Elizabeth's remarks seemed heavy, a great power that seemed to be dragging down Michael's shoulders. His thoughts whirled with a bedlam of emotions as he walked over the teeming streets of the city: regret, shame, and lament that tried to flood him. His consistent control and ability to maintain a calm, detached attitude even in the most trying circumstances had always made him somewhat proud. Elizabeth's frank and unvarnished depiction of the misery he had brought about, however, had destroyed that carefully put up front and left him more vulnerable than he had ever been. Michael closed his jaw and staggered as the weight of his past transgressions flooded back over him. He had been a different guy back then: driven by an endless search for pleasure and achievement and unconcerned about the damage he inflicted. His heart sinking, he saw Elizabeth's charges as fact. He had turned aside her like a thrown-away toy when the reality of their circumstances became too much for his commitment-phobic sensitivities to handle. Disgrace ate hot in his stomach as he went over the sheer disregard he had shown her for her feelings or the life they had shared. Stamping on the center of the one person who had looked past his bragging and loved him for the man he could have been, he had lost all that really made a difference in his relentless search for influence and abundance. A sour taste entered his mouth as he came to see the degree of his selfishness and the blind conceit that had caused him to imagine he could have whatever he desired. His hubris robbed him the one thing that might have given his life actual meaning. His own ravenous needs had made him a slave to stupidity. As Michael negotiated the packed streets, his feet carried him relentlessly toward the tall Drake Enterprises skyscraper, the shining spire honoring his accomplishment. But as he gazed at the magnificent architecture, he experienced an unexpected, overwhelming sense of emptiness as though the achievements he had formerly valued were little more than vacuous vessels, devoid of the substance that really made a difference. In that moment he realized he had given up the most valuable treasures of all: the love of a woman who looked past his shortcomings and the opportunity to be a father to the child he had so brazenly denied, regardless of his money and power. Driven by a rush of will formed in the ashes of his newly acquired humility, He would not squander this extra chance, this shocking open door to defend himself based on the lady he had defiled and the child he had never known. Michael turned with fresh will toward the one place he knew Elizabeth would be: the gallery exhibiting her works, the same occasion that had set off this seismic change in his life. His faculties were challenged right away as he entered the large area by the dynamic shadows and strong strokes covering the walls. Elizabeth surprised him with her work, a beautiful singing articulation of simple inclination and free creativity. From one item to another, he concentrated on each element with a newly discovered respect and pondered the abundance of talent and energy that had driven their creation. At that very moment, he noticed a side of Elizabeth that he had not really seen before: the artist, the visionary, the lady who had poured her whole life onto the canvas in spite of all her challenges. Michael felt a great sense of stunningness at the power and flexibility of the one who had borne his child and fashioned a life for herself despite his relinquishment. A flood of pride mixed with his guilt. His attention was drawn to a spectacular artwork as he got closer to the far wall: a whirl of crimson and gold that seemed to pulse with almost obvious force. Driven gently closer, he ended up encircled by the circle of composition, his appearance mirroring the intricate patterns and delicate blasts of variation. He saw it there, buried among the chaos of brushstrokes: a little, delicate figure with an obvious aura of resistance and will. It was a picture of Elizabeth in all her ferocious beauty, evidence of the relentless spirit that had seen her through the toughest of circumstances. Michael watched the raw force of the work, the unadorned reality it unearthed, a knot coiled in his throat. This was Elizabeth—a lady whose spirit had been tempered by her struggle—a woman who had faced the toughest obstacles and emerged stronger for it without pretense or artistry. Michael's last of his conceit disappeared as he felt a great feeling of humility and a fresh respect for the woman he had so badly offended in just one instant. He recognized her as a power of nature by her own doing, a woman whose strength and adaptability had created a close relationship with the child they shared, not as a triumph to be achieved or an award to be assured. A torrent of defense erupted inside him, an intuitive impulse to hide and protect this amazing woman and the child he had just barely located. Beyond words, he knew he would do anything to gain their trust and turn into the person they deserved—the person he should have been all along. Michael squared his shoulders and headed for the exit from the captivating canvas, his steps reoriented with a fresh goal. Not for his personal gain but rather for the chance to be a part of their life and the father and partner he had so fiercely rejected as a youngster, he would search Elizabeth, expose himself, and ask her forgiveness. Michael felt a weight lift from his shoulders as he emerged onto the clamering road, replaced by a consuming conviction that set all his nerves finishing land. He wouldn't rest until he had righted the past's mistakes and justified himself worthy of the respect and confidence he had so carelessly squandered. With every stride, his will strengthened and turned into an unquestionable certainty guiding him forth. He would fight mountains and dragons, anything that dared to get in his path. For Elizabeth and Jeremy, the guiding lights that would take them out of the darkness and into the brightness of another day broke. Their actual north was Michael ended up standing before Elizabeth's door as the night shadows lengthened, his heart staccally cadenced against his ribs. The moment of truth was the turning point he would bare his soul, argue his case, appeal to her pity, and beg for a second chance. He inhaled deeply, then raised his hand and forcefully pounded on the door; the sound of which seemed to linger all around his body. Elizabeth framed in the threshold was shown when the door swung wide, and he could hear light footfall approaching from within. Their shared past and unresolved emotions weighted them down as they simply briefly glanced at each other. Then Michael broke the stillness with his fervent voice. " Elizabeth, we should talk." She stared at him warily, most likely expecting yet another round of accusations or empty apologies. Michael would not be determented this time, though. He went on, speaking in a flood of unvarnished truth, "You owe me an explanation." "I was a different man at the time: brash, self-centered, and totally focused on my own aspirations. I really am sorry for treating you so badly. He stopped, breathing shingly before moving forward. "But, you should understand that the man standing before you isn't exactly the same person who departed such a long time ago. I have evolved, Elizabeth. I have evolved and come to see that without someone to share all the wealth and advancement on the earth makes no difference." Though Elizabeth's attitude stayed the same, Michael sensed a sliver of uncertainty in her gaze that inspired optimism. "I know I don't deserve a second chance," he said, his voice laden with feeling. Still, Elizabeth, I'm begging you here. Give me the chance to be Jeremy's dad he deserves. Give me time to prove that I could be the man you and I need. Elizabeth's lips parted, as though in response, but before she could say anything, an ear-splitting ringing tore through the air. Michael's temple creased as he pursued his phone, his expression hidden until he found the visitor ID. He said fast, "This is Drake." Still, his expression lacked variation as the voice on the other end spoke, his knuckles glowing as his hold on the gadget fixed. Then he ended the call with a subdued hate and corrected Elizabeth with an inauspicious assurance. "... Something is wrong..."