Chapter 3 Mommy

Not far from the ballroom, a little boy sat quietly inside a luxury car, his delicate features carved like a porcelain doll. His large, jet-black eyes stared longingly at Juliette's retreating figure, glowing with admiration-and aching with loneliness.

That boy was none other than her son-Julian.

A closer look, and you'd notice-he looked exactly like Jace.

'She's so pretty. So gentle. If that beautiful lady were my mommy, that would be amazing...'

But then, his small face darkened.

He remembered his condition-how his body wasn't like the other kids'. Maybe that's why Mommy didn't want him. Maybe... he just wasn't good enough.

If he got close to that pretty lady... would she end up hating him too?

A sharp pain coiled in his little chest, like barbed wire wrapped tight around his heart.

Filan, who stood nearby, seemed to notice something was wrong. He leaned down, gently coaxing, "Young Master... do you want to go inside?"

Julian's face remained blank, eyes icy, silent as a statue.

"...Right." Filan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

He tried again, "But your father still has business to take care of. We have to wait for him to finish first, okay?"

Still, silence.

Filan winced. 'God, this is painful.' He figured it was better not to speak at all. The young master was always so calm and independent, but the truth was-his autism was severe. The Cross Family had spent millions on specialists, but none could help.

But just then, that ice-cold little voice finally broke the silence. "I want to drink."

Filan's eyes went wide. "W-what did you just say?!"

'Did I hear that right?!'

It had been ninety-seven days and thirteen hours since the boy last spoke-and now, finally, he'd said something again?!

Julian's sharp eyes narrowed in frustration. "I want to drink."

The soft, childish voice rang out clearly.

Filan nearly burst into tears. "Right! Okay! Drink, I'll go get it right now-Young Master, just wait here! I'll be back in a flash!"

He took off running, joyful as ever.

Meanwhile, inside the car, Julian's dark eyes shimmered with determination.

He reached out his chubby little hand, picked up a mask from the seat, and gently placed it over his face.

Then, without hesitation, he pushed open the door and jumped down, running straight toward the direction where Juliette had disappeared.

'I want to see the pretty lady. I really, really like her.'

Two minutes later, Filan came bounding back, water bottle in hand. "Young Master! Here's your water!"

He peeked into the car, only to find the seat empty.

His heart dropped.

'Oh no. Oh no no no no no-where's my precious little boy?!'

...

In the VIP room...

Juliette scanned the intel from her subordinates with a stormy expression.

The man standing in front of her was shaking in his shoes. "Boss... Logan is still in the middle of business negotiations, but we already searched the entire hall-every single room. There's no sign of a child with them. Could it be..."

He didn't finish.

Everyone knew-Juliette angry was something even grown men couldn't handle.

She narrowed her eyes. 'Logan always keeps Julian by his side. Why is today the exception?'

Just then, laughter and shouting echoed from outside.

"Haha, he must be a mute! We've been teasing him forever, and he hasn't said a single word!"

"Hey! You hear us? Take off that mask, freak!"

Juliette's face went cold. "What's going on out there?"

Her subordinate paused, listening carefully. "Sounds like a few rich kids messing around. Do you want me to drive them out?"

These spoiled brats were the worst. If they were like this now, what would they grow into?

"I'll handle it myself," she said, a strange feeling twisting in her chest. She didn't know why, but something told her-she had to go.

She rushed out, heart pounding.

And then she saw them.

A few pampered kids stood in a circle, surrounding one child in the middle, mocking and jeering with smug little faces.

But the boy in the center stood tall, back straight as a tree, even though his head was bowed.

"Who the hell wears a mask indoors? What a freak!"

"If you don't take it off, we'll rip it off for you!"

Juliette's voice cut through the chaos like a knife: "What are you doing?! Leave. Now. Or I'll have your parents come pick you up from my office personally."

The chill in her voice hit like ice water. The bullies scattered in an instant.

Julian looked up, stunned.

In the glow of the overhead lights, Juliette looked like a goddess-graceful, glowing, untouchable.

She was like a warm, gentle cloud that had suddenly floated into his lonely world... and in that moment, Julian's heart melted.

He was looking at an angel.

'Mommy...'

Julian wanted so badly to call out, but the word caught in his throat, stuck.

Everyone said he had autism-would he scare the pretty auntie away like this?

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Juliette's voice was full of surprise and joy as she crouched down and gently rubbed Julian's head. Her eyes shimmered with tears. "Why are you out here all alone? Where's your daddy?"

She'd looked over Julian's file countless times. That mask-she couldn't be more familiar with it. The child she'd been aching for all these years had appeared before her like this.

But no matter what the situation, Logan had no right to leave Julian alone, much less let him be bullied by other kids.