"You threatened to jump off the balcony just to make me watch cartoons with you?"


    Henry''s dark eyes met hers. "Why not? Think about it, Mom-when was thest time you watched cartoons with me?"


    Jessica''s lips froze mid-reply.


    Why didn''t she watch cartoons with him? Was he really pretending not to know the reason?


    Henry nudged her, impatient. "Come on, sit down! This one''s even made by Miss She herself. She''s amazing. Let''s watch it together, and then you have to help me cut out the characters for my scrapbook. I want to make a picture book for Miss She."


    To Henry, She was everything a person should be: understanding, gentle, endlessly considerate.


    She''d even called today, asking him to bring his mom home, all for the sake of harmony in the family.


    If he could just keep Mom at home, then Miss She wouldn''t have to worry anymore; she might evene back to stay at The Gilded Whisper Estates.


    With his paper-cutting contesting up soon, he needed She around more than ever.


    Jessica felt as if a thorn had lodged in her throat, making it hard to breathe.


    She raised her wrist, voice tight. "You already know how to make picture books now?"


    Henry''s brows drew together instantly.


    He did. He''d made his first paper-cut picture book for Miss She.


    A pang of guilt stabbed through him.


    He''d once promised Mom that the first one he finished on his own would be for her.


    "Ugh, why do you have to be so annoying? Always asking questions! Can''t you just sit and watch with me for once?"


    Jessica ignored him, walked over to Mabel, and quickly typed a message into her phone.


    "Get a few more staff to keep an eye on him. He just called me threatening to jump if no one paid attention to him. If anything happens, it''ll be on all of you."


    Mabel read the message and went pale. Little Henry was the Lawson family''s treasure—if anything happened to him, every staff member in The Gilded Whisper Estates would be out of a job, or worse.


    "Don''t worry, ma''am. I''ll get more people on it right away."


    She hurried off to the back, gathering the indoor staff and warning them that young Henry had threatened to throw himself off the balcony. They needed to keep a close watch on him, no excuses.


    Once Jessica saw the house was secure, she turned to leave.


    "Mom!"


    Henry called after her. "Are you running away again? Do you know how much trouble you''re causing? What''s wrong with youtely? Why can''t you just stay home like you''re supposed to? Even Miss She''s worried-you know, she called earlier and told me to do whatever it took to bring you back."


    Jessica spun around, using signnguage. "You''re saying She told you to ask me toe home?"


    Henry, sprawled across the sofa, arched an eyebrow. "You''re never home anymore. She''s afraid toe over-she thinks you don''t like her. She even told me to talk to you, to ask you to stop running off. Dad worries, too."


    Jessica pressed her lips together, lost in thought.


    She''d nearly run into Mr. Smith just now.


    She hadn''t been around muchtely. But She hadn''t asked Henry to call her back-Jessica knew that for a fact.


    Today...


    It seemed She was trying to keep her away from Mr. Smith.


    Jessica hadn''t worked in seven years, but that didn''t mean she was na?ve aboutpetition.


    Ever since she learned Timothy''s heart belonged to She, she''d chosen to step aside, never once considering a fight.


    But She clearly wasn''t finished with her.


    Jessica''s expression hardened. She gave Henry a cold look, then turned and walked out.


    "Mom!"


    Henry''s shout didn''t stop her.


    Anger boiling over, he grabbed a pillow off the sofa and hurled it across the room.