Chapter 167
Maxine’s phone buzzed with a call from the delivery guy, so she headed downstairs to pick it up. As she pushed open the glass door, a small figura dared toward her like a bullet, stopping just inches away. “Mommy!”
Brian Mason was panting heavily, his eyes glued to the woman before him, terrified she might vanish the next second.
The long separation had left Brian so tormented he could hardly eat or sleep. ‘Every time I close my eyes, I see Mom lying there, so pale, covered in blood,’ he thought, his chest tightening.
Brian managed a shy smile. “Mommy, Dad said you were dead, but I never believed him. I’ve been waiting here for you every single day.”
Maxine studied him. He’d grown so much taller over the years, his features resembling Sebastian more with each passing day. The tiny boy she remembered from his childhood seemed like a completely different person now.
When she remained silent, Brian took a tentative step closer, his voice quivering. “Mommy… are you mad at me?”
Maxine snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him, her face expressionless. “Kid, you’ve got the wrong person. I’m not your mom.”
Brian froze and blurted out instinctively, “Mommy…”
She took a step back and asked, “Where are your parents? Do you need me to call the police for you?”
Brian looked at her in disbelief. “You’re lying! I…”
Before Brian could finish speaking, a delivery guy walked over, cutting him off. “Excuse me, is this your order?” Maxine took the delivery from him, then turned to Brian and said, “If you can’t find your parents, I can call the police for you. But you’ve definitely mistaken me, I don’t know you.”
Just then, her phone rang. She saw it was an international call from Devault. Devault greeted her, “Hey, Maxine, how’s everything going?”
Maxine glanced at the unrelenting Brian and replied in Vastel, “Everything’s fine, but there are still some loose ends. I’ll bring the evidence back, you’ll need to find me a lawyer for this lawsuit.”
Brian, who had been silent all this while, watched her conversing fluently on the phone. She looked and sounded exactly like his mother, yet there was a new polish and confidence about her that made him doubt his own eyes.
Hearing this, Devault’s tone on the other end of the line immediately grew serious. He asked, “Is something wrong? Let me know if you need any
assistance.”
Maxine replied, “No need. Our firm is newly established, I need you to oversee operations there. I’ll return once I’ve resolved matters here.”
After hanging up, Maxine saw Brian still standing there and asked coolly, “What’s your parents‘ phone number? I’ll call them to pick you up.”
Brian bit his lip in frustration. “I…I don’t know. But can I come over to your place for a bit?”
“No way,” Maxine replied instantly, “I have guests over. If you don’t know your parents‘ number, I’ll call the police. They’ll make sure you get home safe.”
As Maxine raised her phone to dial, Brian, who had been stubbornly refusing to admit defeat, finally relented. “Don’t bother,” he muttered, “Dad will come get me soon.”
Without another word, Maxine pocketed her phone, grabbed the takeout, and turned to head upstairs.
Maxine went up to the second floor and waited until she saw Brian leave with his bodyguard. Only then did she finally return
Cleo’s apartment.
The bodyguard took the food from her, divided it up for Jessica, then said, “The boss just called and asked me to remind you to call him back.”
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