Chapter 4Back to Eighteen, I Met My Teenage Son Instead of My Ex

I pulled myself back to the present. I finished the last bite of the cake and prepared to leave.

Outside, Ryder's friends were still waiting. When they saw me step out, they crowded around. "Hey, it's getting late. Ryder told us to make sure you get home safe."

I glanced at the flickering streetlights and didn't refuse.

Along the way, their chatter allowed me to piece together what Ryder's life had been like all these years.

"Ryder's actually got it rough. His mom passed away when he was tiny."

"His dad's always working. There's basically no one at home."

"He lives in this massive house, but when he got incredibly sick once, there wasn't even anyone to bring him a glass of water."

My fingers clenched tightly around my backpack straps. John, you absolute jerk. Is this how you took care of my son?

"But Ryder cares a lot about family. Even though his dad ignores him, he still buys him a birthday cake every single year."

"He looks tough, but my mom always says he's actually the most responsible one out of all of us."

I remembered how quickly he shut down in class when the teacher threatened to call his father. He wasn't scared of getting in trouble. He just knew how busy his father was, and he didn't want to force him to clean up his messes.

He dyed his hair red and acted like a rebel just to get his father's attention.

A wave of sorrow hit me, and I squeezed my hands shut.

"Just watch, his dad won't even touch the cake. It's the same every year. Ryder always brings it back the next day for us to eat."

"His dad won't eat a single bite. I don't get how anyone can be that cold."

My chest tightened with a sharp, dull ache. All these years, my baby had been hurting like this.

I tossed and turned in bed that night, unable to shake the image of Ryder's lonely eyes. The pain in my chest made it hard to breathe.

System, I called out in my mind. I want to use one of my chances to see what Ryder is doing right now.

The system had granted me three lifelines upon my return. Once they were gone, I would be forced back to my original world. But I couldn't stop worrying about my boy.

The vision showed Ryder arriving home, holding the cake. He looked toward the figure sitting on the sofa.

A man in a tailored suit sat there, buried in his tablet, not even sparing a glance toward the door.

After a long silence, Ryder tightened his grip on the cake box and called out softly to his father's back, "Dad... I'm home."

He called out twice. No response.

Ryder lowered his gaze, standing in the middle of the foyer, looking completely lost.

My heart shattered into pieces. I wanted nothing more than to break into that room and slap some sense into John. You bastard.

Finally, John put down his tablet and looked back. His gold-framed glasses gave him an air of quiet sophistication. But his eyes were cold, devoid of any warmth. His face remained entirely expressionless even when looking at his own son.

"Let's eat," he said simply. Several dishes were laid out on the table. It was clear he had been waiting for a long time.