Amanda stepped out of her car, taking in the familiar sights of Sterling City. The gentle breeze brushed against her face, bringing back memories of a place she used to call home. But after losing her son, she wasn't sure if she could still consider this place her home.
"Madam, should we set out for the Sterling Central Hospital?" Walter, her secretary, asked.
Whenever she went to Sterling City, he knew she would make a special trip to the hospital on her son's birthday—the day he passed away. It had become a tradition for her, a meaningful ritual, where she would bring gifts and share them with patients in every ward.
Amanda's son had been dead for over five years, and no one even knew because she kept it a secret. Her family was not aware of the boy's demise. She simply told them that he was going abroad to study.
Walter watched as she happily played with the children. He felt pity for her. He wondered why such a good woman would lose her son at an early age, and to crown it all, Amanda had cancer, with only a few years to live.
The doctor suggested a treatment that could extend her life. But she kindly refused, expressing her desire to spend the remaining days of her life helping others.
Walter hurried over to her side when she started coughing vigorously.
"Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
"Oh, you worry too much, Walter. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine," Amanda said, giving him a warm smile to ease his worries.
"Alright, let me go get you some water," Walter eagerly volunteered and hurriedly went out.
Amanda gave the children their gift boxes and went to the next room. Her heart stopped when she realized it was room 401—the same room her son had passed away in. She slowly opened the door and was shocked to see a young boy, probably the same age as her son.
She saw him grab a knife from the table, and in a swift moment, she took it from him. He looked surprised, probably wondering how she got into his room.
Walter took the bottle of water and was surprised that his boss was nowhere to be found. He searched around the hospital but couldn't find her. When he reached room 401, he was surprised to find his boss with a young man.
"Madam, you..."
"Shh, don't wake him up, Walter. I've finally found Liam," Amanda said, not sparing a glance at Walter.
Liam was dead, this was well known. He was really confused, so Walter decided to swallow his words, keep his mouth closed, and watch.
"He looks so lean, Walter! Go and get food from the best restaurant immediately," Amanda said quickly as she noticed Oliver's pale and lean skin.
"Yes, Madam," Walter replied as he dashed out.
Oliver finally woke up and saw Amanda. He quickly moved to the side and gave her a skeptical look.
"There's no need to be afraid. My name's Amanda Gonzalez."
"I didn't ask for your name," Oliver said coldly.
"I spoke to the doctor, and he told me what happened to you. I know what it means to lose a family."
"I didn't lose them; they were murdered in cold blood." Oliver kept his voice from screaming and clenched his fist to hold himself back from crying.
"It's all right, you can talk to me," Amanda said softly.
Oliver was finally able to open up about everything that had happened to his family, and he explained to her that was the reason he wanted to commit suicide. All his family was dead, and he didn't have any reason to live. Oliver stopped talking when Walter walked in with the plastic bag and passed it to Amanda.
Oliver watched her skeptically as she unpacked the food and placed it on the table. The aroma of the food was so pleasant that his stomach betrayed him and groaned in hunger.
"Go on, you can eat. I bought this for you," Amanda motioned with her hands for him to go ahead.
"What if it's poisoned?" Oliver asked with a frown as he glared at Amanda and Walter with skepticism.
"Wow, for someone who attempted suicide, you seem to value your life." Amanda let out a little chuckle.
"See? No poison," Amanda said, as she stuffed food into her mouth and munched away.
Oliver finally gathered some courage and dug into his meal.
"What's your name?" Amanda asked, unable to resist a smile as he devoured the food hungrily.
"My name is Oliver."
Amanda made an offer to Oliver that he would be her son, but he declined at first because he didn't want to trust someone and get heartbroken. Amanda explained that she had only a few years left to live because of her cancer.
She shared with him the heartbreaking news of her son's passing. It was a secret, as revealing it would risk losing her company, and her family would not hesitate to share and squander her assets.
Oliver took pity on Amanda and decided to be her son. With everything that had happened, he needed a fresh start. Amanda and Walter were so happy when he agreed to the offer.
Amanda paid the doctors to perform surgery on Oliver so he would look like her son.
Oliver and Amanda's bond grew stronger as she constantly spoiled him with delicious food and took great care of him.
The moment arrived to remove the bandages. Amanda's eyes filled with tears of anticipation, and when she finally laid eyes on the face beneath, she was overcome with emotion—it was a replica of her beloved son, Liam.
Oliver was given a mirror to look at himself. He glanced at the mirror still in shock, and with trembling hands, he slowly reached for his face. It had been a while since he had felt his face. After the fire, he was always covered in bandages.
A smile spread across his face. He no longer looked like a hideous monster. His new face was handsome and also marked the final step in completing his new identity.
"I'm so happy you agreed to do this," Amanda said, hugging him tightly.
"I should be thanking you for giving me another chance at life, Mother, but you must promise me you will start taking treatment." Oliver gently patted her head, offering comfort as she continued to sob. With a nod, she acknowledged his gesture.
Oliver moved in with Amanda, although it had to be done discreetly because, according to everyone, he was abroad. She gave him all the information he needed to know about the family, and he was made to memorize all their names. He made sure to attend classes on etiquette and even hired a tutor to help him speak more eloquently.
Oliver was intelligent, so adjusting to his new life was not a problem. Amanda spoiled him like he was her son and showered him with all her love and attention.
Soon it was time to send Oliver abroad, where he would go and study business at Harvard in preparation for taking over the company.
He was reluctant to leave, but Amanda assured him that everything would be fine, and she would be waiting for his return. So Oliver set out with his new identity—Liam Gonzalez.
FIVE YEARS LATER...
Liam delivered his graduation speech to the crowd with a warm smile. He gracefully stepped down from the podium. As his phone buzzed in his pocket, he excused himself to answer the call, only to find Walter's name flashing on the screen.
"It's time to come home. Your mother is sick."