Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Mother and Son Meet

Naomi Kenway was woken by the DING of a notification. She pried her eyes open, grabbed her phone from the table, and saw a flood of messages from friends in the industry congratulating her on finishing her shoot.

Naomi propped herself up and sat up, tapping into the messages that mentioned her and replying to them one by one.

After finishing, she stretched. Her eyes fell on the empty side of the bed, and she paused for a moment. She got up and pulled open the curtains. Warm sunlight streamed into the room; it was already late in the morning.

The bouquet of roses sat on a table in the middle of the bedroom. The exquisite flowers bathed in the sunlight, their beauty enhanced by the crystal vase holding them.

Naomi wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt the flowers looked even more beautiful than they had last night.

Naomi shook her head slightly.

’It’s probably just the light.’

Touching a petal, Naomi marveled. She wondered what material the roses were made of. They didn’t feel rough or dry at all, but had the smooth, dewy texture of a living plant.

After washing up, Naomi went downstairs. Nanny Warren approached her with a smile. “Madam, you’re awake. Do you need to go out today?”

Naomi gave her a friendly smile. “I’ve finished filming my scenes, and my schedule is pretty clear for a while. I plan on taking it easy at home today.”

Nanny Warren nodded. “You’ve been so busy, Madam. You certainly need the rest. Breakfast is ready. Mr. Shaw specifically asked for something light, since you were drinking last night.”

Naomi paused for a second, then nodded. “Okay.”

Naomi ate her porridge absently, her mind still on that bouquet of roses.

’If this was just a partnership of convenience, Ethan Shaw wouldn’t have needed to send me roses, with all the meaning they carry. I’m not emotionally oblivious; I can sense the shift in his attitude toward me.’

’It’s not that I dislike him—of course not. I have to admit, no matter how you look at it, Ethan is a charismatic man. I am attracted to him. But to say it’s ’like’ or ’love’… that doesn’t feel quite right either…’

She set down her spoon and sighed.

’I’m not good with sudden changes in a relationship. I don’t want to rush into a new phase so abruptly. I need time to think and process this.’

’The truth is, I don’t really trust ’love.’ It feels too illusory and ephemeral. Whether it was Jackson Kensington or Caleb Bishop, the people around me have always left me with a terrible impression. I can’t bring myself to fully trust anyone, which is why I’m not ready for a deeper connection with someone else, no matter how charismatic they are.’

’Compared to family and friendship, love always seems so fragile.’

*

Victor Vance’s visit that afternoon was a pleasant surprise for Naomi. She came downstairs in casual clothes and gave him a hug.

“I thought you’d already gone back to Galia.”

Victor smiled, but a hint of melancholy flashed in his eyes as he looked down. “There’s been a lot to deal with here lately. I’ve canceled all my overseas exhibitions.”

Naomi linked her arm through his affectionately and led him to the sofa. Her expression turned more serious. “How is the investigation into Christina Lynch going?”

Victor’s expression also grew grim. “I’m still looking into it. But the time gap is pretty large, which makes the investigation tricky.”

Naomi nodded. “Christina Lynch must have made thorough preparations back then. Uncovering the truth won’t be easy. If you need any help, just let me know.”

Victor nodded and squeezed Naomi’s hand. “Okay…”

“Madam,” Nanny Warren came over to remind them, “it’s almost time to pick up Ian from school.”

Naomi glanced at her watch, slightly surprised. “Already…?”

Victor spoke up. “Nina, can I go with you?” His voice held a pleading tone as he confessed, “I heard Nathan transferred to a new school, Sunshine Kindergarten, the same one Ian attends. I… I haven’t seen him in so long. I just want to see him from a distance…”

Naomi gripped his hand. “Why just watch from a distance? You’re Nathan’s mother. You have every right to see him, no matter what. You don’t have to be so sneaky about it.”

Pain and hesitation washed over Victor’s face.

“If you’re worried about Christina Lynch, don’t be. She has no right to take away your access to your child. And if you’re worried about Nathan…”

Naomi’s voice softened. “What you know about Nathan’s attitude right now is just hearsay. During the filming of the show, I was absolutely certain that he misses you. Since you miss him so much, why not go see him? I’m sure he has a lot he wants to say to you, too.”

“R-really?” Victor’s voice trembled. He could still remember the hurt, cold look in Nathan’s eyes the day he left the Lynch Family estate. Every time he thought of it, it felt like his heart was being sliced to pieces…

Naomi knew Victor was falling back into a vicious cycle of self-torment. She said gently, “Don’t dwell on those painful things. The one who should be in pain is the real culprit, Christina Lynch. She’s the one who caused all this suffering. Once we uncover the truth of what happened back then, everything will get better.”

Victor looked into Naomi’s beautiful, bright eyes, which seemed to give him invisible support. He slowly nodded.

*

At the kindergarten, dismissal times were staggered by grade level. As a preschooler, Ian Shaw was in the first group to be let out. The moment he spotted Naomi, he rushed forward and threw himself into her arms, looking up at her and saying sweetly, “Mommy, I learned how to make snacks in cooking class today! When we get home, can I make some for you and Daddy to try?”

“Of course! What kind of snacks did you learn to make?”

Ian thought for a moment. “Mung bean cakes.”

“Okay. Do you need Mommy to help you?”

“Yes! Because I’m too short to reach the cabinets.” He then asked, “I drink milk every day. Will I get tall like Daddy?”

Ian stretched his hands up high to demonstrate.

Naomi laughed. “Definitely.”

Victor watched the heartwarming scene with a faint smile, but then his eyes grew sad as a thought crossed his mind.

“Ian, Aunt Vance is here too. Quick, say hello to Auntie.”

Ian recognized Victor Vance. He remembered him as a friend of his mommy’s, a gentle auntie who often visited their house.

“Aunt Vance can have some of Ian’s mung bean cakes, too!”

A smile bloomed on Victor’s face, and he praised him repeatedly, “Such a good boy.”

After picking up Ian, the three of them lingered by unspoken agreement. Ian, as if sensing the mood, didn’t clamor to go home. Instead, he opened his little backpack and took out his artwork from drawing class to show Naomi and Victor:

“This is my drawing of the three little pigs! A little red pig, a little blue pig, and a little black pig…”

Another wave of noise erupted as the next group of students came out of the gate. Victor spotted Nathan Lynch instantly, and his heart clenched.

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