Tarquin tried to keep his cool. "How exactly did I bully her?" he asked.


    Evan''s temper red even more at the question. "You seriously don''t know how you bullied her?"


    Tarquin''s brow furrowed tighter. "No clue. I believe I''ve never bullied Elysia."


    "You... you..." Evan was beside himself with anger. His mom had been reduced to tears, and here Tarquin was, iming ignorance!


    That was just too much!


    Evan, clenching his little fists, was about to take a swing when Lowell quickly intervened, "Evan, let''s talk this out calmly, please... don''t get all worked up. Let''s just talk."


    Evan was fuming. "He made my mom cry, and he says he''s never bullied her! Bullying ady, that''s not what a true gentleman does! And then he doesn''t even have the guts to admit it, what a coward! And he thinks he can be my dad? He doesn''t deserve to!"


    He doesn''t deserve to be his dad?


    Lowell was too scared to utter a word.


    Tarquin pushed Lowell aside, trying to suppress his anger, and looked straight at Evan. "The bullying you''re talking about, is it about the call I made to her tonight?"


    Evan pouted, silent.


    Tarquin continued, "I did call her beforeing here and said some rather unfriendly things, but how did youe to know about that?"


    "I... won''t tell you!"


    "Did Elysia call you toin?"


    Tarquin was deeply upset, but he was more eager to understand how Evan got the news so quickly!


    Evan reacted strongly. "As if! Mom never shares sad stuff with us to worry us, she only tells us the happy things to cheer us up!"


    Tarquin caught the emphasis. "Us?"


    Before Evan could respond, his smartwatch rang. It was Elliot calling.


    Evan red at Tarquin once more. "Stop framing my mom! Andy off talking about her! My mom is the best mom in the world! And you''re the worst dad ever!"


    With that, he huffed, turned, and retreated to his room, deliberately locking it from the inside.


    Tarquin, gasping for air, stared in the direction of Evan''s room, his expression indescribable.


    The worst dad ever...


    That hurt more than a slow knife cut!


    Lowell stood by, lips moving but no wordsing out, full of sympathy for Tarquin.


    Even though they knew it wasn''t truly Evan speaking, but another personality of his, those words still stung.


    "Bring Elysia''s son to me!" Tarquin suddenly demanded.


    Lowell was startled. "Huh? Elysia''s son? Why do you want Elysia''s son?"


    Tarquin, with a stone-cold face, didn''t even nce at Lowell as he turned and walked toward his study.


    Lowell was left puzzled.


    Right then, Benjamin rushed in, asking Lowell, "Where are Evan and Tarquin? What happened to Evan?"


    Lowell mumbled to himself, "Getting Elysia''s son... what''s Tarquin nning with Elysia''s son?"


    Benjamin was confused. "What? What are you talking about?"


    Lowell paused, then had an epiphany. "I got it! Evan mentioned ''their mom,'' which must mean Ms. Thorne''s sons! That means, Evan and Ms. Thorne''s son know each other! Tarquin wants Ms. Thorne''s son to learn more about Ms. Thorne''s intentions!"


    With that realization, Lowell headed out.


    Benjamin, still confused, called after him, "What are you babbling about? Where are you going?"


    "To find Ms. Thorne''s son."


    "