Chapter 729

Chapter 729:

The little boy scrambled down from Nyla’s lap and planted himself squarely in front of Ernest. For someone so small, he stood with an unshaken determination—one that shouldn’t belong to a child his age.

“Dad, I’m sorry!”

His tiny fists clenched, his words trembling on the verge of breaking.

Locke hesitated, stealing a glance up at Ernest, searching his face for a reaction.

That look—so fragile, so uncertain—sent a sharp pang through Ernest’s chest.

He was just a child. And yet, he already understood too much.

That his fate wasn’t in his own hands. That his father had the power to decide whether he belonged in this family. Whether he mattered.

Without hesitation, Ernest crouched down and pulled Locke into his arms.

“Dad…” Locke’s tiny fingers curled into his shirt, gripping it as if letting go would mean losing everything. His voice shrank to a whisper, heavy with fear. “I’m sorry. Please don’t send me away.”

Tears streamed down his cheeks, his small frame trembling as he sobbed into Ernest’s chest.

“Locke, don’t cry.” Ernest gently wiped the tears from his son’s cheeks, his voice steady, reassuring. “This is your home. No matter what happens, I don’t want you thinking like that again. Do you hear me?”

“Dad!”

Watching them, Nyla felt her heart ache. She reached out, stroking Locke’s soft hair. “Sweetheart, let’s not cry anymore, okay? How about some ice cream?” Locke’s tears slowed. He blinked up at her, sniffling once more before nodding. “Okay!”

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The warmth between father and son was undeniable—a picture of familial love that should have been comforting.

But for Linda, standing off to the side, it was suffocating. She had been completely forgotten, pushed into the background. Without another word, she turned and made her way upstairs.

“Hadley!”

At that moment, Eric stepped out of his room, freshly changed, his sharp gaze immediately catching sight of Hadley walking toward him with a bowl of yogurt and oats.

But just as he reached her, his eyes flickered toward the hallway—just in time to see Linda retreat into her room, shutting the door firmly behind her. His brows furrowed. “What’s going on? What happened?”

“They had a fight,” Hadley said casually, chewing thoughtfully. “Seems like Locke doesn’t like her.”

They fought over the boy? Eric hesitated before choosing his words carefully. “Maybe she just… doesn’t know how to handle kids.”

Hadley smirked, lifting the spoon toward him. “Want some yogurt?”

“Sure.” He eyed it for a moment before leaning in, taking the bite straight from her spoon.

“Is it good?” she asked.

He swallowed, nodding appreciatively. “Can I have some more?”

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