?<strong>Chapter 1023:</strong>


    “Where are your parents? If she had been knocked down, you could’ve gotten into serious trouble. Legal trouble.”


    Any other adult might have been brushed off, but Kristopher’smanding presence made the air around him feel heavier.


    His tone held the kind of weight that made even unruly children pause.


    A boy, barely older than seven, burst into tears. “I don’t wanna get in big trouble!”


    Carrie usually found such chaotic behavior exhausting, but perhaps because of her pregnancy, a flicker ofpassion stirred in her chest.


    And really, she thought, this was partly her fault. She could have waited at the top for the children to finish their game before stepping on. Instead, she’d assumed nothing would go wrong.


    She reached out and gently tugged on Kristopher’s sleeve. Her voice was soft, almost coaxing. “It’s okay. Don’t scare them too much.”


    She didn’t realize how affectionate she sounded—her words and tone carried a kind of intimacy, almost as if she were speaking to him like they used to, as if no time had passed.


    Kristopher’s sternness faded ever so slightly at her touch. But his voice was still firm as he turned back to the kids. “I’ll let it slide this time. But next time, I won’t call your parents or teachers—I’ll call the police.”


    The children stared up at him wide-eyed, thoroughly chastened.


    “I monitor all the mall’s security cameras in Isonridge,” he added, deadpan. “I see everything.”


    Just as one of the kids started to turn and hop off early, Kristopher held up a hand. “Stand still. Wait for it to reach the bottom.” He looked down at them. “Last time I saw a kid running on an esctor—do you know what happened to him?”


    The kids exchanged nces, a mix of fear and curiosity on their faces.


    “What happened?” one of them asked hesitantly.


    Kristopher didn’t miss a beat. “He died.”


    The dramatic deration was both chilling and oddly effective.


    One boy took a cautious step closer, whispering, “How did he die?”


    Just then, the esctor reached the ground level. Kristopher moved protectively beside Carrie, helping her off first. Without turning back, he replied coolly, “He got caught in the esctor and was seriously injured.”


    Even Carrie, despite herself, found a small part of her believing Kristopher’s story. After the children left, she eyed him carefully.


    “Where’s this child you mentioned from?” she asked seriously. “I haven’t seen anything about it in the news.”


    Kristopher looked at her for a moment, then let a faint smile tug at the corners of his lips.


    “I made it up. On the spot.”


    “Huh?” Carrie blinked, visibly stunned.


    “Why are you so surprised?” he said casually, already walking ahead. “There are enough stories out there like that. It’s not that far-fetched.”


    Carrie frowned slightly—more confused than ever. She suddenly felt a slight tug at her hand. She looked down. Kristopher was still holding her hand.


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