Running Away with the City Princess’s Baby

After a passionate night with Isabella Brown, the citys renowned heiress, she ended up pregnant with twins. While she was still weak from childbirth, I, Arthur Hayes, slipped away with one of the swaddled infants.

Five years later, a job transfer brought me from overseas to the bustling city of Kingston.

"Son, you stay home and play with Aunt Mae. Dad's just popping out to sign a contract, I'll be back in a bit, okay?" My son, Adrian, zoomed through the living room with his toy gun, making "pew-pew" noises, assuring me hed be fine.

Id barely finished discussing business when I spotted a stranger carrying my son towards a car. I sprinted, two steps at a time, throwing a rapid combination of punches to rescue him. My sons eyes were wide with terror, brimming with tears. My heart softened, and I scooped him up, heading home.

Later that evening, as I was bathing him, my phone rang. Adrians sweet, childish voice came through the speaker.

"Dad, I need to tell you something, but don't get mad, okay?"

"I snuck out to find you, but halfway there, a stern-faced lady took me home. It turns out, her kid looks exactly like me, and she didn't realize she had the wrong baby!"

"What do we do now, Dad?"

I froze, dumbfounded by his words. If my son wasnt home, then the child sitting in the bathtub couldnt possibly be her child, could he?

"I told her I wasn't her kid, but she didn't believe me! She even said because I snuck out, I wasn't allowed to eat dinner!" Adrian's pitiful voice whined through the phone.

Before I could reply, the little guy in the tub spoke up. "Don't be scared. She's not a bad person, just a bit strict. She's actually very kind, and she'll have the maid bring you food tonight."

I stared at him, bewildered. "How do you know?"

Then, a sudden realization hit me. "Could the 'lady' my son mentioned be your mother?" I asked, my voice uncertain.

The little boy nodded.

My vision swam. What an insane twist of fate. Id brought home the wrong child, and my own son had been taken home by someone else. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and spoke to Adrian on the phone. "It's too late tonight. Tomorrow, Dad will come over and we'll swap you two back, okay?"

Both Adrian and the little boy in the tub protested simultaneously.

"No!"

"You can't!"

I looked curiously from the phone to the child in the tub. He shifted his gaze left and right, avoiding my eyes, before finally whispering, "Just for one day, please? I I just want to know what it feels like to have a dad."

I paused, a strange ache in my chest. For some reason, I found myself unable to refuse his request. Perhaps it was because I thought of my own son, who grew up without a mother, and wondered if he felt the same way.

Just then, Adrians voice burst through the phone, a surprised gasp. "Oh, what a coincidence! I don't have a mom either! But I want to stay because the food here is super yummy!"

I truly wanted to reach through the phone and flick him on the forehead. At a time like this, all he could think about was food! Not even a flicker of worry about being sold off.

The two boys, in unison again, pleaded, "Please, Dad, just this once!"

"Please, Uncle, just for today!"

I was surprised by their uncanny coordination and couldn't bear to refuse. I sighed. Fine. Knowing Adrian is safe, one day it is.

"Alright, just for tomorrow. But by nightfall, you two have to switch back."

Getting their confirmation, Adrian happily hung up. I looked at the little boy in the tub, my voice softening involuntarily. "What's your name?"

"Mom calls me Ethan."

"And Ethan, do you usually sleep by yourself, or do you need someone to stay with you?"

He shook his head, like a miniature adult. "I've slept by myself since I was two. I don't need company."

See? That's the difference. My son always needed me to stay with him, telling stories until he drifted off. Ethan, on the other hand, had a maturity beyond his years, his eyes filled with a quiet seriousness. As for their identical looks, I simply thought the world was full of coincidences. Haven't we all seen doppelgangers online? Just a fluke, I reasoned.

The next morning, after preparing breakfast for Ethan, I decided to fulfill all his little wishes for the day. "Today, you can plan whatever you want during the day, anywhere you want to go, and I'll go with you."

Ethan's eyes instantly lit up. "Anywhere?"

"Yes."

"I want to go to the zoo, and then to the amusement park, okay?"

With my confirmed reply, he finally acted like a child, cheering with joy. A pang of sympathy hit me. It was clear his mother rarely took him to such places.

I took him to the zoo first. Throughout the entire visit, the light in Ethan's eyes never dimmed. The usually quiet boy, who had been so reserved since we met, would enthusiastically grab my hand to tell me about the habits and preferences of various small animals as we passed them. After the zoo, we went to the amusement park. Ethan was braver than Adrian, trying out many of the more thrilling rides. Finally, he dragged me to play the spinning teacups again and again until I couldn't stomach the dizzying sensation anymore and begged for mercy. Ethan's face, however, remained unfazed.

"Please, Uncle, let me off If I spin any more, I'll surely throw up Ugh"

Ethan patted my back, saying, "I want to play more"

As the sun set, I, weak with exhaustion, walked out of the amusement park, holding Ethan's hand. I knelt down, meeting his gaze. "Did you have fun today?"

He nodded, then shook his head. I was confused.

Ethan's eyes welled up with tears. "I know you're taking me home now, and I had a lot of fun today."

"But when I think about not seeing you again, I feel sad."

"If" Ethan hesitated. "If you were my dad, it would be perfect."

I felt a pang in my chest and gently ruffled his hair. After a moment, I said, "If if we meet again, Ill play with you again, okay?" Ethan nodded enthusiastically.

I drove to the exclusive villa district following Ethan's directions. As we reached the main gate, I called Adrians smartwatch. It rang only a few times before it was answered. I instructed Adrian to seize the opportunity when no one was looking, open the door, and come out quickly. Then, Ethan would swiftly slip in, completing the switch without anyone noticing.

As Ethan walked inside, he couldn't resist looking back and waving at me. Seeing their identical faces, I felt a strange mix of tenderness and sorrow.

But just then, through the open gate, I saw a woman approaching the entrance. My heart began to pound. It was her. Isabella Brown, the renowned heiress of the Brown family. Without a second thought, I grabbed Adrians still-waving little hand and turned to leave.

I was such a fool. How could two people in this world look exactly alike, and share such an uncanny connection? Seeing Isabella Brown, I knew there was only one possibility: Ethan was the other twin son Isabella had given birth to. But weren't they living in the capital city? Why were they in Kingston?

Five years later, I never would have imagined that fate would bring me face-to-face with my other son in such a way. It turned out the child I had rescued that day was also my own flesh and blood.

Lost in thought, Adrian skipped over and took my hand, his little chatterbox mode activated. "Dad, this was such a strange trip! He looks just like me, and his mom didn't even recognize him!"

"And he has a mom but no dad, and I have a dad but no mom. Isn't that just a perfect match?"

"Dad, you don't know how super strict his mom is! She makes him get up at 5 AM, piano lessons at 9, English class at 10:30, only two hours for lunch, and then at 2 PM, some kind of thinking and business class!"

"Just now, she wanted me to memorize some long theory, and I couldn't remember it at all! His mom said if I didn't recite it, no dinner! Good thing you swapped us back in time, Dad, otherwise I wouldn't have eaten anything tonight!"

I listened, growing angry. Ethan was only five, a playful age. Yet she had filled his schedule with endless lessons. No wonder he had such a prematurely serious look. It was all because of her. I looked down at Adrian beside me, his face a picture of innocence. I suddenly felt a pang of anger at my past self. Why hadn't I taken both children? Left her with none, at least ensuring they both had a happy childhood. But the truth was, with my capabilities back then, I could only properly raise one child. Leaving the other with the Brown family would guarantee him a life of comfort and wealth. It was the best solution I could devise. Still, the thought of Ethan filled me with guilt.

Three months flew by. One day, the kindergarten sent a notice: a parent-child sports day on Friday, requiring parental attendance. I blocked out the time in my schedule. On Friday, I dressed Adrian and myself in matching parent-child athletic wear. Today, Adrian declared, we were aiming for first place. As a devoted father, I had no choice but to give it my all.

The first event was the "Coordinated Forward Run." As the referee was tying my and Adrian's legs together, I realized Adrian was gone. I frantically searched around and then saw a familiar figure walking towards me. I quickly scooped him up and brought him to the waiting area, then sternly lectured him. "Who said we were aiming for first place today? If you wander off again, forget first place, you won't even be last!" Adrian, surprisingly, didn't argue. He just nodded, his bright eyes shining. "No wandering, aim for first!"

It was our turn to compete. At the sound of the whistle, we lifted our legs and sprinted towards the finish line. We had an incredible synchronicity in this race, not a single stumble, reaching the finish line smoothly and taking first place. We hugged and cheered.

The second event was a relay race where we had to carry a small water balloon between our bodies, carefully moving forward. We reached the finish line in the shortest time. Victorious. Adrian was overjoyed.

Like this, we passed every challenge with perfect coordination, ultimately winning first place in all events. But then I noticed something wasn't quite right with Adrian. I tentatively called out, "Ethan?"

The little boy chirped in response. Then, he quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes full of regret for his slip of the tongue. I rubbed my forehead. There was no need for further explanation. Coincidentally, both boys were dressed identically today.

"What exactly is going on?" Ethan's face was a mixture of emotions for a long moment, then he bravely said, "I recently transferred to this kindergarten, and I only just realized today at the sports day that we're in the same kindergarten!"

"He saw me just now, and came over to ask if we wanted to swap again. He said we could switch back after the sports day was over, and I agreed."

"I'm sorry, Uncle."

Looking at Ethan's cautious expression, my voice softened involuntarily.

"Did you have fun today, Ethan?"

Ethan's eyes were full of unbridled joy as he nodded emphatically. I couldn't resist ruffling his hair but still had to say, "The sports day is almost over now. Take me to your class's area. You two need to switch back."

I knew he would be sad to hear that, but I had no choice. If Isabella Brown discovered the child with her wasn't Ethan, she would surely trace it back to my identity. I just wanted to live a quiet life with my son. And this kindergarten was no longer safe.

Ethan looked up at me, his little face anxious. "Can I still come play with you often?"

Looking at his hopeful and timid eyes, the refusal lingered on my tongue. I simply couldn't bring myself to say, "Don't come again." Besides, I was already planning to move Adrian to a different kindergarten; after a while, our secret would inevitably be discovered. My prolonged silence conveyed the answer. His eyes slowly filled with tears. He turned his head away, wiping his tears with the back of his hand, then looked up at me, forcing a smile. It twisted my heart.

Just then, we arrived at his class's area. My eyes immediately fell upon Isabella Brown, the most striking figure in the crowd. I was surprised. In my memory, she rarely paid attention to anything outside of her company. I had assumed a nanny or aunt would accompany Ethan to the sports day. I never expected her to be here herself. Adrian was sitting dutifully beside her, not a trace of his usual mischievousness. Last time, Id been too focused on escaping. This time, I hid in the crowd, observing Isabella from a distance. She sat there, as aloof and arrogant as ever. Yet, she possessed a beauty that was truly breathtaking. It stirred desire in others, yet no one dared to take that step closer.

Thinking back, I truly admired my past self for being able to capture this cold beauty from the city's elite. I waved at Adrian from afar. He saw me, then cautiously glanced at Isabella. Taking advantage of her inattention, he ran towards me. As he got close, I flicked him on the forehead, and he yelped, rubbing his head in protest. He was getting too bold. I gently nudged Ethan back towards her, then grabbed Adrians hand and turned to leave.

Just then, a cool, clear voice drifted from behind us. "Ethan! Where are you running off to again?"

Isabella Browns commanding voice floated into my ears. She was still the same, used to her own way, treating her child like an employee under her command, so demanding. A child wasn't a static entity; he had thoughts and desires of his own. But with Isabella, he was always measured by adult expectations.

Ethan softly explained, "Mom, I really need to pee. I just wanted to go to the bathroom. I promise I won't run off again."

But Isabella cut him off. "I don't know who you take after with that temper of yours. Usually, you can sit still, but today you're fidgeting like you've got ants in your pants."

"Did I not give you enough schoolwork?"

"When we get home tonight, copy all your lessons twice."

I bristled. Was she perhaps taking out her old anger at me on Ethan, simply because his features vaguely resembled mine? Just then, a male voice chimed in. "Did you find Ethan?"

Jake Vances voice instantly made my eyes narrow. It seemed he had been by Isabellas side all these years and was doing very well for himself. His status had risen considerably, even accompanying Isabella to Ethans parent-child sports day. He noticed the tears in Ethan's eyes and spoke gently, "Ethan, don't blame Ms. Brown. She turned her head and saw you weren't there, and she was frantic. We split up to find you."

"It's a good thing you're safe, or what would Ms. Brown have done?"

He turned to Isabella, advising, "Ms. Brown, Ethan is just a child. Being lively and active is natural. Please, calm down."

In just a few sentences, he diffused the tense atmosphere between the mother and son. He was as smooth as ever. Back when I was around, he was just as manipulative.

I took Adrians hand and started walking out again. But then, a scrutinizing gaze fell on me.

"You, stop right there."

She couldn't be calling me, I thought, and kept walking.

"The one in the gray athletic wear. I'm talking to you."

I glanced around. I was the only one wearing gray athletic wear. A chill ran down my spine. I had only nudged Ethan towards her through the crowd. Logically, she shouldn't have seen me. But why was she specifically calling me out?

"Turn around." Isabella Browns cool voice sounded again.

I whispered to Adrian, "Stay hidden close to Dad. Don't show your face." The sun was blazing today. I had deliberately worn a hat and a mask when I left the house, covering myself thoroughly. She definitely wouldn't recognize me.

Then I turned around, looking directly at her. "Is there something you need?"

Jake Vance, hearing the commotion, handed the child to the nanny behind him and approached. "I just saw Ethan running towards you through the crowd?"

"Do you know him?" Isabella Brown squinted at me. She was questioning me. I had thought that being in the crowd would prevent her from noticing, but I forgot that as the Brown heir, she had always been acutely sensitive to everything around her.

I disguised my voice, speaking softly. "That little boy just now was running so fast he almost fell, so I just helped him. I was about to leave when you called me."

"If you don't believe me, you can check the security cameras."

Perhaps my words seemed sincere, and since this was a school, kidnapping was unlikely. Isabella Brown nodded after hearing what I said and turned to leave. Jake Vance, however, lifted his chin and said, "You know, you helped the child of Brown Industries' heir. You're quite lucky. Ms. Brown cares deeply about her child. Take this check; you can cash it for ten thousand dollars at any bank, consider it our thanks."

I scoffed inwardly. He really was acting like the man of the house, looking so proud. But I showed no emotion, simply refusing. "It was just a small thing. Anyone would have helped."

He sneered. "Fine, then you can go."

Ah, that's exactly what I wanted him to say. I turned, ready to leave with Adrian, but Isabella Brown, who had already walked away, turned back. "Which class is your child in? How old is he this year?"

An alarm rang in my head. Transferring schools would take time, so I couldn't tell her the truth. I casually named a class and lied about Adrian's age. Isabella Brown said nothing more. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I felt a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Jake Vance, seeing the stunned Isabella Brown, prompted, "What's wrong, Ms. Brown? Is there a problem with him?"

Isabella Brown snapped out of it, shook her head as she had when she arrived, and turned to leave with an arrogant expression. Jake Vance followed beside her, but not before glancing back in my direction.