âGavin, why are you pretending to be sick?â Shaun cut to the chase right after Darius and the other kids left.
Little did they realize that Arissa suddenly turned back to check on Gavin again. She scratched her head after overhearing Shaunâs question.
Gavin is pretending to be sick? She halted in her tracks, refraining from opening the door. Why is Gavin pretending to be sick? Could it be heâs worried about me staying alone at home?
After quite a while, Gavin replied sheepishly, âWe donât feel like going to school because Mommy is not feeling well...â
His words sent a ripple of warmth into Arissaâs heart.
Shaun cut him off, âYou can call me any time if your mommyâs not feeling well. I can attend to her at once. Besides, sheâs not feeling well because she stayed up all night last night. I presume sheâll be fine after taking a good rest. Regardless, you shouldnât have pretended to be sick. Donât you know everyone is worried stiff about you, especially your mommy? This is definitely not something an obedient kid like you should do.â
Arissa was about to open the door and enter. It never crossed her mind that she would have an emotional breakdown in the next moment because of the devastating news she was going to hear.
Gavin stuttered, âW-We have something to tell Mommy.â
âWhat is it?â Shaun asked in bafflement.
After taking a deep breath, Gavin muttered, âWeâve managed to track down our missing brother.â
Shaun was flabbergasted. âWhat? Where is he now?â
âThat heinous woman threw him into a dumpster. Nobody rescued him. I think... I think heâs gone forever...â Gavinâs voice trailed off as he choked up.
Pin-drop silence ensued in the room.
In a blink of an eye, Arissa felt her world turned upside down. It was as if someone was clutching her throat, trying to strangle her.
She did not even realize that she had collapsed on the floor. As she stared blankly at the ceiling, there was a glint of indecipherable agony in her eyes. My childâs gone...
Shaunâs face turned ashen when he heard the sound outside the room. He dashed forward and opened the door right away.
âArissa!â His heart dropped at the sight of Arissa on the floor.
âMommy!â Startled by the look of despair on his motherâs face, Gavin rushed forward to help her up with Shaun.
Arissaâs legs gave way several times. She only managed to stand after a few stumbles.
On the brink of tears, Gavin mumbled incoherently, âMommy... Mommy... Iâm sorry.â
âArissa...â Shaun was at a loss for words to console her.
âGavin, help your mommy into her room,â he instructed Gavin.
âOkay.â Gavin bit his lip to restrain himself from bursting into tears as he helped Arissa into her room.
Deep down, he reprimanded himself for being reckless. I shouldnât have acted impulsively. Now that Mommyâs overheard our conversation, she wonât be able to take it.
Gavin felt a surge of indescribable guilt from within him. Gazing at Arissa, he was a bundle of nerves.
Arissa only blinked her eyes after what seemed like an eternity. As she locked her gaze with Gavin, tears that welled up in her eyes started trickling down her cheeks.
After sobbing silently for quite a while, she finally burst out crying.
âAhh!â Arissa let out harrowing yowls of grievance.
âMy sweetheart... Iâm sorry... I wasnât able to protect you...â She wept in sheer grief, her tears flowing down her cheeks like streams.
Seconds later, she started to slap her face.
It caught Gavin and Shaun off guard.
Shaun rushed forward and grabbed hold of her hands. âArissa, itâs not your fault! Stop hurting yourself!â
âItâs my fault! As his mommy, I failed to protect him...â Arissa lamented in despair.
A tiny figure appeared as her vision blurred with tears. Her heart wrenched at the heartbreaking scene of a child being abandoned in a dumpster. It was as though someone was clutching her heart and slicing it continuously with a dagger, causing it to bleed profusely.
âHeâs just an innocent kid... To be thrown away so cruelly... itâs just...â Arissa yelped in agony.
The More the Merrier ï¤Chapter 443 EX-husband Groveling to Me ï¤Chapter 730 Let Victor Shoot For You Grief-stricken, she could hardly breathe. The next second, she passed out due to the suffocating anguish.
Panicking, Gavin screamed at the top of his lungs, âMommy!â
âMr. Bailey, please check on my mommy now!â he cried hysterically, breaking into tears uncontrollably.
Shaun laid Arissa down immediately, trying to feel her pulse.
D*mn it! I must take prompt action! Without hesitation, he gave her an injection.
âMr. Bailey, howâs my mommy?â Gavin asked hastily, on pins and needles. Wiping his tears, no words could describe how guilty he felt at the moment.
âDonât worry. Sheâs just passed out.â Shaun tried to appease him.
Right that instant, Darius and the other four kids rushed upstairs after hearing Gavinâs squeal earlier.
âMommy!â the kids yelled out.