Chapter 25
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Over at Powell Manor, Leon was sitting on the couch with a sullen face. He clutched his game console tightly without a word, his face stiff.
Ever since Serena left, he’d been brought back to Powell Manor, once again under Albert’s strict discipline.
Albert sat across from him on the armchair, a file in his hand and a deep frown on his face. “Leon, put the game console down.”
Leon’s fingers instinctively tightened, gripping the console even harder, but he didn’t set it down.
Albert put the file aside and walked over, looking down at Leon. “Leon, you’re not a little kid anymore. You can’t keep acting out like that.”
“I’m not acting out. I just want to play games,” Leon retorted.
“Playing games is fine, but it has to be in moderation. Right now, studying is your top priority.”
“I just want to play video games.”
“Leon.”
Albert looked at Leon’s defiant face and felt a wave of helplessness. Leon had been spoiled since he was little. Changing him now wouldn’t be easy.
Leon raddic
Albert’s tone softened, “Leon, you can play video games, but you can’t get addicted.”
“Grandpa, I want to go out and play,” Leon said, walking up to him, trying to act cute.
Albert refused, “No. You haven’t finished your homework.”
Leon’s eyes shifted. He thought, ‘Grandpa doesn’t like Ellie. If I say I’m going to see Ellie and Ollie, he definitely won’t let me.
‘But I really miss them. I haven’t seen them in so long. Maybe I’ll just say I want to see that wretch instead.’
With that thought, Leon walked up to Albert, tugged on his sleeve, and gently swayed it, acting sweet. “Grandpa, I want to go see Mommy.”
“Your mother’s gone. She’s overseas now.” Albert watched Leon’s flickering eyes and the way his lips were pressed into a tight line. He knew Leon was playing one of his little tricks again.
Albert thought, ‘Leon’s obviously thinking about Eliza and Oliver but chooses to say he wants to see Serena instead.‘
Leon pouted. “Grandpa, you’re lying. That wretch… Mommy
Ouldn’t just leave.”
“She’s already given up custody. From now on, you’ll stay with me and focus on your studies,” Albert replied.
Leon froze for a moment. Even though he had never liked Serena much, it had never occurred to him that she might actually leave him. He ran back to his room in tears, grabbed his phone, and called Victor.
“Hello? Leon, what’s wrong?” Victor asked.
“Daddy, Grandpa said that wretch doesn’t want me anymore. Is it true?” Leon’s voice came through the phone thick with tears, hitting Victor like a jolt to
the chest.
Victor responded, “Leon, don’t say that. Why would your mom not want you? Your grandpa’s just messing with you.”
He thought, ‘No matter how much Serena hates me, there’s no way she’d give up custody of Leon.‘
“It’s true. Daddy, Grandpa said she already gave up custody. He said I have to stay with him from now on. Daddy, I don’t want that. I want to come home.“” Leon’s sobs grew louder.
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Chapter 25
Victor didn’t want to believe Serena would really give Leon up, but the way Leon kept insisting made him start to question it.
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“Leon, be good. Daddy’s really busy right now. Once I’m done, I’ll come see you, okay?” Victor said halfheartedly. His mind was full of Eliza–he had no energy left to deal with Leon’s crying.
Leon sobbed, “I want Ellie. Daddy, can you take me back to Ellie? I don’t want to stay here, Grandpa always looks so serious. It’s no fun at all.”
Victor’s fingers tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white. He thought, ‘Could Leon be telling the truth? Did Serena really give him up? No, that’s impossible. No matter how much she hates me, she wouldn’t give up Leon.’
Victor paced the room, irritated. He didn’t believe Serena would really walk away, but Leon’s crying made him start to doubt it.
He thought, ‘Why would Dad say that to Leon? How could he scare a kid with something like this?‘
