The Tycoon's Odyssey

Claire and Roy sat on the plush sofa, surrounded by walls that offered both security and isolation. Despite being in a guarded place, comfort remained elusive as the tension in the air was quite heavy, and their hearts ached. They knew that being in Utkal was no coincidence, and the anticipation of the upcoming battle weighed heavily on them.

"Do you think he\'ll come soon?" Claire\'s voice trembled, breaking the silence, her anxiety evident.

Roy placed a reassuring hand on hers, though worry flickered in his own eyes. "He\'s preparing himself, Claire. This can\'t be easy for him either."

Claire gave a small, resigned nod, her gaze drifting to the door. "I know… but waiting like this every day is unbearable. It scares me even more."

"What if he doesn\'t come? What if he doesn\'t want to see us?"

Roy sighed, his tone calm yet laced with sorrow. "I\'m afraid too, Claire. But we need to be patient and let him come to us when he thinks that he is ready."

"He doesn\'t know the truth…Being abandoned as a child by his parents and suffering so many hardships, it will seem weird if someone doesn\'t resent their parents."

Just as Claire was about to respond, footsteps echoed from outside. Her heart leaped, and she glanced at the door, catching the flicker of a shadow moving closer.

"It\'s him… It must be Evan… It must be…" she exclaimed as she gasped heavily and sprang up from the sofa while rushing ahead before Roy could stop her.

"Claire, wait—" he called after her, but she was already at the door, flinging it open.

CRUNG!

Standing there in the doorway was a tall, handsome young man.

A figure she had only known through photos and videos, a face she\'d dreamed of seeing in person for years. In that instant, Clair finally couldn\'t hold back anymore and her emotion flooded as she dashed forward, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce embrace.

"Evan!" she cried, her voice thick with emotion.

"I know you don\'t know me, and maybe you don\'t even remember me, but I\'m your mother. I gave birth to you. I… we missed you so much." Claire shouted, holding him tightly.

Evan stood still for a moment, caught off guard by the intensity of her embrace, her words filling the air with the pain of all the lost years.

Slowly, he raised his hands and returned her embrace, his voice gentle. "It\'s okay," he murmured. "I understand your feelings."

Claire pulled back slowly, her teary-filled blue eyes searching his face, and noticed the familiar features she\'d hoped to see in him.

His eyes were a mirror of her own. But behind those eyes, she saw a pain that matched her own—a reflection of the difficult path that had led them here.

"Evan…" she whispered, her voice catching. "I\'m so sorry. We… we tried to look for you, to support you, to be there. But we failed you. And now, here we are, after everything, only to see you when you\'ve succeeded and don\'t need us anymore."

A sad smile touched Evan\'s lips. "There\'s nothing to forgive. I\'ve been watching you both for a long time," he replied, his voice steady but soft.

"I understand your feelings truly and I don\'t blame you for what happened."

Claire\'s breath hitched as his words took her by surprise. She glanced back at Roy, who stood nearby, his expression filled with a mixture of relief and sadness as he absorbed Evan\'s words. For a moment, their broken family felt whole again.

Then Roy\'s gaze shifted to the young woman standing gracefully beside Evan.

A hint of surprise flashed across his face.

"Huh…Isn\'t that… Miss Suri?" he asked, a smile forming on his face.

Suri stepped forward, offering a respectful bow. "Hello, Sir Roy. Mrs. Claire," she greeted warmly. Evan placed a hand on Suri\'s shoulder, his tone filled with affection as he introduced her.

"This is Suri Barrett," he said, glancing at his parents. "She\'ll be my wife… Also your daughter-in-law."

"???"

Question marks spread across Roy and Claire\'s faces and they couldn\'t help but stare at the two before them in astonishment as they processed the news. Concern flickered in Claire\'s eyes as she looked between Evan and Suri, her mind racing.

Sensing her worry, Evan quickly added, "Don\'t worry. She\'s nothing like what others are in the public eye. She\'s… different. And she\'s strong, after all, she is a superhuman, so one would dare to force their way on her."

Claire gave a relieved smile, though curiosity glinted in her gaze. "Superhuman… Does that mean…?"

Once again concern flashed in her eyes and she was about to ask something unpleasant but managed to hold herself back at the last moment, lest she irked the couple.

Suri looked directly at Claire, understanding her unspoken question.

"Yes, I can bear children," she said gently, putting Claire\'s worries to rest.

"Though I am a superhuman, I am not infertile, or emotionless like the guards used in  your manors."

Claire looked down, flustered at her unintended bluntness. "I\'m so sorry. That was rude of me to ask even though we have just met."

Suri waved a hand, dismissing the tension with a small smile.

"It\'s alright," she said calmly. "There\'s no need for apologies for something so simple."

The atmosphere softened as Claire moved closer to Evan, unable to hold back her tears any longer.

She touched his face, tracing the lines she had longed to see as her hand trembled. "Evan… my son," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I wish I could take away every hurt, every lonely night you must have endured without us."

He held her gaze, his expression both conflicted and composed. "You\'re here now, and that\'s what matters. It\'s… it\'s more than I ever expected."

The weight of years spent apart pressed down on them, but for the first time, there was a glimmer of healing. Roy moved closer, joining them, and placed his hand on Evan\'s shoulder. He looked at his son, his heart full of pride and happiness.

"Evan," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion, "we can\'t change the past, but we\'re here now. And we\'re so proud of the man you\'ve become."

For a moment, Evan\'s resolve seemed to waver, his usual steely composure was softening. He reached out, pulling them both into a tentative yet fierce embrace. They stood together, as words were no longer necessary and the broken pieces of their family began to mend.