Deceived by Sky

Name: Deceived by Sky
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Edith Jeremiah

Romance | Ongoing

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After a painful divorce, Lia Morgan is just trying to survive with her two boys-until a charming stranger named Sky appears in a hospital waiting room. But behind his smile hides a motive she could never imagine...

Family Mystery

Chapter 1 DECEIVED BY SKY

05-18 03:33

Chapter 1 DECEIVED BY SKY

The hospital waiting room was filled with the familiar scents of antiseptic and coffee-two aromas Lia Morgan had come to know all too well over the past few months. She settled into a chair in the back corner, gripping the strap of her well-worn handbag, her legs crossed at the ankles. Her two boys, Caleb and Jace, flanked her like living bookends.

Caleb, the younger one at just five, was busy fidgeting with a plastic dinosaur, making soft growling sounds as he marched it along the arm of the chair. Jace, who was eight, had his ear buds in; nodding his head to a tune only he could hear while tapping his knees in time with the beat.

Lia shot Caleb a small smile and reached into her bag for a juice box, her fingers brushing against unpaid bills and a crumpled cereal bar. She hadn't intended to bring the boys to her checkup, but her neighbor-her last-minute babysitter-had canceled at the last second. There was no one else to turn to. Not anymore.

Not since the divorce papers had hit the kitchen table like a punch to the gut two months ago.

It wasn't official yet, but it felt all too real. Her husband-her ex-husband in spirit, if not yet in legal terms-had walked out. Not just on her, but on the kids too. He was gone, without a backward glance. He had become distant, uninterested, and cold. When she finally mustered the courage to ask the question that had been hanging in the air like a dark cloud-"Are you still in this with me?"-he didn't even hesitate before replying, "No."

She rubbed her temple, trying to push away the bitterness. It was too early in the day for that kind of weight.

"Excuse me," a deep voice interrupted, startling her but not in a bad way.

She looked up quickly.

A man stood in front of her, crouching a bit so he wouldn't loom over her. He was tall and lean, yet strong, with a face that really stood out-sharp cheekbones, a chiseled jaw that was softened just a touch by a couple of days' stubble, and eyes that reminded her of early morning fog. He was a stranger, but not the kind that made you feel uneasy. He was the kind that drew your attention effortlessly.

"I think your son dropped this," he said, holding up a toy car-Jace's, she figured.

"Oh," Lia said, blinking as she took it from him. "Thanks."

"No problem," he replied. "Sky."

She raised an eyebrow, a little puzzled.

"My name," he added with a slight grin. "Lord Sky."

She almost laughed. That couldn't be real. "Sounds like a superhero or a character from a movie."

"Wouldn't mind being either," he joked, his smile growing wider. "And you are...?"

"Lia," she said. "Lia Morgan."

His gaze shifted to the boys. "Your sons?"

"Yes. Jace and Caleb."

"Strong names," he said, nodding. "You here for them or for yourself?"

"Myself. Just a checkup."

"Can't tell," Sky said casually. "You don't look sick. You look... tired."

Lia wasn't sure how to take that. It wasn't an insult, but it wasn't exactly a compliment either. More like a genuine observation.

"I've had... a long year," she said, choosing her words with care.

He nodded, not pushing for more. "Sometimes it shows, doesn't it? Even when we try to hide it."

She looked at him again, taking in his relaxed posture. He wasn't fidgeting or forcing a smile. He was just... there. Present. In a way that few people had been with her lately.

The overhead speaker crackled to life: "Lia Morgan to Dr. Selman's office. Lia Morgan, Room 5."

She stood up, brushing down her jeans and reaching for her boys' hands. Jace quickly yanked out his earbuds and stood up. Caleb kept playing with his dinosaur, but he followed when she gently tugged on his sleeve.

Sky stepped aside, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "Maybe I'll see you around."

She paused for a moment, and then replied, "Maybe."

Without saying anything more, she turned and walked away. Yet, something about that encounter stuck with her, like an annoying static cling-unseen but impossible to shake off.

Little did she know, Sky would soon become a chapter in her life she'd wish she could just erase.

Outside the exam room, Sky hung back by the coffee vending machine, his face a mask of unreadable emotions, lips pressed tightly together as he watched her disappear. The playful grin he had earlier faded away, leaving him looking serious.

He tapped on his phone, pulled up a contact labeled "Target: Lia M.," and jotted down a quick note:

Divorcing. Two boys. Trusting. Vulnerable. Easy entry point.

Then, with a casual air, he tucked his phone away and strolled out of the hospital doors as if nothing had happened.