Chapter <b>210 </b>
Xylia thought back to seeing Be’s parents at the police station yesterday.
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I’ve just reunited with the Sadler family, so maybe Be’s parents don’t even know I’m one of them yet, Xylia wondered. ‘That’s probably why they’re okay with me spending time with their daughter!‘
Be nced around Xylia’s studio, then looked over at Josie, who was standing next to her.
“Are you working right now, Xylia?” Be asked.
Xylia was just about to answer when Be obediently took off her backpack and sat quietly on the sofa, hugging her bag close.
“It’s okay, Xylia. I won’t bother you while you work. I’ll just wait here until you’re finished, and then you can y with me–promise!” Be said, sounding especially sweet and sensible.
Be was such a sweet and thoughtful kid.
Be’s well–behaved manner made Xylia feel a little embarrassed.
Josie knew Be was the girl who Xylia and Leroy had helped out yesterday. Not wanting Be to be left waiting, she figured Macy, who had some free time, could y with Be for a while.
But Be shook her head–she really didn’t want that.
Be just kept her eyes on Xylia, thinking, ‘I only want to stay with Xylia. Nobody else!
Xylia didn’t want Be to just be left waiting, so she quickly finished up her work talk with Josie and then took Be by the hand, heading straight for the dessert shop next door.*
“Take a look, Be. See anything you want to eat? My treat,” Xylia said with a gentle smile.*
Be pulled out a ck card from her bag, shing it with a proud little grin as she boasted, “I’ve got money, Xylia! If there’s anything you want to eat, I’ll buy it for you!“*
This ck card was clearly way out of a kid’s league–it wasn’t something you’d expect a child to have.
Xylia crouched down in front of Be, smiling. “Hey Be, where did you get this card from?”
“It’s my dad’s,” Be replied, not hiding anything.
“Did Daddy give it to you so you could go shopping?” Xylia asked, her voice gentle.
Xylia’s tone was full of warmth, as if she didn’t want to frighten Be.
Be fidgeted with the card, suddenly looking sheepish. “I… I took it from my dad’s wallet,” she admitted.
Xylia asked softly, “Does your dad know?”
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Be sheepishly shook her head, eyes cast downward.
Xylia reached out and gave Be’s head a loving little pat. “Alright, how about you give your dad his card back tonight? As for today, the cakes are on me–go ahead and pick out anything you like.”
Be, soothed by Xylia’s gentle voice, nodded in a daze.
Xylia smiled, “Go ahead, Be–pick any cakes you like.”
Remembering her own milk allergy, Xylia gently asked, “Be, are you allergic to anything or is there anything you shouldn’t eat?”
Be paused to think, then shook her head, looking sure.
Xylia gave her an encouraging nod and let Be make her own choices.
Be picked out two cute cakes, while Xylia just took a bread roll and a vitamin drink. The two of them–one big, one small–sat together at a little table by the window, sharing their desserts.
Seen from outside, Xylia looked every bit the gentle mother, her gaze soft as she watched Be across the table.
Be got a dab of cream on the corner of her lips, and Xylia reached over to carefully wipe it away, all warmth and tenderness<b>. </b>
Sonny hopped out of the car, still holding Tessa’s hand, when he nced through the window and saw the scene inside.
In that split second, a burst of jealousy shot up inside Sonny like a firecracker. ‘What the–why is my mom suddenly being <b>so </b>soft with someone else’s kid?‘ he fumed to himself.
He just couldn’t believe it–since when did his mom treat other kids with that kind of gentle care?
Grumbling under his breath, Sonny tore his hand away from Tessa and dashed straight toward the dessert shop.
The shop clerk standing by the door saw Sonny–a cute and dapper little boy–dashing over, assuming he was just another customer and gearing up to greet him with a smile.
But before she could even get a word out, Sonny blew right past her, not sparing her a nce.
He pushed the door open and zeroed in on Xylia, charging straight for her spot without any hesitation.
He barreled over to the table like a whirlwind, throwing a death re straight at Be.
“Who do you think you are? Can’t you even eat cake on your own? Or do you need my mom to hold your hand and feed you?” Sonny huffed, sounding super jealous.
Sonny was acting all bossy.
He was just a bit taller than Be, stood with his hands on his hips, ring down at her, trying his hardest to
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look scary.
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Be’s lips started to tremble, and next thing anyone knew, she just burst into loud sobs–Sonny’s harsh words had totally scared her.
Sonny was stunned; he hadn’t expected her to bawl like that at all, and for a split second, he just stood there,pletely bewildered, thinking, ‘Wait, why’d she start crying so suddenly?‘
“Sonny, what do you think you’re doing?” Xylia scolded, her voice cutting through the air–worlds away from her usual gentle self.
Sonny froze on the spot, not sure what to do as he heard her sharp tone behind him.
He was so used to Xylia always being soft with him; for once, she was actually yelling at him.
Sonny watched as Xylia hurried to Be’s side, gathering the girl into a gentle embrace and quietlyforting her.
“Don’t cry, Be. I’ll have your big brother apologize to you,” Xylia reassured, her tone soft and protective.
She turned to Sonny next, frowning seriously, “Say sorry to your little sister.”
“No!” Sonny snapped, sticking his neck out, stubborn and defiant.
He stared at Xylia, hurt filling his eyes–he couldn’t believe she’d take someone else’s side over him.
Connor had always told him, “No matter who I marry, Xylia will always be your mom.” That fact would never change, not for
anyone.
Sonny did really like Tessa–aunt Tessa was super nice, and deep down, he really wanted her to be his mom.
But no matter what, Xylia would always hold that special ce in his heart as ‘Mom.‘
He figured that after Dad and Tessa got married, he’d still make time toe over to Norhill and see Xylia whenever he could.
But he hadn’t expected that, this time when he showed up, he’d find Xylia already treating another kid with all that tenderness… and for some reason, seeing that made his little heart ache.
‘No way! I won’t let this happen!‘ Sonny stubbornly thought, digging his heels in.
Xylia’s voice came out soft and steady, only saying, “Apologize.”
She didn’t get loud or harsh, but those two simple words left no space to argue–the quiet firmness behind them was impossible to ignore.
Whenever Xylia spoke like this, Sonny would fall right in line without a fuss.
And this time was no exception.
Sonny nced at Xylia, then over at Be.
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That bloodline suppression–they always say family ties have a power of their own–hit him like an invisible wall. Shoulders slumping, he lowered his head, about to mutter an apology to Be.
<b>Just </b>then, Tessa’s voice broke in from behind.
“Xylia, you’re not Sonny’s mom anymore–who are you to make my Sonny apologize?” Tessa snapped, her tone bristling with protectiveness.
When Tessa appeared, ready to stand up for Sonny, his eyes instantly reddened and he looked close to <b>tears</b>.
He whirled around and rushed over to Tessa’s side, crying out, “Mom, they’re picking on me!”
With a shaky finger, Sonny pointed straight at Be, never once looking at Xylia.
Even with all the drama, Sonny couldn’t help feeling nervous around Xylia.
Xylia looked at her son–her heartpletely still, almost numb.
Long before she’d left the Ford family, she’d already seen the real Sonny she’d spent all those years raising.
She knew she’d put in real effort raising him.
But for Sonny to end up this way—prone to lying and acting like he owed nothing to his mom–she knew it wasn’t just Tessa or Connor’s influence. Sonny himself was part of the problem.
No fixing a piece of paper that’s wed from the start.
As far as she was concerned, there was nothing left of her rtionship with Sonny–they weren’t really mother and son anymore.
“Ms. Schultz, your son barged in and started yelling at this little girl out of nowhere. If he won’t apologize, shouldn’t you, as his mom, say sorry for him?” Xylia said coldly, not giving Tessa any chance to dodge the me<i>. </i>
Sonny froze on the spot, totally blindsided.
It was the first time he’d ever heard Xylia actually acknowledge Tessa as his mom.
But instead of the happiness he’d always imagined, it just felt like something precious had quietly slipped right out of his grasp.
He was left freaked out and at a total loss<b>. </b>
And in that instant, all those feelings melted away into a dull, restless frustration he couldn’t shake.
Sonny clung to Tessa’s hand, sounding bossy and aggrieved. “This is all your fault! You guys upset me first! Even if you and Dad are divorced, you’re still my mom! If you don’t want to be nice to me, whatever—just tell me, but why do you treat her so much better than me? Why is she getting all your hugs and kindness, and I get nothing?”
Sonny was being absolutely impossible right now, Xylia thought, reaching a whole new level of unreasonable.
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He was the one who’d cast her aside as his mom, but now he was turning around and trying to use that word to keep her tethered to him. The nerve.
She’d brought him into this world, raised him for all of seven years–seriously, when had she ever owed him anything?
Xylia gave a quiet scoff. “Sonny, you need to remember this–I’m not your mother. The woman standing beside you, Tessa, is your mom now.”
Tessa clenched her jaw, shooting Xylia a re that could cut ss.