A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Yvan’s mind, but all that managed to escape his lips. were a few sparse words. “Yeah, go ahead.”

He… he agreed?

Pigs must be flying!

But Yvan’s smirk quickly returned. “Sure, run away with him if you dare. But if you get caught, don’t expect to be treated this well.”

Matilda’s heart clenched at his words, her face drained of color. She forced a smile in Yvan’s direction. “I should be thanking you, Mr. Boyd, for your generosity in letting my son and me have a day out.”

Yvan’s brow furrowed, but before he could utter a word, Matilda was already being tugged away by an ecstatic Logan, his face alight with excitement. “Mommy, no daydreaming! Let’s get going!”

It had been ages since he had this kind of fun with his mom!

The joy on Logan’s face was like a slap to Yvan, who never received such expressions from the boy. What a pitiful sight.

Yvan watched the departing figures of Matilda and her son for a long time before turning away. Meanwhile, Ella covertly took out her phone and sent a quick message.

…

It had been a long time since Matilda had a chance to spend time alone with Logan. They hopped into a taxi, and the little boy, gripping her hand, asked, “Mommy, can I play with Uncle

next time?”

Tears welled up in Matilda’s eyes, her hand trembling as she stroked his face. After a moment, she whispered back, “Of course, honey.”

Logan’s eyes sparkled with delight. “That’s awesome! I miss Uncle so much!” Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

Matilda lifted her head, staring at the taxi’s ceiling, fighting back tears. She forced a smile. It was okay; she just had to endure. She could handle it.

“Brother, if you’re watching over us, can you feel Logan’s longing? Are you lonely up there?” She thought, looking up.

The mother and son got out at a bustling mall, Logan scampering ahead while Matilda followed with a graceful trot. The lively boy and his elegant mother turned heads as they passed. Matilda helped Logan snag two plush toys from a claw machine, and his squeals of joy made his cheeks flush with excitement. It had been far too long since he’d been this happy.

“Mommy, I need to pee.” Clutching his new friends, Logan looked up at Matilda, “Let’s go to the

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bathroom.”

“Alright.” Matida led him to the restroom entrance. “Call for me when you’re done. I’ll be right outside

“Okay**

But Logan wouldn’t let go of his toys, clutching them as he entered the men’s room.

Five minutes passed, and there was no sign of Logan.

Alatilda grew anxious. “Logan, are you feeling okay? Should Mommy come in to check on you?”

Her voice echoed down the empty corridor.

It was then that Matilda’s heart sank with the realization that something was terribly wrong. She rushed inside to find Logan’s plush toys abandoned on the floor, but the boy’s voice was absent from the stalls.

Logan, Logan!

The word “kidnapping” leaped into her mind, and panic set in. As if on cue, a man walked in and whistled at the sight of a woman in the men’s room. “Hey, gorgeous, looking for a quickie?”

Matilda grabbed him, her voice desperate. “Have you seen my son? About this tall, five or six years old…”

“What’s the fuss about a kid?” A sinister glint passed through the man’s eyes as he lunged forward. “The little brat might still be alive if he’s lucky. But how about we take care of some… other business first?”

Alarm bells rang in Matilda’s head. She was about to scream when a large hand covered her mouth. Without thinking, Matilda bit down hard!

“Damn it!”