That was when Devin noticed Adeleâs face was red, and he frowned, asking, âWhat happened to Adeleâs face?â
Adele, hearing Devinâs question, timidly looked at him.
She was just about to respond when Sadie interrupted quickly, saying, âShe just fell and hurt her face.
â
Devin frowned as he examined Adeleâs face, skeptical of the explanation.
The marks looked more like they were from a pinch than from a fall.
He was about to say something but then decided against it.
Given his role, it wasnât right to push further.
He turned back to Adele and suggested, âHow about we go to the hospital for a check-up? Youâll get some tasty candy afterward, Like last time.
â
Adele usually loved looking at the candy jar during her visits to the hospital.
But this time, Adeleâs reaction was different.
She burst into tears and clung to Sadieâs skirt, crying.
âNo, no, I want mommy.
â
Seeing how distressed Adele was, Devin relented.
He sighed and told Sadie, âIn that case, Iâll come back another time to take her for her check-up.
â
Sadie offered a weak smile, then pretended to be affectionate as she patted Adele on the head, responding, âOkay.
â
Devin remained concerned for Adele, casting several more worried glances her way before he reluctantly left.
The moment Devin was out of sight, Sadieâs sad expression vanished.
She smiled at Adele and pinched her cheek sharply with her long nails, complimenting her, âAdele, youâre such a good girl.
â
Then, she brought over a stack of cakes, smiling as she instructed, âThis is your reward.
Eat all of this, or you wonât see your daddy again.
â
Adele nodded, her eyes on the cakes she normally adored.
Her beautiful eyes reddened, and tears formed as she quietly began eating the cakes as told.
Watching this, Sadieâs mood lifted, and she started humming a tune, her attention drifting away from Adele as she relaxed on the sofa to watch prenatal videos.
Meanwhile, after leaving Sadieâs house, Devinâs sense of unease grew, feeling that something wasnât right.
Settling into his car, he couldnât shake his concerns about Adeleâs demeanor, which suggested she might be under threat or pressure from Sadie.
There was a noticeable fear in Adeleâs eyes when she Looked at Sadie.
But Sadie was Adeleâs mother.
Surely, she wouldnât actually harm her.
From past interactions, Sadie had always seemed eager to be a good mother and hadnât harmed Adele, though Adele wasnât particularly affectionate towards her.
Perhaps it was Sadieâs mood that was influencing Adele, causing her recent clinginess.
And about the red marks on Adeleâs face.
.
Maybe he was just overthinking it.
Lost in these thoughts, Devin suddenly spotted a middle-aged woman lurking near the villaâs entrance, some documents in her hands.