Seeing Joshua arrive, Ste quickly filled him in on the situation with Marvin.


    She looked toward the elderly woman who was still standing by the door, pleading, and asked in a low voice, "Joshua, do you recognize her? Is she from your family?"


    Joshua followed her gaze. "Yes, I know her. She is Quincy Gardner''s mother."


    Quincy had been a core elite within the Gardner family, so it was only natural that Joshua would recognize his mother.


    Ste said, "Quincy specifically requested that Marvin be raised by the Connolly family. I have no idea what triggered this, but now his mother is showing up demanding him back.


    Neville broke up with his girlfriend for Marvin''s sake and has stayed single all these years just to raise him. There is absolutely no way he''s going to agree to hand him over."


    She turned to look at Joshua.


    "Joshua, at the end of the day, they''re Gardners. Could you step in and talk them down?"


    It wasn''t that Stecked the means to chase them off.


    But these people were technically Joshua''s rtives, and she didn''t want the situation to turn ugly.


    "Of course," Joshua said.


    He took her hand and led her over to the elderly woman. He offered a faint, polite smile. "Mrs. Gardner, what brings you all the way out here?"


    At the sound of Joshua''s voice, Quincy''s mother physically recoiled, shrinking back on pure reflex.


    Her pupils trembled as she slowly turned her head to look at the man standing before her.


    Even though she was decades older than him, she possessed absolutely none of the authority expected of an elder. Instead, she stammered, terrified, "S-Sir... what are you doing here?"


    Joshua kept his smile perfectly in ce. "I heard a friend was dealing with some trouble, so I came over to take a look."


    He cast a fleeting nce toward the Connolly residence and arched an eyebrow. "Why? Do you have some sort of rtionship with the Connolly family as well?" Quincy''s mother didn''t dare meet his eyes. She looked at the ground and whispered, "I only got to see my grandson a few times right after he was born. It''s been so many years... I just missed him so terribly, so I came to see him..."


    "Oh, I see," Joshua said smoothly. "You just wanted to see him. For a moment there, I was under the impression you were trying to take him away,


    Her lips parted as if she desperately wanted to argue.


    But the adult children supporting her quickly and discreetly tugged at her sleeves.


    A look of profound internal struggle washed over her face.


    Finally, she forced a stiff, unnatural smile.


    "Of course not. I really just wanted to see Marvin."


    Joshua gave à curt nod. "Visiting him is perfectly fine. However, Marvin has grown up entirely within the Connolly household. He doesn''t know any of you, let alone the


    environment within the


    order"


    family.


    Ripping him out of his home by force ispletely unnecessary."


    "Yes... you''re absolutely right, Sir," the old woman said hurriedly.


    Joshua turned back to Ste.


    how about we let her see


    you think


    If this could be resolved peacefully, that was for the best. A messy conflict would


    only hurt Marvin in the long run.


    Ste nodded. "Okay. Let me give Neville a call."


    She pulled out her phone and dialed.


    "Neville, I''m standing right outside your front door."


    Neville sighed heavily on the other end. "Did that little brat Marvin bother you with this?"


    Ste smiled. "With how close Marvin and I are, how could he ever be a bother?


    "I just had Joshua speak with Mrs. Gardner. She''s agreed to head home as long as she can see Marvin onest time.


    Neville, can you let her see him just this once?"


    The line went dead silent.


    After a long, agonizing pause, Neville finally spoke.