"Kiki, don’t be silly. Of course you have a mommy. Every little kid has a mommy."

"No, I don’t want a mommy! I don’t want a mommy!" When he saw he wasn’t getting through to his dad, who was now yelling at him, Kiki just started rubbing his eyes and crying.

The sight of Kiki crying made Mika Summers’s heart ache. She snapped at Tristan Grayson, "That’s enough! Don’t be so harsh with him."

With that, she bent down and quickly pulled Kiki into a hug, coaxing him gently. "Okay, if you don’t want me, you don’t have to. Mommy isn’t a very good mommy anyway. Be a good boy, Kiki, please don’t cry. It’s all Mommy’s fault. Mommy was wrong. Please stop crying."

"Get away from me! Don’t touch me!" Kiki sobbed, turning and starting to hit Mika Summers.

It was as if he were terrified of her touching him. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Stunned by Kiki’s rejection, Mika Summers froze in the car. Her tears stopped, her gaze grew cold, and an intense pain began to spread through her chest.

She felt she couldn’t stay a moment longer. ’Kiki doesn’t want me... he doesn’t like me...’

She frantically fumbled for her purse. Grabbing it, she threw open the car door and ran out. The moment she stepped out, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

’What on earth did I do wrong? Why would Kiki dislike me? Why would he hate me?’

’So what if I abandoned him for over two years? I had no choice...’

Tristan Grayson watched the woman run into the road. He turned back and glared coldly at Kiki. "Kiki, you’ve gone too far!"

Kiki gasped between sobs, crying so hard he could barely breathe. "SOB... Daddy, are you trying to find me a stepmom? Don’t you want me anymore...?"

Hearing Kiki’s words, it suddenly dawned on Tristan Grayson that his son thought he was trying to find him a stepmom.

His heart ached with a mix of guilt and helplessness. He got out of the car, lifted Kiki out, and patted his back gently. "Of course not," he soothed. "How could Daddy ever get you a stepmom? That woman just now, she really is your mommy."

"But... but why have I never seen her before?" Kiki asked, still skeptical.

"That’s because Mommy has been very busy with work, which is why you’ve never seen her."

"Really?"

Tristan patiently explained, "Yes, really. Now that Mommy’s back, you need to cherish your time with her. So how about we go find her and bring her back together, okay?"

Remembering what he had said to her, Kiki clutched Tristan Grayson’s neck fearfully. "But... is Mommy mad? Does she not want me anymore?"

"Of course not. Mommy will always want you."

Tristan Grayson placed Kiki in the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt, then drove off in the direction Mika Summers had gone.

Mika Summers hadn’t run far. She just didn’t want anyone to see her moment of weakness.

Not even back when she had been humbled into the dust...

Tristan Grayson’s brow furrowed and his expression darkened when he saw the woman on the road ahead, clutching her purse and walking aimlessly.

He pulled up beside Mika Summers, rolled down the window, and ordered coldly, "Get in the car."

Mika Summers glanced into the car. The child sitting inside was looking at her with fear, his eyes still red from crying.

A bitter smile touched her lips. "You must be enjoying this, aren’t you, Tristan Grayson?" ’Is he here to laugh at me?’

"If you want to walk back from here, then by all means, don’t get in."

Mika Summers gave another smile, walked around to the side of the car, and opened the door by Kiki. With renewed patience, she said softly, "Kiki, get out of the car. Come with Mommy, okay?"

— Kiki flinched and looked back at Tristan Grayson for guidance.

"Mika, you’re scaring him! Do you even know the first thing about being a mother?"