Ellinor squinted her eyes. âSheâs not nice to your dad either?â
Tristan answered honestly. âSheâs nice to my dad superficially, but if dad suggests going out for a walk or changing doctors for his leg treatment, that woman would always find an excuse to refuse.â
Ellinor stared at the boy. âSo, you donât consider her your mom?â
Tristan nodded with regret. âDad doesnât remember the past. That woman says sheâs his wife, and Iâm their child. But for some reason, I just really donât like her and donât want to call her mom.â
Ellinor gently ruffled the boyâs hair. âWell, she isnât your mom, and you donât have to call her mom.â
At this, Tristan lifted his head to look at Ellinor with some confusion. âEllinor, how do you know sheâs not my mom?â
Ellinor looked at the boy with a resolute gaze. âBecause I am your mom!â
Tristan was genuinely taken aback, and his eyes were gleaming. âReally? Are you really my biological mom?â
Ellinor nodded affirmatively to the boy. âWhy else would I mistake you for my son, Adrian, and bring you home? You two look so alike that I got confused.â
This news was undoubtedly a joy to Tristan, but he was still puzzled. âBut why didnât I live with you, Mom?â
Ellinor pulled the boy into her arms, gently explaining, âBecause something unexpected happened three years ago, and I was forced to separate from you.â
Tristan believed Ellinor and also believed his deep sense of intimacy with Ellinor. âSo that means I donât have to leave you anymore, right?â
Ellinor said with certainty, âI wonât let you leave me again. From now on, weâll always be together.â
Tristan was delighted, but then something came to his mind. âBut what about Dad? And what about Adrian, your other son?â
That was exactly what troubled Ellinor. She squinted her eyes in deep thought, puzzled just like her son, when she heard footsteps from the other side of the greenery.
She immediately became alert and shielded Tristan in her arms. Her gaze was sharply directed towards the source of the sound. âWhoâs there?â
No one responded immediately, but the footsteps didnât stop.
Until Bartlett emerged from behind a tree, smiling at her. âItâs me, Ellinor.â
Although Ellinor relaxed her guard, she frowned at the sight of him. âWhy are you here, Mr. Rex? Since when have you taken up the hobby of visiting green belts alone?â
Bartlett pretended to be a bit hurt, but the smile in his eyes did not fade. âEllinor, I came here looking for you out of concern. I was afraid you wouldnât be able to get a cab. I wanted to give you a ride home. Is this how you repay me?â
Ellinor scrunched her nose in disgust. âHow did you know I was here? Were you following me?â
Bartlett quickly waved his hands in denial. âNo, I wouldnât dare! Youâve been ignoring me already. If I had been stalking you and you found out, wouldnât you continue to do so?â
Ellinor looked at Bartlett with suspicion. âThen explain how you managed to find me hère at this time.
How did you know I couldnât get a cab and needed a ride home?â
Bartlett shrugged innocently. âYou just visited a psychiatrist who happens to be a friend of mine.
Actually, I was just at his house too, sunbathing on his balcony. When I came down from the balcony to find him, I learned that you had brought your child to see him and heard from Belinda that you didnât drive here, so I came looking for you.â