Neera led Harvey and Sammy back to their bedroom.
Upon entering, she found, as expected, that the room had been meticulously adorned. It was entirely styled to cater to a boyâs preferences.
She felt as though she was submerged in a wondrous realm of science fiction.
The ceiling was adorned to mimic the cosmos, and the roomâs decor was filled with an array of high-
tech models and even a real miniature robot.
The robot seemed to be charging. Neera found it quite amusing and asked Sammy, âIs this yours?â
Sammy chuckled. âYes, this was a gift from Uncle Edward. I named it Wallie because it looks just like the robot from the movie Robot Story!â
Neera smiled, taking another look around the room. âIt seems that you boys have been quite happy living here recently.â
Sammy nodded carefreely. âYeah.â
Harvey added, âItâs a pity you and Daddy werenât here. It would be even better if you guys were by my side.â
Neera chuckled. âWeâre back now, arenât we?â
Harvey nodded slightly, then asked, âSo, are you still leaving?â
Neera scratched her chin. âWe probably wonât have to leave in the near future. But donât worry. If we do have to go, I will take you all with us.â
Upon hearing this, the two boys were overjoyed.
They would not have to separate from their parents again. This was the best news theyâd heard that day.
At this moment, Wrenn knocked on the door as she stood at the entrance.
Turning around, Neera saw her holding a tray of fruit.
âNeera, youâve traveled a long way only to come back and deal with all these troubles. You must be exhausted. Why donât you have some fruit and rest for a bit?â
Neera fell silent for a moment. She didnât refuse and followed her downstairs.
Sammy had wanted to follow, but the very perceptive Harvey held him back, giving him a meaningful look.
âMommy, Sammy and I are a bit tired. We want to take a nap, so we wonât be joining you downstairs.â
Neera gently patted their little heads. âAll right, you boys get some rest. When itâs time for dinner, Iâll come and get you.â
âAll right.â
10:24 Sat, 9 Dec Only after Neera and Wrenn had closed the door and left did Sammy, utterly confused, ask, âIâm not tired. Why do I have to go to sleep?â
With a serious expression, Harvey said, âGrandma probably has something to discuss with Mommy.
We shouldnât follow them.â
âI see! Harvey, you really know everything. How impressive!â
After being lavished with praise by his younger brother, Harvey blushed, and he couldnât help but want to laugh.
Downstairs, in the living room, Neera sat by the single-seater couch, while Wrenn took a seat on the couch to her left.
The two of them faced each other in silence.
Neera didnât exhibit any hesitation. With a composed expression, she simply picked up a small fork and savored a slice of apple.
In the end, it was Wrenn who couldnât hold back.
She asked, âNeera, are you blaming me?â
Neera raised her head. âWhy should I blame you?â
Wrenn bit her lip, her face showing a hint of shame and a touch of regret.
âBecause I didnât fully understand the situation. I casually let them stay. This gave them an opportunity to take advantage. In the end, Iâm the one to blame. Itâs only right for you to be angry with me.â
Neera swallowed the apple in her mouth and abruptly asked, âDid you steal the bracelet?â
Wrenn paused, shaking her head in confusion. âI didnâtâ¦â
âSo what makes you the culprit?â Neera asked indifferently. âThe thieves are Maggie and Nigel. Those who plead for your money, who deceive you for sustenance, are also these two. In this matter, from start to finish, the ones in the wrong are them. Thereâs no need for each of you to step forward and take the blame. It has nothing to do with you.â
At this point, she gave an ambiguous smile.
âIf we really get down to it, I should be the one to blame for all the trouble.â
Wrenn was taken aback once again, immediately countering her words without a second thought.
âHow could this possibly fall on you? This matter has nothing to do with you. Their mistakes have nothing to do with you. You donât have to bear any responsibilityâ¦â
âBut they came to your house because of me, didnât they?â
Wrenn had never thought about it that way.
10:24 Sat, 9 Dec She said seriously, âEven if thatâs the case, it has nothing to do with you. If they seek to exploit your reputation for their own gain, itâs a reflection of their own dishonesty and audacity. You didnât ask them to do this. If they steal, itâs not something you can control. Even if they are your adoptive parents, it doesnât represent anything.â
At this point, Wrenn simply decided to lay all her thoughts bare.
âIâve heard rumors that you and your adoptive parents didnât get along very well, but I wasnât sure about the specifics. Yesterday, they came to our door, introducing themselves. At first, I considered turning them away. But then I thought if they could find us, it means they must have contacted you already.
After some hesitation, I let them in. Even though I wasnât particularly polite to them, I still saved them some face. And that, I did for your sake. I⦠Iâm not sure about the current state of your relationship with them, but to think that they could find me here, there must be something wrong between you and them. Even though I really dislike them, I donât want them to see you as an ingrate, so I agreed to give them money. I never thought they would be so greedy. They made excessive demands, complaining that five million wasnât enough, wanting more. Later on, they even contemplated stealing. How could they do such a thingâ¦â
The more she spoke, the softer her voice became.
âI⦠I was thinking that once they got the money, they wouldnât contact you anymore, they wouldnât disturb your life again. I just didnât expect⦠it would end up like this.â
Truth be told, even without her saying it, Neera could understand what was on her mind.
At present, the two of them were sitting face to face. Neera couldnât help but feel somewhat moved inside when she listened to her words.
She had witnessed how mean Wrenn was before.
Of course, she understood that Wrenn was not inherently such a person. She had merely perceived her as someone with hidden agendas, a flatterer seeking to ingratiate herself. She had assumed she desired to latch onto the Beauvort family, going from rags to riches.
As such, she knew very well how much Wrenn despised these kinds of people.
But now, when dealing with Nigel and Maggie, these two avaricious individuals, she had suppressed her usual demeanor and held her temper in check. And all of this was for her sake.
In the past, she could never have imagined such a thing.
Her current emotions could not be described as anything but complex.
This lofty woman, upon clearly recognizing her own mistakes, had been tirelessly striving to make.
amends, doing her utmost to treat her well.
Neera didnât want to be a saint, nor did she want to repay malice with kindness. She wasnât that good-
hearted.
But when she faced Wrenn, her cold, hardened heart, in the end, still softened.
At that moment, she let out a gentle sigh.
âItâs understandable that you donât know about my relationship with them. Iâve hardly spoken about it to anyone. Even with the children, I rarely bring it up because I donât want to sadden them with these past events.â
Wrennâs eyes sparkled with anticipation. Suddenly, she reached out, gently taking her hand and giving it a reassuring pat.
âNeera, could you share with me? How did you get through those days? What did you experience? I really want to knowâ¦
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