything Nicholas had done, Elian no longer wanted anything to do with him?
Nicholas swallowed hard.
"I wouldn't blame him."
He looked toward Jennie's room.
For the first time, Nicholas wasn't thinking about protecting his pride or defending his family name.
He was thinking about the possibility that the young man he had spent days fighting against might actually be the son he had spent years searching for.
And if that was true...
Nicholas didn't know how he could ever make things right.
The next morning, Nicholas, Mrs. Anna, and Cherry arrived at the police station.
Nicholas had made the decision to have Elian released.
After everything Jennie had told him, he could no longer allow Elian to remain there.
The station doors opened.
Elian finally walked out.
He was limping slightly, and the injuries on his face were still clearly visible. He looked exhausted after everything he had endured.
"Elian!"
Cherry immediately ran toward him.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him, tears filling her eyes.
"Oh my God..."
She held him even tighter.
"I'm so sorry."
Elian closed his eyes for a moment before gently holding her.
"I'm okay."
"You don't look okay."
Cherry carefully touched his wounded face.
"They hurt you."
Elian didn't answer.
Mrs. Anna approached them, her eyes immediately filling with tears when she saw him.
"My boy..."
She gently touched his arm.
"I'm so sorry."
Elian gave her a tired look.
"It's not your fault, Lola."
Mrs. Anna pulled him into a gentle embrace.
"I should have gotten you out sooner."
Elian shook his head.
"You came for me. That's what matters."
A few steps away, Nicholas stood silently.
He watched the three of them.
His eyes remained fixed on Elian.
Elian eventually noticed him.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither said anything.
Nicholas wanted to speak.
He wanted to apologize.
He wanted to ask Elian if he was all right.
But the words wouldn't come.
Elian's expression hardened the moment he looked at him.
There was no warmth in his eyes.
Only anger and disappointment.
He looked away.
Without saying a single word to Nicholas, Elian gently took Mrs. Anna's arm with one hand and reached for Cherry with the other.
"Let's go."
Cherry looked briefly toward Nicholas.
Elian didn't.
He simply walked away with them.
Nicholas remained standing outside the station, watching his supposed enemy walk away.
But now, a terrifying possibility lingered in his mind.
What if that man he had just watched walk away was actually his son?
At the hospital, Nicholas returned to Jennie's room after making sure Elian had been released.
Jennie was awake, resting against the pillows.
The moment she saw him, she looked hopeful.
"Did you find out what happened?"
Nicholas sat beside her.
"Elian has been released."
Jennie let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Thank God."
She looked at him carefully.
"Did he say anything?"
Nicholas shook his head.
"No."
He lowered his gaze.
"He didn't even look at me properly."
Jennie sighed.
"After everything that happened, I can't blame him."
Nicholas remained silent.
Jennie reached for his hand.
"Did you apologize?"
Nicholas looked at her.
"I wanted to."
"Then why didn't you?"
He hesitated.
"I couldn't find the words."
Jennie squeezed his hand gently.
"You need to."
Nicholas nodded slowly.
"I know."
He looked toward the window.
"And Jennie..."
"Hmm?"
"What if you're right?"
Jennie knew exactly what he meant.
"What if Elian really is our son?"
Nicholas's eyes filled with emotion.
"Then I've already failed him before I even knew who he was."
Jennie watched her husband carefully.
"You haven't failed him completely," she said softly. "You still have a chance to make things right."
Nicholas looked at her.
"But what if he doesn't want anything to do with us?"
"Then we have to accept that."
Jennie's voice was gentle but firm.
"We can't force him to forgive us."
Nicholas lowered his head.
"I know."
A long silence followed.
Then Jennie suddenly remembered something.
"Anna."
Nicholas looked up.
"What about her?"
"She knows where Elian came from."
Jennie took a slow breath.
"If Elian really is our son, Mrs. Anna might be the only person who can confirm it."
Nicholas nodded.
"You're right."
"We need to speak with her."
Nicholas hesitated.
"She probably hates me."
Jennie gave him a tired look.
"Can you blame her?"
He sighed.
"No."
"Then don't expect her to welcome you."
Nicholas looked down at his hands.
"I'll still go."
Jennie nodded.
"Go when you're ready."
Nicholas stood.
"But first, there's something else I need to do."
Jennie looked at him.
"What?"
"I need to apologize to Elian."
His voice was quiet.
"Not because I think he's our son."
He paused.
"Because regardless of who he is, I accused an innocent man and allowed him to suffer for something he didn't do."
Jennie's eyes softened.
"That's the right thing to do."
Nicholas nodded.
"I'll go tomorrow."
He looked toward the hospital window, his expression heavy with regret.
"And if he really is our son..."
His voice broke slightly.
"I hope I still have a chance to call him that."