Chapter 359

As soon as Manley and Yuna stepped out, Teresa and Hayes returned to Hayes‘ room, their hearts pounding with anxiety.

Suddenly, Teresa noticed something odd about the way Hayes was walking. He moved as if he was treading on thin ice, as if he was injured somewhere.

She quickly rolled up Hayes‘ sleeves and pant legs to look for any wounds, but found none.

Hayes, feeling uncomfortable, pushed Teresa aside, his neck stiff and silent.

Teresa was frantic, “Hayes! Are you hurt? Are you in pain somewhere?”

Hayes, his face flushed, awkwardly covered his bottom.

Teresa, quick to notice Hayes‘ furtive motion, rushed forward and pulled down Hayes‘ pants–His buttocks were covered with red marks! In some areas, blood was still oozing! Caught off guard by Teresa yanking down his pants, Hayes was mortified. He instinctively wanted to pull his pants back up, but Teresa held on tight. For a moment, he didn’t know whether to cover his front or his behind. He could only stand there, legs clamped together. His movements were hilarious, but Teresa couldn’t find it in her to laugh. She was so heartbroken that she burst into tears, “Little mute, I’m so angry! I’m furious!

Why did they have to bully you?”

Hayes turned around and hastily wiped Teresa’s tears, but as she cried, he too shed tears. Yet he still tried to console Teresa, “Don’t cry… Don’t cry…”

Every time Hayes spoke, it only made Teresa cry harder, “Little mute, you can talk just fine, so why do you clam up when it matters most? You should have told your dad!”

Hayes turned around to grab a writing board to explain, but fearing his father might see, he ended up pulling out his phone to quickly type, “Mom was just looking out for me, and I shouldn’t be so selfish. If I told Dad, he’d be stuck in the middle.”

Teresa was exasperated, “What does that have to do with you? You’re not selfish at all! I was the one who insisted on playing with you!”

As she spoke, Teresa had Hayes lie down on the bed. Then, she took out a scar–covering ointment that she always carried with her and gently applied it to Hayes‘ wounds. But as soon as Teresa applied a bit of ointment, Hayes shivered in pain.

Teresa cried, blaming herself, “It’s all my fault, I said I would protect you. If it wasn’t for me, your mom wouldn’t have hit you. If I knew…if I knew I would’ve…”

Teresa couldn’t bring herself to say the rest of her words.

Hayes immediately got up from the bed, pulling up his pants while covering Teresa’s mouth.

The two kids stared at each other for a long time before Hayes, burdened with worry, asked Teresa through text, “Were you going to say, if you knew, you wouldn’t have played with me?”

Teresa was taken aback, she never imagined Hayes could read her thoughts! Without thinking, she nodded.

Seeing this, Hayes immediately threw his phone away, crossed his arms and sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Teresa. Tears streamed down his face.”

Realizing she had misspoke, Teresa rushed to comfort Hayes, “I’m sorry Hayes, I shouldn’t have thought that. I just…I just care about you…”

Hayes turned around, his eyes welled up with tears. He looked at Teresa stubbornly, then buried his head to type: “So, are we still best friends?”

Teresa nodded vigorously, “Yes!”

Hayes heaved a sigh of relief, the two kids immediately embraced each other tightly.

While patting Hayes‘ back, Teresa made a solemn promise, “Little mute, I will find a way to protect you!

I promise!”