Chapter 1672
“Mommy p>
The afternoon sun was bright. Elysia was on the terrace studying a medical textbook when she suddenly heard Elliot and Evan’s voices. She froze, thinking she was imagining things.
But a second later, “Mommy p>
Elysia’s eyes flew open. She dropped the book and ran towards the door. When she saw Elliot and Evan downstairs, she was overjoyed. “Elliot! Evan p>
Both little boys’ eyes lit up with surprise and they ran towards the stairs. “Mommy p>
Elysia flew down the stairs and threw her arms around her two little boys. “Why are you back all of a sudden? You didn’t say anything, I would have come to the airport to pick you up p>
“We wanted to surprise you, Mommy,” Elliot said softly.
Elysia was ecstatic. “It’s the best surprise! I’ve missed you both so, so much p>
“We missed you too, Mommy p>
Elysia held them for a long moment before she could bear to let go. “Let me look at you. Have you gotten taller? Put on any weight p>
She knelt down, one hand on Elliot’s shoulder, the other on Evan’s. Taking a good look, her heart ached. “Why are you both thinner p>
A lump formed in Elliot’s throat. p>
Evan’s little lip trembled, his eyes turning red and filling with tears. He looked incredibly hurt.
Elysia didn’t yet know what had happened to Bernard. She frowned. “What’s wrong p>
Evan broke down, letting out a jagged sob as he threw himself back into Elysia’s arms. “Mommy… sob… Mo-mo-mommy… waaaah p>
Evan was like a child who had suffered the world’s greatest injustice, finally seeing his mother and letting all his sorrow pour out as tears. He sobbed and trembled, a little tear-streaked mess.
Elysia’s heart broke. She held Evan tightly. “Mommy’s here, Mommy’s here. Tell Mommy what’s wrong, Evan p>
Evan was crying too hard to speak.
Elysia looked at Elliot, her own eyes red. “Elliot, what happened p>
Elliot couldn’t hold it back either, his breath coming in short, jagged sniffs. p>
Bernard was gone. They would never see Bernard again. The most energetic, most playful, and most skilled Bernard was gone. No one would ever hoist them up on his shoulders or lead them on wild adventures through the woods again. No one would steal their great-grandmother’s bedsheets to run around the woods pretending to be ghosts… That lively, cheerful, playful old man was gone forever.
He was dead. He had been poisoned.
Elliot’s grief quickly turned to rage. He clenched his small fists, gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot and filled with a towering hatred.
Elysia sensed something was deeply wrong and felt a growing unease. She asked again, “Elliot, what on earth happened p>
Elliot sniffed hard, forcing down his grief and anger. He wiped his tears away. “Nothing happened. We just missed you so much after being apart for so long p>
Elysia let out a relieved breath and pulled Elliot into her embrace too. “Mommy missed you so much too. So, so much. Let’s never be apart again p>
After a while, Tarquin returned with Emmett, Elijah, and Baby. When Baby saw Elliot and Evan, she jumped with excitement. “Elliot and Evan! Elliot and Evan are back p>
The little girl, with her hair in two
pigtails, came bouncing over. Seeing
them crying, Baby froze, her own
little lip, trembling as if she was
about to cry too. Elliot, Evang Mommy, what’s wrong p>
Elliot quickly wiped his tears,
managed a small smile, and patted Baby’s head affectionately. “It’s
nothing. We were just so excited
see Mommy after being away for so
long. Did you miss me, Baby p>
Baby nodded immediately. “I did! I missed you so, so much! Elliot, give me a hug p>