Leonard’s private jet landed in Nimbus City that very day.
The sunlight was harsh and blinding as he squinted, watching his two children being carried off the plane by the bodyguards.
“Dad, will
Iwe really get to see Mom?” Yvonne looked up at him with a face full of hope and anxiety.
“Of course.” Leonard straightened his clothes, maintaining a calm and confident tone. “Your mom will definitely be happy to see you.”
Victor quickly approached and handed over a file. “Mr. Faron, we’ve confirmed her location. She’s currently at a pottery studio on the east side of the city. She’s with those two…”
Inside was a candid photo. Jennifer was crouched before a little girl, gently wiping a smudge of clay from her cheek.
Standing beside them was a tall man with glasses who was smiling warmly at the two of them.
With the sunlight that was streaming through the windows casting a gentle glow over the three, the photo was almost painfully serene.
Leonard’s fingers unconsciously tightened, crumpling the edge of the photo.
He knew that look in the man’s eyes all too well. It was the kind of tenderness he had never once shown her.
He said coldly, “Prepare the car. We’re going over now.”
Yannick and Yvonne were unusually quiet on the ride there. They sat against the windows, staring out at the unfamiliar city, their hands nervously clutching the hems of their clothes.
Leonard noticed that the two children had deliberately wom clothes that Jennifer had bought for them the previous year, even though the clothes were already a little small.
“Dad, do you think Mom will forgive us?” Yannick suddenly asked in a timid, uncertain tone.
He thought of the look on Jennifer’s face in the surveillance footage. He remembered the look of pain as she was pushed down the stairs, and the cold resolve when
she left.
“She will,” he finally said, unsure if that was directed to the children or himself. “Your mom loves you more than anything. She’d never leave you for good.”
The car stopped in front of Mud Fun, and Leonard immediately spotted Jennifer through the large windows.
She wore a simple white T–shirt and jeans, and her hair was casually tied back. She was focused on shaping a piece of clay.
The sunlight that shone on her gave her a radiant look.
Clara suddenly grabbed a handful of clay and smeared it on Jennifer’s cheek.
To Leonard’s surprise, Jennifer didn’t get Instead, she laughed and reached out to return the gesture.
She looked genuinely happy, far happier than Leonard had seen in years.
“Mom!” Yvonne couldn’t hold back any longer. She broke free from the bodyguard’s grip and ran straight toward the pottery studio.
Leonard didn’t have time to stop her and could
hurry after her.
The door opened with a cheerful jingle. Jennifer looked up at the sound, and her smile froze on her face.
“Von?” Hervoice trembled slightly, shifting her
from the child to Leonard behind her
But instead of joy, her expression was full of rejection and coldness. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”
Clara looked curiously at the unfamiliar faces, instinctively hiding behind Jennifer.
Kevin stood up and silently moved in front of them, shieldin
her.
“Mom! Yannick rushed in too, hugging Jennifer’s legs tightly as tears welled up in his eyes. “We’ve missed you so much, Mom! Have you been with these two the whole time? Is it because of them?”
He shot a hostile glare at Clara, whose frightened hands clung tightly to Jennifer’s shirt.
Jennifer froze. Her hands hovered in the air, unsure whether to hug them back.
But when she met Yannick’s eyes, something inside of her snapped awake. Her gaze turned cold, and she slowly took a step back
Her eyes moved between the children and Kevin before finally settling on Leonard.
“Why are you here?” Her voice was soft, but her tone was sharp as a blade.
Leonard stepped forward. His eyes lingered briefly on Kevin before they locked into her. “Jennifer, we’re here to bring you home. Stop this already. You’ve punished us enough. The kids already know their mistakes. Just come back with us.”
The studio fell eerily quiet,
Other customers and staff paused their work to watch the scene unfold with curiosity.
Jennifer let out a cold laugh. “Home? What home?”
“Mom, please come back with us!” Yvonne tugged Jenniter’s hand. Yvonne’s eyes were filled with longing and pleading, with no trace of the arrogance she used to have, “We won’t ever make you angry again!”
Yannick added quickly. “Come back, Moin. We kicked Aunt Sam out! Dad said you’re our only mom from now on!”
Jennifer’s expression shifted. She crouched down to meet their eyes directly. “I won’t go back with you. Not everything can be fixed with just an apology.”
Yvonne’s tears spilled over. “Why not? Don’t you love us anymore?”
That question struck Jennifer’s heart deeply.
