The Greatest Regret

The fifth year of my marriage to Silas marked a turning point I would never forget. Our son, Yael, was kidnapped. The ransom was set at ten million dollars, an insignificant amount for Silas, yet his response chilled me to the core. “No rush. A Gardner needs to experience some hardships to grow.” Ten million meant nothing to him, but Yael’s life meant everything to me. I dropped to my knees, tears streaming down my face, and begged him relentlessly, pleading for Yael to be brought home as soon as possible. Silas, however, remained unmoved. Three days later, Yael was returned to us, but the cheerful boy I knew was gone. He had been so traumatized that he could not speak. Far from showing concern, Silas coldly remarked, “Yuna said Yael keeps telling everyone at school she’s a fatherless child. Let’s see how he spreads lies now.” His words cut through me like a knife. I picked Yael up in my arms and whispered softly in his ear, “Don’t be afraid, Yael. Mommy will take you away from here.” Chapter 1 “Madam, the young master is back." I rushed downstairs, my heart pounding wildly. In the living room, little Yael Gardner sat blankly on the sofa, his eyes empty and lifeless. He had lost weight, and his face was as pale as a sheet. His once lively, bright eyes were now dull and dim. "Yael!" I ran over and hugged him tightly, tears streaming down my face. Yael stiffly let me hold him, showing no reaction at all. I cupped his little face, my heart aching as if it were being torn apart. "Baby, Mommy's here. Don't be afraid." However, Yael just stared at me blankly as if he didn’t recognize me. Fighting back tears, I carefully examined his body. Other than some bruises on his wrists and ankles, there were no obvious injuries. I gently stroked his hair. "I’m sorry, it’s Mommy’s fault for not protecting you." Yael remained silent like a delicate porcelain doll. My heart was burning with anxiety. I turned to Watson and ordered, "Quick, get the car ready. We're going to the hospital!" At that moment, Silas Gardner happened to push the door open and enter. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal gray suit, his tie meticulously arranged, as he exuded an air of aloof arrogance. There wasn’t the slightest trace of worry about his son’s kidnapping. He glanced coldly at the two of us and curled his lips into a mocking smirk. "What’s the fuss? The kid’s not missing an arm or a leg. Do you really have to make such a scene?" I looked up at Silas, utterly exhausted. I couldn’t understand how he could say something so cold-blooded about his own flesh and blood. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to argue with him. I just held Yael tighter in silence. Seeing that I ignored him, Silas frowned slightly, his tone becoming even harsher. "Look at you, acting as if the world’s ending. Yael’s just a bit shaken up. If you keep babying him like this, you’ll only spoil him." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Silas, there’s something seriously wrong with Yael. He hasn’t said a single word, and his eyes are completely lifeless. He’s nothing like the lively, adorable boy he used to be. I’m taking him to the hospital for an examination." Silas waved dismissively, irritated. "You’re overreacting. Boys are supposed to toughen up. This experience will teach him a lesson and stop him from running his mouth at school." I stared at him in disbelief, my anger nearly exploding. Forcing myself to stay calm, I said coldly, "Are you saying you deliberately didn’t rescue Yael just to punish him for what he said at school? He’s your son, for God’s sake!" Silas sneered. "What, are you trying to tell me how to raise my own son? Yael runs his mouth too much, saying ridiculous things like Yuna is a fatherless bastard. This time, he’s learned the hard way that words have consequences." I held Yael tightly, my heart wrenching in pain. So that’s why Silas didn’t save him—because of Lily Taylor and her daughter. I looked at Silas like he was a complete stranger. Chapter 2 Three days ago, Yael disappeared while playing downstairs in our residential complex. I was frantic as if my entire world had collapsed. Two hours later, I received a call from an unknown number. The voice on the other end, which was distorted by a voice changer, sounded chillingly cold. "If you want your son to stay alive, prepare ten million dollars. Don’t call the police." My palms turned cold with sweat in an instant. My voice trembled as I asked, "Where do I deliver the money?" The kidnapper gave an address to an old warehouse in the southern part of the city. "Leave the money on the second-floor staircase. Once I see the money, I’ll send the boy back. Be quick. If you’re late, I can’t guarantee what might happen." Before I could say anything, the line went dead. I forced myself to stay calm and drove to Silas’s office while comforting myself, ‘Ten million is a trivial amount for Silas. Yael will come back soon—very soon.’ I bypassed the receptionist and went straight into Silas’s office without waiting to be announced. The scene before me made my heart sink. Silas was holding a little girl on his lap, his expression uncharacteristically gentle and doting. Beside him, a woman watched them with a soft, tender smile. It was Lily, the Gardners’ adopted child, and her daughter, Yuna. I had seen them in the Gardners’ family photo albums. The moment I barged in, the laughter stopped abruptly. The air froze as if I were an unwelcome intruder. With furrowed brows, Silas looked up and scolded me harshly, "Lena, don’t you know the rules? Can’t you knock before entering?" I didn’t have time to care about such things. Fighting back tears, I choked out, "Silas, Yael has been kidnapped. Ten million. The kidnappers are demanding for ten million dollars." Silas remained completely unfazed, casually stroking Yuna’s hair. "Kidnapped? Don’t panic. A Gardner needs to endure hardships to grow." I couldn’t hold back and shouted, "Silas, Yael is just a child! He’s only five years old!" Unmoved, he pressed the intercom button and ordered coldly, "Escort Madam out." My heart clenched, my temples throbbed violently. Throwing aside all pretense, I fell to my knees before Silas, prostrating myself repeatedly as my words tumbled out in desperation. "I beg you, Silas. Ten million is nothing to you, but every hour we delay could mean life or death for Yael. He’s just a child; he shouldn’t have to go through this. Please save Yael." Lily pretended to comfort me, her voice dripping with false sincerity, "Don’t worry. Silas won’t ignore Yael. After all, he’s his flesh and blood. Go home and wait for news." Silas glanced at me coldly. "Look at Lily—just how considerate she is. Why can’t you learn from her? All you do is cause me trouble every day." I felt utterly shattered. Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled to my feet, leaning weakly against the doorframe. Silas could be heartless to me, but he had no right to direct his anger toward Yael. He snorted dismissively. "Enough. Stop being such an eyesore. Go home and reflect on your actions." Taking a deep breath, I turned and left that suffocating office. In the hallway, I heard laughter echoing from the office again, as though Yael’s kidnapping was nothing more than a trivial matter. Chapter 3 I sold all my jewelry at the speed of light and at the lowest price, finally scraping together enough for the ransom. Thankfully, Yael returned unharmed. If anything had happened to him, I would never have forgiven myself. At the hospital, the doctors conducted a thorough examination of Yael. The results showed that, aside from mild dehydration, he was physically unharmed. However, the psychologist believed that the kidnapping had caused severe psychological trauma, resulting in selective mutism. "What the child needs most right now is a sense of security and love," the psychologist said gently. "You should spend more time with him, create a warm and comfortable environment, and consider regular therapy sessions for psychological support." I held Yael’s small hand tightly and nodded firmly. "I understand. Thank you, Doctor." When I stepped out of the hospital, I saw Silas’s car parked at the entrance. He was leaning against the car door, watching us with an expressionless face. I picked up Yael and walked straight toward him. "How are the test results?" Silas asked, his tone still carrying a hint of impatience. I replied calmly, "Yael is physically fine, but he’s suffered severe psychological trauma. The doctor recommended long-term therapy." Silas frowned. "Therapy? Isn’t that just a scam to make money? Don’t let the doctor fool you." I took a deep breath, struggling to suppress the anger rising within me. "Silas, what Yael needs most now is care and support. If you’re unwilling to cooperate with his treatment, then at least don’t interfere." He let out a cold laugh. "And who do you think you are? Yael is my son. I’ll decide everything about him." Holding Yael tightly, I met Silas’s gaze head-on. "Oh, really? Then why didn’t you save him immediately? Why did you let him go through such pain? Just because of baseless accusations?" Silas’s expression shifted, and his tone turned even colder. "You don’t understand anything. This was a lesson for him!" I shook my head, my heart filled with sorrow. "No, Silas. This wasn’t a lesson—it was cruelty. How can a father subject his child to such a terrifying ordeal just to punish him?" He fell silent for a moment as if considering my words, but soon, he returned to his usual condescending demeanor. "Enough. Stop making a scene here. We’ll talk at home." I carried Yael and got into the car. The ride home was filled with an oppressive silence, suffocating and heavy. Chapter 4 Silas and I were never meant to have a smooth marriage. He developed feelings for the Gardners’ adopted daughter, Lily, and was discovered by his parents. To put an end to it, the Gardners swiftly arranged a marriage for Lily and sent her abroad. Alas, fate loves playing cruel jokes. The night, Silas drowned his sorrows over the news, I was drugged, no thanks to his rival’s scheme, and ended up spending the night with him in my stupor. That one-night stand left me pregnant with Yael, and I became Mrs. Gardner. Now, however, Lily was back. Her life abroad wasn’t all roses and sunshine, and upon learning this, Silas ignored his parents’ objections and brought Lily and her daughter, Yuna, back home. Watching them together, so harmonious and happy, I couldn’t help but admit that they looked more like a family than we ever did. Silas had always treated me with cold indifference. I’d known all along that I was nothing more than a reluctant obligation to him. That disdain even extended to Yael, whom he treats with strict severity. He never ever praised Yael and only criticized him for not being good enough. Even in the office, the gentleness he showed Yuna was something I had never once seen him direct toward his own son. After returning home, I settled Yael into his room. I carefully made his bed and brought out his favorite toys. Although Yael remained silent, I noticed his gaze slowly moving around the room as if reacquainting himself with the familiar surroundings. I spoke softly to him, "Yael, this is home. You’re safe here. Mommy will always be by your side, and I won’t let anyone hurt you again." Yael looked at me, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Encouraged, I continued gently, "Yael, I know you’re scared right now, but it’s okay. We’ll get through this together. If you want something, just blink, and Mommy will understand, okay?" Yael blinked. Overjoyed, I quickly asked, "Are you hungry, Yael? I will make you something delicious." He blinked again. I couldn’t hold back my excitement and kissed his forehead before heading to the kitchen. While I was busy cooking, Silas walked in. Leaning against the doorframe, he watched me with a cold expression. "Don’t you think you’re overreacting? Yael is just not talking. It’s not like he’s seriously ill." Without turning around, I continued chopping vegetables. "Silas, if you don’t want to help, then spare me your snide remarks." He let out a mocking snort. "Keep spoiling him. I think he’s just pretending to be pitiful to win your sympathy." I spun around abruptly, glaring at him. "How can you say that? Yael is your biological son!" Unfazed, he sneered. "I’m teaching him how to grow up. Boys should face hardships—it’s how they learn to be strong. The way you coddle him will only turn him into a weak, useless failure." I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fury rising inside me. "Silas, what Yael needs now is our understanding and support, not your coldness and criticism." He dismissed me with a wave. "Say whatever you want. Just don’t spoil him too much." With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen. Chapter 5 During dinner, I carefully fed Yael. While he still didn’t speak, he obediently opened his mouth for each bite. I patiently fed him, spoon by spoon, my heart aching with a mix of sorrow and tenderness. Across the table, Silas sat watching coldly. He suddenly spoke, "Look at you, treating him like a three-year-old. He’s already five. Can’t he feed himself?" Ignoring his ridicule, I focused on taking care of Yael. Yael seemed to sense his father’s disapproval and trembled slightly. I gently patted his back and comforted him softly, "It’s okay, Yael. Take your time, Mommy is here with you." Just then, the doorbell rang. In confusion, I glanced at Silas, but he remained indifferent. "It’s probably Lily. I invited her and Yuna over to visit." My heart sank, but I suppressed my discomfort and got up to answer the door. As expected, Lily and her daughter Yuna stood outside. Lily beamed as she entered. "Silas, we’re here!" When she turned and saw me, her smile dimmed slightly. "Oh, Lena, you’re here too." I forced a polite smile. Yuna skipped happily to Silas and chirped, "Uncle, hug me!" Silas’s face softened with a rare tender smile as he scooped her up. "Yuna, you’re here! Did you miss your good ol’ uncle?" Watching the warm scene before me, my heart felt heavy and conflicted. Why could Silas be so gentle with Yuna yet so cold toward his own son? I took Yael to the garden to play. There was a small pond there, his favorite spot for feeding fish. Handing him a bag of fish food, I said, "You play here for a while, Yael. I’ll go prepare a warm bath for you."