Lydia, having been close to Maddox for the past few months, noticed a change in his stepson's mood and behaviour. Maddox was often caught lost in his thoughts, smiling to himself or to his phone screen.

"Hey what's wrong with you son?" Lydia teased.

"Nothing aunty," was Maddox's answer each time he was asked that question. Yet, the smile he would give Lydia along with his blushed cheeks gave the latter hints of what was going on.

One evening, while the stepmom and stepson were sitting in the living room, watching TV, Lydia asked Maddox once more, "son, you are watching your phone screen more than the TV screen. Tell me honestly. What's happening my dear? Is there anything you want to share?"

"Nothing aunt Lydia."

"Since when has my son started lying?"

Maddox glanced at his stepmom then looked down, unable to say a word out of guilt.

"Don't feel shy my dear. I can guess what's the matter but I would really appreciate that you share it to me yourself," Lydia smile assuringly.

"Aunty. I... I..."

"Yes go on."

Maddox put his phone down on the sofa, and turned to face Lydia who was at the other end.

With much hesitation and with Lydia's encouragement, he finally blurted out the truth.

"I'm in love."

Lydia smiled, "why are you looking down? You don't need to feel shy or guilty. If you were telling me you have broken someone's heart, then you had to feel guilty but you love someone and this is not a matter of shame."

The young guy smiled back coyly, grasping each word his stepmother was saying. He then, explained the whole thing to Lydia, telling her about Deborah and how they got to know each other.

"Son, but one thing. You are young and she is young too. People say there is no age to fall in love. Love is beyond our control. Yes, there is no age to fall in love but there are definitely limits that we have to respect."

"Yes aunty."

"And yeah. One advice I can give you is, never make a promise you can't hold and if ever you make a promise, keeping it should be your priority. Never break a heart for it brings years of sadness for the heartbroken but years of regret for the heart breaker."

"Oh! So, this is what you are teaching Maddox now?"

Maddox and Lydia turned around abruptly upon hearing the coarse voice coming from behind. It was Evan who just reached home after hours of being absent - which was now something regular.

"Aren't you ashamed to be encouraging my son to love at this age?" the interrupter yelled. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Evan, I wonder why you always come at the wrong time and I ignore why your ears only choose to hear one part which seems wrong and they don't hear the good part of things."

"I have heard everything and I'm sorry to say that his dream of being with that girl and maybe marrying her will only stay a dream."

"What do you mean?" Lydia questioned as she threw a disgusted look towards Evan.

"This is not going to ever happen. Maddox will grow up to understand that he needs a woman who can financially uplift him. That thing called 'love' will be meaningless. And as far as I heard, I know that girl comes from a poor family. I will never allow Maddox to accept such a girl in his life."

"You've failed to understand the meaning of love and life Evan. I'm sorry for that. But I will not allow my son to fail too. If this girl loves my son, if she remains faithful to him and if she is good for him, I will see to it that one day my son builds his life along with her."

"Oh! Is this a challenge you are throwing at me?" Evan asked, raising his eyebrows over his red bloodshot eyes.

"Why should I challenge you? I am just making a promise to myself," Lydia replied calmly.

"Aunt Lydia. It's no use explaining anything to him. You are ruining your mood and wasting your energy. Some people only deserve our silence," Maddox said as he knew that at any moment, another argument may start between Lydia and Evan and he did not want to witness it. He also did not want his dad to hurt Lydia further with his bitter words.

Evan stood still for some seconds, staring at Maddox, cooking up something in his evil mind. "You've messed around with the wrong person," he said in a threatening tone, a tone which seemed more frightening than usual.

Evan then climbed up the stairs, his eyes still stuck on his son - cold and cruel.