UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

CHAPTER 1: UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

Inside a cold, luxurious office in the heart of BGC, a man stood with his back facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, he exuded authority. Every word that escaped his lips carried an icy edge, but beneath that calm voice was a storm of anger that had been buried for years.

"I want you to find this woman," he ordered coldly. "I don't care what it takes. Search every corner of the Philippines if you have to. I don't care if I burn through millions... even billions of pesos. Just find her."

With a loud slam!, he threw a thick folder onto his desk before finally turning around.

The man possessed a gentle, handsome face—one that looked incapable of hurting anyone. Yet behind those calm eyes hid a heart consumed by rage.

His secretary immediately straightened his posture.

"Yes, Sir," Cedric replied. "I'll do everything I can. But... may I ask why you're so desperate to find this woman? Who exactly is she?"

The tense atmosphere instantly shifted into an awkward silence.

Liam let out a long sigh.

"For God's sake, Cedric... why do you always have to ask questions?"

Cedric scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"It's just that... we've been searching for her for years, Sir. Four years already. We still haven't found a single trace of her. Are you even sure she's still alive?"

Bang!

Liam's fist crashed onto the desk so hard that the coffee inside his cup trembled.

"I don't give a damn whether she's alive..." he growled, his voice shaking with fury. "Or whether she's already rotting in some forgotten cemetery. I don't care where she is in this country."

His eyes burned with hatred.

"The only thing that matters... is that you find her. Do you understand me?"

Cedric immediately stood at attention.

"Y-Yes, Sir! I understand."

Without wasting another second, he hurriedly left the office before Liam's temper exploded even further.

The moment the door closed, the room fell silent.

Liam slowly lowered his head, gripping the folder so tightly that the paper began to wrinkle beneath his fingers.

He whispered through gritted teeth, his voice filled with four years' worth of resentment.

"If you think this is where everything ends... you're wrong, Lydian."

His lips curved into a bitter smile.

"I'll make you feel every ounce of the pain you left me with. Every promise you broke... every dream you shattered."

His voice became colder.

"Remember this... I will never allow you to live peacefully."

His eyes slowly closed as painful memories flooded back into his mind.

"As long as I'm alive... I'll turn your life into hell."

---

Four Years Ago...

The warm afternoon breeze danced across the endless fields as a young Liam laughed while running after his colorful kite.

"Liam!"

A familiar voice called out.

"It's too hot! Stop running around like that—you'll exhaust yourself!"

Laughing, Liam turned around and flashed his signature mischievous grin.

"Haha! Don't worry about me! Your boyfriend is strong!"

Lydian rolled her eyes before lightly smacking the back of his head.

"Strong? Really?" she teased. "Look at you. You're already out of breath."

She gently pulled him beneath the shade of a large acacia tree.

"Sit here."

Without another word, she let him lean against her shoulder as the cool breeze quietly embraced them.

In front of the towering acacia tree, with the majestic Mt. Arayat standing proudly in the distance, the two teenagers made a promise they believed would last forever.

Liam reached for her hand and smiled.

"Lydian... I promise you."

"One day, I'll marry you."

"I swear it here... beneath this acacia tree... and before Mt. Arayat itself."

"I'll never love anyone else but you."

Lydian's eyes softened as a warm smile appeared on her face.

She intertwined her fingers with his.

"Then I promise you too..."

"I will never leave you."

Their pinkies locked together.

Neither of them knew...

...that promises were sometimes the easiest things to make—

and the hardest things to keep.

End of the Flashback

The memories slowly faded, and reality came rushing back.

---

St. Luke's Medical Center Global City, Makati

"Yuhan! Don't run!"

A pediatric nurse hurried down the hallway, chasing after a tiny boy whose laughter echoed through the quiet corridor.

"No! I don't want another injection!" Yuhan cried as he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. "You're mean! I'm telling Mommy and Uncle Mark!"

The nurse couldn't help but smile despite being out of breath.

"Yuhan, come back here!"

Still trying to escape, Yuhan suddenly bumped into someone's legs.

"Oof!"

He looked up and immediately recognized the man standing before him.

"Uncle Mark!"

Mark gently held the little boy by the shoulders before he could fall.

"Hey, buddy," he said with a warm smile. "Why are you running?"

Yuhan's lips trembled as tears welled in his eyes.

"S-She wants to give me another injection..." he sniffled, pointing at the nurse. "It hurts... Why do they always keep poking me?"

Mark slowly crouched down until they were at eye level.

"Yuhan, they're only doing this because they want you to get better."

He gently ruffled the boy's soft hair.

"You're a brave little warrior, aren't you? Once your treatment is over, your body will become stronger. Then you'll finally be able to leave the hospital and go back to your apartment."

He smiled.

"Don't you miss your toys?"

Yuhan slowly nodded.

"...I do."

"Then be a good boy for me."

After a few more minutes of gentle persuasion, Yuhan finally agreed.

The nurse carefully administered the injection while the little boy squeezed his eyes shut, trying his best not to cry.

"All done," the nurse said with a smile.

Mark carried him back to his recovery room before gently placing him on the bed.

"The sun's already setting," he said softly. "Get some rest. Your mommy will be here soon."

He tucked the blanket around Yuhan.

"And don't leave the room again, okay? If you need anything, just call me."

Yuhan nodded obediently before pulling the blanket over himself.

A few moments later, Mark quietly switched off the lights and left the room, allowing the child to rest peacefully.

---

Several hours passed.

The hospital had grown quieter by the time Lydian finally arrived.

She carefully opened the door.

"Yuhan... are you still awake?"

There was no answer.

She smiled faintly after seeing her son sleeping peacefully beneath the dim bedside light.

Slowly, she walked toward him and gently brushed his hair away from his forehead.

"Don't worry, Yuhan," she whispered.

"You'll get better."

"Mommy will work even harder. I'll save enough money for your operation."

"I promise."

She leaned down and kissed his forehead before quietly stepping outside to get some fresh air.

As soon as she entered the hallway, she saw Mark walking toward Yuhan's room.

"Oh... you're back," Mark said with a gentle smile. "How was your day?"

"It was okay," Lydian answered tiredly before looking at him with worried eyes.

"How's Yuhan?"

"...He's getting better, right?"

Mark's smile slowly disappeared.

He let out a deep sigh.

"I'll be honest with you, Lydian."

Her heart instantly tightened.

"Yuhan is still in danger."

The color drained from her face.

"What... what do you mean?"

Mark folded his arms, choosing his words carefully.

"The medicine is only keeping his condition stable."

He paused.

"But Yuhan was born with Tetralogy of Fallot—a congenital heart defect."

Lydian lowered her head.

"So..."

"He still needs corrective open-heart surgery."

Mark's voice softened.

"I know the operation is expensive."

"But every day we delay it..."

"...we're gambling with your son's life."

Silence filled the hallway.

Lydian couldn't find the strength to respond.

She simply nodded before quietly returning to Yuhan's room.

---

A few minutes later...

"Yuhan?"

She noticed him rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Why are you still awake? It's already midnight."

Yuhan yawned before looking at her.

"I woke up because I heard your voice, Mommy."

"I wanted to tell you something."

Lydian smiled gently as she sat beside him and stroked his hair.

"What is it?"

"What does my handsome little boy want?"

Yuhan's face immediately brightened.

"Mommy..."

"I want a daddy."

Lydian froze.

"...Huh?"

"My classmates all have daddies."

"They go to Family Day together."

"They play together."

His tiny voice became quieter.

"But... I don't have one."

He looked at her with innocent eyes.

"Mommy..."

"...Can you give me a daddy?"

Lydian instinctively pinched the bridge of her nose, unsure how she was supposed to answer such an innocent request.

"Yuhan..."

"It's... complicated."

She forced herself to smile.

"Besides, even if you don't have a daddy..."

"You still have Uncle Mark, don't you?"

Yuhan stubbornly shook his head.

"But I want a daddy!"

"A real daddy!"

"The one who'll come with me to Family Day."

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I want a daddy, Mommy..."

Unable to bear seeing her son cry, Lydian finally surrendered.

"...Alright."

She gently wiped away his tears.

"Mommy will find you one."

Yuhan's crying immediately stopped.

"Really?"

She smiled despite the pain in her heart.

"Really."

"Now go back to sleep."

---

The Suites at One Bonifacio High Street, BGC

11:58 P.M.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The relentless knocking echoed throughout the luxurious penthouse.

The bedroom door suddenly swung open.

"What the hell, Cedric?" Liam growled, glaring at his secretary. "Are you trying to break my front door?"

Cedric was breathing heavily.

"S-Sorry, Sir..."

"It's an emergency."

"Your mother is calling."

Liam sighed in annoyance before walking toward his study.

He opened his laptop and accepted the video call.

"Hello, Mom."

"What's the matter?"

"Do you even realize it's almost midnight here in the Philippines?"

His mother laughed from the other side of the screen.

"I know, my dear."

"I just wanted to check on my one and only son."

"How have you been?"

"I'm fine."

"Nothing to worry about."

She chuckled.

"You've become very good at lying."

"Cedric tells me everything—especially how much stress you've been putting yourself through because of the company."

Liam slowly turned his head toward Cedric.

Cedric awkwardly scratched his head.

"Sorry, Sir..."

"...She paid me six thousand pesos."

Liam closed his eyes.

"Traitor."

Before he could complain further, his mother spoke again.

"I've made a decision."

"I'm finally coming home."

"I've enjoyed my stay here in Dubai long enough."

"I'll be back in six months."

She smiled mischievously.

"And by then..."

"I expect you to have a wife."

Liam blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"I'm getting old, Liam."

"I want grandchildren."

"I need someone to brag about to my friends."

Liam massaged his temples.

"...Fine, Mom."

"Can we continue this conversation another day?"

"I need to sleep."

The video call ended.

Silence.

Then...

"Ah... damn it."

He threw himself onto the couch.

"How am I supposed to find a wife in six months?"

He slowly turned toward Cedric.

"This is all your fault."

Cedric pointed at himself.

"...Me?"

"Yes."

Liam stood up and towered over him.

"You have two choices."

"Find me a wife..."

"...or find yourself a new boss."

Cedric immediately raised both hands in surrender.

"Finding you a wife sounds much easier, Sir."

"I'll start tomorrow."

"Oh, and don't forget..."

"You have your follow-up appointment at St. Luke's Medical Center Global City tomorrow morning."

Liam rolled his eyes.

"I know."

"It's just a routine cardiac check-up."

Years ago, Liam had undergone successful corrective surgery for the very same congenital heart disease that Yuhan was still fighting—Tetralogy of Fallot.

The surgery had saved his life.

Now, all he needed were regular check-ups to make sure his heart remained healthy.

Little did he know...

Tomorrow's hospital visit wouldn't just be another routine appointment.

It was about to change his life forever.