CHAPTER 556: CHAPTER 544

At that moment, despair almost engulfed her son. She felt like a puppet whose every speech and behavior was being controlled by that f*cking person from afar. As a result, she was full of indignation and helplessness.

It seemed like she could not escape from that battle. She could only hope that she would not suffer an utter defeat.

Joanna simply packed up her things and boarded the earliest flight back to the City.

After being away for half a year, everything was still the same, but the people had changed.

When both Chase and Nancy heard that she wanted to come home, they were soon relieved before they heaved a sigh, one after another.

Joanna was worried about her brother, so she returned to Carmine Pawnshop first.

The two children missed her too much. They had been waiting at the door early and looking for her.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Abby saw the car, Joanna’s car from afar. She jumped happily.

On the other hand, Adie was also standing at the side eagerly. But his emotions were much more complicated.

"Adie, Abby, you’ve grown taller. I miss you so much."

When Joanna got out of the car, tears inevitably welled up in her eyes. After that, she pulled them both into her arms.

"Miss Joan, you’ve suffered a lot."

Similarly, Nancy’s eyes turned red with tears. She took the luggage from Joanna.

Half a year was neither long nor short. Besides, Joanna had to stay abroad to take care of a person who could not live on his own. It was obvious how hard and exhaustive it would be.

"No, I didn’t suffer much. You guys were the ones who suffered a lot. I put the two kids in your care. I haven’t been a good mother."

Joanna greedily kissed the two children, a testament to how much she missed them.

She spent half a year in that town. The most torturing thing was not that she had to stay abroad to take care of Jovan but she could not see her children... She missed them too much.

"Mommy, stop crying. Adie and I have grown up much. We can take care of ourselves now. Look at how much weight we’ve put on."

Abby did not want to see Joanna blame herself, so she immediately patted her tummy to tell Joanna that both she and Adie were fine.

Her face had indeed become chubbier. She was as chubby as a panda, and she was adorable.

In comparison, Adie was much more mature and handsome.

He behaved like an adult-like child. With his lips shut, he kept silent. It seemed that he was full of dissatisfaction.

"What’s the matter, Adie? Are you still mad at me?"

Joanna pinched Adie’s face and asked, smiling.

"Don’t touch me!"

Adie turned away and pouted exaggeratedly. He was just like an adult-like child.

"Adie, didn’t I tell you not to be mad at Mommy? She suffered a lot. We should be her considerate and sensible children. Hurry up and say sorry to Mommy!"

Abby put both hands on her waist and pouted her pink and tender lips. She made a request at Adie solemnly.

"I don’t want to say sorry. She didn’t want us. Why does she have to be a hypocrite and come back?"

When Adie reached that point, he struggled out of Joanna’s arms and ran away instantly.

"Adie..."

His repulsiveness brought a pang of grief to Joanna.

However, it was true indeed. During that period, she abandoned her children and went to a faraway land to take care of another man. Of course, no child could forgive that.

Adie was smarter and more sensitive than ordinary children. He should have noticed something, so he found Joanna quite repulsive.

"Miss Joan, I’m sorry. We tried our best to hide it from him, but you do know how smart he is. He’s technology savvy. We can’t hide anything from him, so..."

Completely helpless, Nancy sighed.

"It’s fine. Please leave us alone. I’ll talk it out with him properly."

After that, Joanna walked toward where Adie had run away alone.

Adie was fuming. With his hands behind him, he ran to a river. Facing the billowing waves of the river, he pretentiously put up a dull look.

Joanna walked over to him quietly. When she saw his back, helplessness was the only thing left in her. She inevitably became mesmerized by how awesome one’s genes could be. They were indeed strong.

Adie appeared gloomy and dull before her, just like a mini-Ace. When he grew up, he might even become colder and more aloof than Ace.

Carmine Pawnshop was located at the border of three countries, so its surrounding environment was rough and chaotic. It was a lawless place, a refuge for bad hats and ne’er-do-wells. However, this area alone was serene and calm, as if it was a utopia in the midst of the chaos.

No one dared to scheme against Adie, regardless of how bad and complicated the people out there were.

Here, Adie was regarded as the emperor’s successor, heir to the Night Demon. This meant he would be safe even if he stood by the bridge to enjoy the scenery or even if he decided to walk the curb with his eyes closed.

Joanna stood behind Adie with her arms across her chest. Silence engulfed her as she took in the scenery with him.

"Humph!"

As Adie was immersed in the view, his fury intensified. He picked up a few stones and threw them across the surface of the river, making a few beautiful instances of stone skipping.

"Wow, Adie, you’re very awesome. When did you learn how to do stone skipping?"

Praises inevitably escaped Joanna.

She learned stone skipping for a very long time, but she had yet to master it. So, she admired the people who could do beautiful stone skipping vehemently.

Adie turned around and glanced at her before he pouted and stated, "Mommy, I thought you didn’t want Abby and me. Go ahead and take care of that bad guy. Why did you come back?"

"Alas, my good son. Are you still mad? I told you that I didn’t abandon you and Abby deliberately. I had a secret trouble I needed to settle."

"What’s your secret trouble? Didn’t you have a change of heart and betray Daddy? Then you eloped with Daddy’s brother, didn’t you? What a big secret trouble!"

"Er..."

Joanna struggled to handle the situation.

Adie had matured a lot more after being separated from his mother for half a year. Consequently, Joanna was forced to give in because of how good he was at his sarcastic remarks.

"Where did you hear that from? It’s all nonsense. Don’t believe it."

"I looked it up on the Internet. Daddy was too sad because of your betrayal, so he chose another woman. He’s going to marry another woman. Abby and I will lose our Daddy by then."

When he reached that point, his bright eyes soon became somber. Clutching the stones in his hands, he said, "No one will ever teach me stone skipping again from now on."

In the past, he never enjoyed fatherly love, so he felt that it was not a big deal and was unnecessary.

However, he and his family of three led a worry-free life on Sun Island after their reunion with Ace. He found that he still loved Ace very much, and he yearned deeply for fatherly love.

He missed how Ace placed him on his shoulders. He also missed having Ace teach him how to fish in the sea and play volleyball with him on the beach... His mother could not replace his father in a lot of things.

"So, is that why you are angry at me? Is that the reason you’re ignoring me?"

Joanna asked him softly. Deep guilt was buried in her eyes.

Her heart was filled with deep gloom. She could not imagine what great disappointment was burdening Adie’s young soul.

"Honestly, I’m not mad at you."

He heaved a long sigh and turned to walk to Joanna, holding her hand and apologizing obediently. "I’m sorry, Mommy. I know that I shouldn’t blame you. You and Daddy have the right to be with someone else and the right to pursue your happiness. I’m just... afraid that you and Daddy will give us up one day."

"Silly boy. It’s impossible. It will never happen!"

"Why not? Didn’t you and Daddy leave us? You went missing without saying anything. And Daddy... I went to him that day, and it seemed like he didn’t see me. He held another woman’s hand and walked past me."