NovelEnglishChapter 252 After what happened last tat Crimson Gardens-the chaos, the blood, the terror-she'd been restless ever since.
She worried the whole ordeal might leave Adrian with slasting trauma. That's why she'd cby today, just to check on him. Seeing him now, laughing and playing as if nothing had happened, put her mind at ease.
That's good, she thought. That's a relief.
She glanced at Adrian one last time, her lashes fluttering softly, then turned and walked away.
Inside the classroom.
Adrian was bouncing along, hand-in-hand with Giselle, when his gaze drifted toward the back windows. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtA strange, fluttering sensation gripped him. Without thinking, he let go of Giselle's hand and raced out the back door.
The hallway was empty and echoing.
He ran a few steps, glancing around with lost, anxious eyes, and called out unconsciously, "Mom...?" Giselle hurried after him, catching him just as he was about to dash down the stairs. She scooped him up, concern etched across her face.
"Adrian, what's wrong?" His eyes were red. "I thought I saw Mom..." Giselle froze, quickly scanning the hallway. But aside from the two of them, there was no one else around.
"You must've imagined it," she said gently. "Remember? She can't chere." Tears welled up and spilled over Adrian's cheeks. He tried to speak, but his words were swallowed by sobs, and he buried his face in Giselle's shoulder, crying quietly.
He missed his mother.
He hadn't been sleeping well at the old house these past few nights. The nightmares kept coming-always the same: Mom sitting on a bloodstained bed, silently crying as she stared at him, so heartbreakingly sad.
He was sad too.
He'd asked Grandpa about her, and Grandpa just told him Mom had to go away for a while, that she was far from home.
But he missed her so much...
Giselle stroked his back, whispering comfort. "I'm here, Adrian. I'll play with you, okay? Isn't that fun?" Adrian shook his head, silent tears still streaming down his face.
Just then, the teacher cout the back door of the classroom. Seeing the scene before her, she hurried over, concern tightening her features. "Ms. Sutherland, is Adrian alright?" Giselle smoothed Adrian's hair, her brow furrowed in worry. "He's upset all of a sudden and doesn't want to play anymore. I think I'll take him hfor today. Could you please mark him absent tomorrow as well?" The teacher nodded quickly, sympathetic.
"Ms. Sutherland, are you alright?" In the administrative building, Howard glanced over and saw Mila standing at the bottom of the stairs, gripping the banister with one hand pressed to her chest, looking faint.
He rushed over. "Are you okay?" Mila shook her head, her face a little pale. "I must've climbed the stairs too fast.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmMy heart's racing, but I'll be fine once I catch my breath." She paused for a moment, and sure enough, started to feel better.
But Howard's concern lingered. When it cto Mila, he never took risks. "Are you sure you don't want to pop by the hospital, just to be safe?" Mila shook her head again, more firmly this time. "Really, I'm alright." She walked over, taking Julian's hand in hers, and asked casually, "Did you get the paperwork?" "Almost done," Howard replied.
After waiting another half hour or so, they finally got what they needed and headed to the car.
With the children around, Mila put on a brave face, laughing and chatting with them as if nothing was wrong. Just as they were approaching Bamboo Grove, her phone rang.
It was her friend from the media.
"The Lockwood family's scandal is dying down," her friend said, "So this is the perfect time! I'm going to break the story tonight-just giving you a heads-up." "Alright," Mila said softly, a little stunned.
That evening-
News broke across the internet: Charles Harvey, head of the Harvey family, had been caught cheating-with a secret daughter, no less. The story exploded online.
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