Chapter 597

Chapter 597:

Joy hesitated briefly, and then continued softly, “Then… do moms and dads always belong together?”

“They do,” Eric said gently, feeling touched by the innocence of her question.

“That’s how it usually works—a mom and a dad form a family. Then, there goes their baby.”

But why was she asking this all of a sudden?

When Eric first met Joy in Blathe, he had always found it peculiar how the little girl frequently spoke of her mother but never mentioned her father. Today, she posed a question that sparked his curiosity.

“Joy…”

Eric was on the verge of asking more, but then—

“Joy!”

A sudden shout cut through the air.

It was Melba!

She had been watching closely from the sidelines, her gaze unwavering. Who would have thought that even with such sharp attention, a stranger could approach unnoticed?

Melba, panting from her sprint, scooped Joy into her arms and shot Eric a fierce glare.

“Who do you think you are, approaching a little girl like that? Back off, you perv!”

Without giving Eric a chance to defend himself, she turned and dashed away, treating him as though he were some lurking predator.

As she clutched Joy close, Melba whispered, “Don’t be scared, Joy. I’m here! Remember, you mustn’t talk to strangers. I’m so glad I got here in time. If anything had happened to you, losing my job would be the least of my worries compared to how your mother would cope…” Tears welled in Melba’s eyes as she spoke.

L∆Ŧ€$† Ç♄₳þŧëяŞ ¡η g𝓪l𝗇ovєl𝑆.𝒸оm

“You are the light of your mother’s life!”

“Melba,” Joy lifted her chubby little hand to gently dab at Melba’s tears, “Don’t cry. He’s not a bad person. I’ve seen him before.”

“You have?” Melba raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched across her face. “Where did you see him? What’s his name?”

Joy opened her mouth but faltered, unable to respond.

“You must have mixed him up with someone else,” Melba concluded. “You’re just a little kid; what do you know? Never mind, I’ll keep an even sharper eye on you from now on!”

Eric stood there, feeling utterly helpless.

Had he really been mistaken for a predator?

But what did Joy mean with her words? Were her parents at odds? Had her father walked out on them?

How could anyone abandon such a delightful daughter?

And now Joy was gone, and he hadn’t even had the chance to buy her the strawberry milk she adored so much.

Back at the apartment, Hadley noticed that Joy seemed unusually quiet, as if a shadow hung over her. She checked Joy’s temperature—no fever.

Feeling a sense of relief, Hadley was pulled aside by Melba, who began recounting the entire encounter with the stranger.

“This was on me,” Melba said, her voice laced with remorse. “Don’t worry; I’ll make sure I never take my eyes off Joy again.” Her sincerity was palpable; she was still shaken by the incident. If anything had happened to Joy, not even her life would suffice to atone for it.

“Melba,” Hadley said softly, “it’s not your fault. Who could foresee such unpredictable circumstances?”

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