Chapter 1: The Boy at the Entrance

The Child Under the Gala Lights
The rooftop of the Cross Meridian Hotel shone brightly in the golden light of a private gala. Champagne sparkled, the tablecloths were crisp and white, and candles in golden candlesticks flickered gently in the night breeze. Daniel Cross sat at the center table, impeccably dressed in a black tuxedo, his familiar, refined smile the hallmark of an admired man.

Then whispers began to drift from the entrance to the rooftop. A boy stood there, about eight years old, with dark brown hair and an old, oversized olive-gray coat. He didn't appear suddenly; he came from the main hallway, slowly, as if each step required permission.
Daniel saw him when he stopped beside the table. He bowed his head, his hands clasped tightly in front of his stomach.

“Excuse me… are you Daniel Cross?”

Daniel set his glass down. “Kid, this is a private dinner.”

The boy's shoulders trembled, but he didn't back down. “My mother said you might be my father.”
The rooftop fell silent. Daniel stood up, the wooden chair receding behind him.

“What’s your mother’s name?”

“Emily Carter. She said you’ve never met me before.”
Daniel knelt before the boy. That name seemed to open a door he had locked for eight years.

“What’s your name?”