A sour bitterness spread through his chest.
“Daddy, is that Mommy?”
The boy didn’t know what was happening. Subconsciously unwilling to let the little girl interact with his mother, he struggled out of the bodyguard’s arms before Charles could answer.
“Mommy.”
He rushed into the shop and slapped the little girl’s hand away.
The warmth that had just risen in Margaret vanished with those two words.
“The boy?”
She looked up at the little boy before her, a full size thinner than she remembered her son being.
After a moment of tenderness, icy indifference returned.
“What are you doing here?”
Ignoring her pain, Yaya blinked curiously at the unfamiliar guests.
Jack moved closer to Margaret without a word.
“Mommy.”
Mujin clung to Margaret’s leg, his accumulated grievances bursting forth as tears instantly welled up. “I missed you so much! Where have you been? Did you abandon me and Daddy?”
His rapid–fire questions grew increasingly plaintive, startling Yaya into frozen silence behind Margaret.
Margaret stood rigid, uncertain how to respond. Since childhood, Mujin had rejected her touch–and now, she instinc- tively recoiled from physical contact.
Margaret froze when she saw Charles. She took a step back, staring fixedly at him: “Why are you here?”
Her voice was terrifyingly calm, each word sharp as ice shards.
Charles ignored her hostility, his gaze drifting toward Jack. After glancing at Margaret, he continued: “Honey… Charles and I came to bring you home.”
“I know you’re angry with me, but rest assured, I’ve handled everything.”
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Chapter 25
288 Vouchers
“As for Charles, he admits his mistakes. He understands how much you’ve sacrificed for this family all these years… Come back with us.”
The cake shop was terrifyingly quiet. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Margaret’s response.
Margaret suddenly let out a cold laugh: “Have you forgotten we’re divorced?”
“Mommy!” Jin tugged Charles’s hand, eyes red–rimmed. “Don’t you want Daddy? Don’t you want Jin anymore?”
“I don’t want Aunt Barbara as my mommy! Daddy already sent her away. Jin only wants you.”
The child’s voice trembled with urgency.
Yet Margaret remained unmoved, kneeling to meet his gaze: “I won’t return with you. Understand this–everyone faces consequences for their choices.”
“No!” Tears instantly streaked Jin’s checks. “Teacher says a mistake can be fixed! Jin’s already learned!”
The child’s sobs tore through her like a dull blade sawing at her heart.
Margaret forced a bitter smile. “When you grow up, you’ll learn that shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted is pointless. Not every mistake deserves forgiveness.”
“You were the one who said you didn’t want a mother. You were the one who kept hurting me. I gave my all to be a good mother, yet I still failed in your eyes–because you already had your ideal mother in mind.”
She drew a sharp breath, forcing back tears. “You’re only here now because Barbara isn’t the perfect figure you imag- ined. But what does it matter? You made your choice. Be honest: if Barbara still treated you like before, would you even remember me?”
Margaret flushed crimson, unable to respond. She just kept pleading through tears: “Mom, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me just this once… I’ll never do it again…”
Margaret didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on Yaya. The little girl stretched out her arms and timidly pleaded, “Auntie Margaret… hug hug…”
Margaret bent down to lift her. Yaya wrapped her arms around Margaret’s neck and whispered in her ear, “Please don’t go. Yaya can call you Mommy too.”
Jack flushed with embarrassment at the sorrowful atmosphere. Margaret remained silent but squeezed his palm back.
This intimacy unfolding in plain sight finally ignited Charles‘ fury.
“Margaret!” He stepped forward, lowering his voice. “Enough. Victor’s just a child who’s already admitted his mis- take. How long will you hold this grudge?”
“What kind of mother watches her own son cry while comforting some bastard from who–knows–where!”
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Chapter 26
“Smack!”
