Chapter 759

Chapter 759:

Joy’s voice was soft, but there was something different in her tone this time. Hugging her plush toy tightly, Joy hesitated before asking, “Are you and Dad apart now? Will you never be together again?”

“Why do you ask that, sweetheart?” Hadley asked gently, studying Joy’s expression.

Joy was still so young—did she even understand what she was talking about?

“Because… Dad never comes to our house.” Joy lowered her gaze, hugging her plush a little tighter. “Tyler said… when it’s like this, it means Mom and Dad are separated.” Tyler Warren—her little playmate from the neighborhood—had always looked out for her.

He was the one who had first introduced Joy to the idea of a dad, filling in the gaps Hadley had tried to shield her from.

Hadley sighed inwardly. Joy was growing up. The days of brushing things off with simple distractions were slipping away.

“Joy.”

She finished tying the two tiny buns and pulled her daughter into a gentle embrace.

“Mom and Dad… well, for certain reasons, we’re not living together right now.”

Joy tilted her head up, her big eyes blinking inquisitively. “What about in the future?”

Hadley hesitated. Where did she get this sharpness from? Even at her age, she was picking apart Hadley’s words, searching for something deeper.

“In the future…” Hadley carefully measured her response. “Mom doesn’t know yet. It’s not something Mom can decide alone.”

Joy’s brows furrowed. “Why? Is it because Dad doesn’t want to?”

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕠𝕟 𝓰𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀․𝗰𝗈𝗆

Hadley felt a bead of sweat forming at the nape of her neck. This was getting tough.

“Don’t be sad, Mom,” Joy whispered, her tiny arms tightening around Hadley. Her voice was filled with unwavering sincerity. “You have me, always! I’ll never leave your side!”

“Alright,” Hadley whispered, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. Reaching for the hair clips on the table, she carefully pinned one on each side of Joy’s buns, giving her a proud smile. “There. You look like a real princess!”

From outside, Melba’s voice rang out. “Hadley! Joy! It’s time for breakfast!” Hadley scooped Joy into her arms. “Come on, let’s go. Mom’s tummy is starving—what about you?”

“Me, too!” Joy giggled, throwing her arms around Hadley’s neck as they headed for the dining table.

After breakfast, Hadley and Melba took Joy downtown, heading straight to a children’s clothing store. They had perfect timing—the holiday sales were in full swing, and they managed to snag plenty of great finds.

Melba clicked her tongue in approval as she inspected the quality of the fabric. “Kids these days are lucky. Clothes like these used to cost a fortune, but now they’re affordable and well-made.”

By lunchtime, instead of heading home, they decided to eat at a restaurant in Evergrand Mall. Each of them ordered a set meal, while Joy got a colorful kid’s meal, complete with a tiny carton of juice.

As they waited for their food, Hadley stood up. “I’m going to the restroom. Joy, want to come with Mom?”

Joy shook her head. “No.”

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