Instead, he stood silently, watching the elevator doors shut and the numbers on the panel climb. A numbness spread through his heart, and he remained frozen in shock.

She had terminated the pregnancy. Their child was gone.

Overwhelmed, Dylan covered his face with his hands and began to weep, oblivious to the curious stares of passersby.

He spent the rest of the day in his car, parked outside her office, waiting for Olivia to emerge. The ashtray overflowed with cigarette butts as he smoked incessantly. But as evening fell, there was no sign of her.

Finally, stepping out of his car, he approached the security guards and learned that she had left through the back door.

She had no desire to see him.

Then Dylan drove to her house. With Edwin there, the guards refused him entry. He knew better than to force his way in, wary of frightening Leyla, the little girl who had already suffered much because of his actions.

That was when Laura returned and he stopped her car.

Laura exited the car and whispered to the driver, "Take the kids inside first."

The driver nodded, not daring to protest, and drove off.

Inside the car, Scott and Myrna eyed Dylan with curiosity. When Myrna started to call him uncle, Scott quickly covered her mouth. In a stern tone, he corrected her, "No, he isn't our uncle."

Confusion clouded her face.

"You dummy!" Scott exclaimed.

Myrna only then understood that her brother called her dumb.

Meanwhile, Laura and Dylan found themselves by the front gates of the estate.

After a prolonged silence, Laura let out a slight sigh and advised, “Dylan, please don't come here again. Leave Olivia be. She's struggling, but she's strong enough to get through this."

Dylan, lighting a cigarette, seemed deep in thought. Observing his habit, Laura couldn't resist advising, "Please stop smoking. Think of your parents."

He looked at her intently and in a hushed voice asked, "Laura, I need to know the truth. Did Olivia really have an abortion?"

Laura found herself caught in a moral quandary.

After a pause, she confirmed, "Yes, the baby is gone."

Dylan reeled back, visibly shaken.

He stared into her eyes, searching for any sign of falsehood. The truth hit him hard: Olivia had indeed terminated the pregnancy. The baby was no more.

Laura turned and entered the house.

As dusk deepened, Dylan remained alone by the gates, a ghostly pallor overtaking his face as the night wind swept away the last traces of twilight.