Free Web NovelChapter 14: Chapter 14
Elise let out a faint, self-mocking smile.
"I may not be able to accept that child’s existence," she said quietly, "but I’m a mother too. I’m not going to take my anger out on a child."
Zoey looked at her like she’d just said something ridiculous. "You think I’m worried you’ll hurt him?"
Elise blinked, confused. "Aren’t you?"
"Please." Zoey rolled her eyes, then glanced pointedly at Elise’s stomach and sighed. "I’m worried he will be just as trashy as his mother. You’re not alone anymore—you need to think about yourself first."
Elise offered her a helpless sigh. "You really think I’d get bullied by a five-year-old?"
"Have you been watching too many drama shorts?" she added lightly.
Well... she had.
***
Elise had prepared everything in advance.
She arrived at the kindergarten under the identity of Mrs. Bennett, here to "inspect" the school.
Five years ago, Dylan had made a sizable donation to the kindergarten. So when the principal heard that Mrs. Bennett was visiting, she personally came out to receive her with great enthusiasm.
"Mrs. Bennett, as you can see, all these playground facilities, as well as the children’s beds and dining equipment, were purchased using Mr. Bennett’s donation."
The children were all in class at the moment.
The principal led Elise across the spacious playground, where greenery and equipment were meticulously maintained.
Elise listened quietly to the woman’s enthusiastic explanations, her expression calm, reserved.
Noticing her silence, the principal grew slightly anxious, afraid she might have overlooked something.
"Mrs. Bennett," she asked cautiously, "do you feel there’s anything we could improve? Or is there anything specific you’d like to know more about?"
"The kindergarten looks excellent overall," Elise replied, stopping in her tracks.
Her gaze drifted toward the classroom buildings before returning to the principal.
"That child... has he adapted well here?"
The principal paused for a brief second, then quickly understood and smiled.
"Oh, you mean Robin? Please don’t worry, Mrs. Bennett. Since he’s the child you and Mr. Bennett adopted, we naturally take special care of him. And he’s such a bright, polite boy—very well-liked. Both the teachers and the other children adore him!"
Adopted.
So Dylan had publicly claimed that Robin was their adopted son.
Even though Elise thought her heart had already hardened, the revelation still cut deep.
Of course, it was just like Dylan.
With that single move, Robin could openly call him father, and step into any setting as the legitimate young heir of the Bennett family.
Every step... perfectly calculated.
While she had been trapped in grief for five years, she hadn’t even known she had gained a five-year-old "adopted son."
"Mr. Bennett once mentioned that you’d been unwell and rarely went out," the principal continued, smiling warmly. "But even now, though you still look a bit pale, you came here personally to see Robin. It just shows how much you care about him—just like Mr. Bennett does."
Elise’s fingers curled into her palms, nails pressing hard into her skin.
Only the sting of pain kept her steady. She drew in a slow breath, her expression still composed.
"It’s class time," she said. "I won’t disturb the other children. I’d like to see Robin alone."
"Of course! No problem at all." The principal nodded eagerly. "I’ll have his teacher bring him over right away."
***
Soon, a young teacher appeared, gently leading a five-year-old boy toward them.
The moment the principal spotted them, she waved cheerfully.
"Robin, come here! Look who’s here to see you!"
The boy’s eyes widened in surprise the instant he saw Elise. To the principal, it looked like delight.
She stepped forward, taking his hand, then crouched down beside him, smiling.
"Robin, this is your mommy. It’s her first time coming to see you at kindergarten. Aren’t you happy?" freewebnøvel.coɱ
Robin stood frozen, staring at Elise in confusion. Then, his small brows furrowed slightly, his wide, deer-like eyes fixed on her.
There was shock in his gaze. And something else— something akin to uncertainty.
Elise stood just a few steps away from him. At this distance, the resemblance was even clearer. Especially the way he frowned... He looked almost exactly like Dylan.
The principal noticed his silence and felt a flicker of awkwardness.
But since Mrs. Bennett had come all this way, she couldn’t let the moment fall flat.
She coaxed him more enthusiastically. "Robin, are you so happy you’re speechless? Go on—call her ’Mom.’"
Still dazed, Robin was gently nudged forward by the principal. His small body stumbled a few steps ahead, nearly colliding with Elise.
She reacted instantly, reaching out to steady him by the arm—careful to keep him from hitting her abdomen.
Only after he regained his balance did she let go.
Then she turned to the slightly awkward-looking principal. "Mrs. Smith, you can go ahead. I’d like to speak with him alone."
The principal nodded and left. The wide playground fell quiet, leaving only Elise and the child.
Robin stood stiffly, his small face tense, both hands clutching the hem of his shirt. His head was lowered, as if he didn’t dare meet her eyes.
Elise looked down at him, and from this angle, she could clearly see the two whorls at the crown of his head.
Just like Dylan’s.
They said people with two hair whorls were stubborn by nature. Yet the principal had described him as polite, intelligent, well-liked. It spoke volumes about how much care Dylan had put into raising him.
Elise’s voice was cool as she finally spoke, "What’s your name?"
Robin kept his head down, his voice barely audible, like the buzz of a mosquito.
She frowned slightly. "Look up. Speak louder."
Slowly, he raised his head. His eyes met hers, timid and uncertain.
"My name is... Robin Bennett."
Robin Bennett.
He had the Bennett surname.
Elise suppressed the surge of emotion in her chest and asked again, her tone still cold, "Do you know who I am?"
At that, Robin instinctively took a few steps back. "I—I don’t know you."
That reaction... How could that be not knowing?
Elise was about to press further when suddenly... The world tilted. A sharp wave of dizziness hit her, accompanied by a ringing in her ears.
She forced herself to stay conscious, slowly lowering into a crouch. In just seconds, a fine sheen of sweat broke out across her forehead.
Why now—of all times—did her low blood sugar have to act up?
"Miss... are you okay?"
Robin rushed over, dropping into a crouch beside her. His small hands reached out, wrapping around her cold, trembling fingers.
Elise froze for a moment.
"My mom gets like this when her blood sugar is low too," he said softly. "Do you want some candy?"
As he spoke, he dug into his pocket, pulled out a piece of candy, and quickly unwrapped it, holding it out to her.
Elise’s blurred vision gradually cleared. In front of her, his tiny fingers held a piece of orange peel candy.
"Miss, this one is really tasty. If you eat it, you won’t feel bad anymore!"
As he spoke, the candy was already pressed gently against her lips.
Elise frowned slightly, staring at the child in front of her, unsure how to respond.
"Miss, don’t worry—it’s really good," he continued with a soft smile. "I sneak a few every day. When I feel bad, I eat one and it goes away. And if I’m sad, it makes me feel happy again."
His soft, childish voice carried an unexpected warmth.
Elise looked at him—truly looked this time. In those clear, innocent eyes, there was no calculation. Only pure concern.
Something in her chest shifted, just slightly.
"You..."
