"Your Majesty, are you upset because of that handsome uncle?" As soon as Claire led Adam and Hilary to stand beneath a massive billboard, Hilary blinked her big, curious eyes and studied Claire's pale face, her soft childish voice full of concern.
Just moments ago, Mommy had been trembling all over, and her eyes had turned red the moment she saw that handsome man. How hurt and heartbroken she must have felt!
Claire felt a wave of awkwardness.
She'd forgotten, her daughter had an extraordinary gift. Since she was little, Hilary could read minds and easily sense what others were feeling.
Just now, she had read her heart again!
"Hilary, you mustn't read other people's minds without permission. It's very impolite." Claire gently ruffled her little head, putting on a stern face.
"I'm sorry, Mommy Majesty . I won't do it again," Hilary immediately lowered her head and apologized sincerely. Mommy was so sad, and it made her heart ache.
"Mommy, please don't be angry, okay? I love you so much."
She raised Claire's hand and planted kiss after kiss on the back of it.
Warmth immediately bloomed in Claire's heart, melting all the darkness in an instant.
No, her life hadn't been entirely devoid of blessings. At the very least, heaven had gifted her two precious little angels.
Right then and there, she made a decision: after visiting her grandmother, she would take the kids and leave this place far behind. Leave the scumbags and traitors in the dust!
She believed karma never misses.
"How could Mommy ever stay mad at her baby? Mommy loves you the most," she bent down and kissed Hilary's soft, pink cheek tenderly.
"Mommy! Adam wants kisses too!" the little boy beside them got jealous, leaning in with his cool yet playful little face, grinning.
"Of course, Mommy has kisses for her little Adam, too!"
Claire couldn't help but laugh at Adam's adorable pout. She scooped him up in her arms and planted a big kiss on his cheek before standing up and saying warmly,
"Adam, Hilary, let's go. Great-Grandma is waiting for us."
"Okay!" the two little ones chimed in happily.
In the backseat of the taxi.
Adam and Hilary sat side by side, but neither of their cherubic little faces showed a smile.
"Brother, Mommy really hates that handsome uncle… She hates him so much, and she's worried he might try to take you away," Hilary whispered softly in Adam's ear, revealing what she had sensed from Mommy's heart.
Her pretty eyes were filled with confusion and worry.
"What about that ugly woman?" Adam asked instead, referring to the woman who had been beside Gilbert Watson.
With his sharp instincts, he knew that Mommy's pain and fury had peaked when she saw *her*.
Hilary blinked, confused, and shook her head.
Earlier, she had been too focused on Gilbert. He was so handsome, and looked just like Adam! She had been a little spellbound. As for the ugly woman next to him? Hilary hadn't spared her a single glance.
"You're so hopeless." Adam gave her a light flick on the forehead.
Adam was clever. His little display of cuteness earlier. Begging Mommy for kisses was all on purpose. He just wanted to cheer Mommy up, because she had looked so broken.
Hilary scratched her head, a little embarrassed. Ugh, she really was kind of dumb!
"Hilary, let me tell you something," Adam leaned in and whispered, "that handsome uncle is our Daddy."
Hilary's eyes widened in shock. After a moment, she nodded seriously.
"You're right. He looks just like you. He couldn't be your son, so he *must* be our Daddy. But he definitely bullied Mommy. That makes him a bad Daddy!"
"Mhm." Adam sniffled and nodded, his tiny fists clenched tight.
Hmph! Whoever dares bully my queen, I'll make them pay! Even if it's Daddy, no one messes with my Mommy! Grown-ups think kids are powerless? Not with me. I'll take down every rotten adult who dares hurt her!
In front of a grand and luxurious villa.
"Oh my, what beautiful little grandchildren!" As soon as the two little ones stepped out of the car, Gina hobbled over with a cane. The moment she saw the adorable pair, her eyes brimmed with tears of joy and she couldn't help but exclaim.
Claire froze in surprise.
Wasn't her grandmother supposed to be bedridden and gravely ill? What was going on…?
"Dear Great-Grandma, hello! We love you so much!" Adam and Hilary wiggled their tiny hips as they ran over, bowing politely before Gina with sweet, childish voices. Their chubby hands made heart shapes in the air, utterly adorable.
"Oh, my sweet babies! Great-Grandma loves you too!" Gina was completely melted by their cuteness, grinning from ear to ear. "Come in, come in!"
Living Room.Claire's two uncles and their wives were already seated on the sofa.
"You are?" One of them asked, eyeing the casually dressed but stunning young woman before them. Her presence lit up the entire room.
"Uncle, Aunt, I'm Claire."
"You're that bastard child my sister had? Weren't you dead?" The older aunt's face turned stormy, and she shot up from her seat.
The atmosphere froze.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Gina came in after them, her face stern. "Claire never died. Six years ago, she went to Nocta to study after giving birth."
"Heh, just like her mother cheated on by a man and knocked up with a bastard," Second aunt, Kelly sneered. From the moment Claire entered, her cold, venomous eyes hadn't left her. Now her tone was downright cruel and mocking.
"Silence!" Gina trembled with rage, her cane thudding sharply against the floor.
Claire's eyes flashed with ice.
They could insult her but never her mother.
"Second Aunt, no matter what, my mother was legally married. Not like some people who clawed their way in as mistresses and now strut around like peacocks. Arrogance invites the storm, be careful karma doesn't come knocking."
Kelly's face turned ashen.
She was twenty-five years younger than her husband Jeffrey Smith. Years ago, Jeffrey had been so infatuated with her youth and beauty that he forced his wife to divorce him. The scandal had rocked the business world, and to this day, remained her deepest shame.
She never imagined Claire would publicly humiliate her like this. Rage boiling, she leapt up, ready to explode.
"Hmph! Ugly witch!" Adam's little face was already flushed with fury. These relatives dared to bully his mommy right in front of him? No way! He jumped in front of Claire, shielding her with his small body, arms akimbo, and shouted at Kelly with fierce cuteness, "You're not allowed to bully my Majesty the Queen! Or I'll flatten you!"
Kelly was so angry she nearly exploded on the spot.
This little brat just called her an ugly witch?
What a nest of thieves! She hadn't even started to settle the score, and they were already ganging up on her.
Back then, Kelly had watched helplessly as Lara Smith ignored family objections and severed all ties with the Smiths, running off to marry a comedian while pregnant. The entire Smith Family was thrown into disgrace. Their stocks plummeted, and the family nearly went bankrupt.
How did they even have the nerve to come back?
But just as she was about to explode with rage.
Hilary came bouncing over, arms crossed, leaning against a chair with her cheeks puffed out. She stuck out her tongue and made a goofy face at Lara, then shouted:
"Ugly witch! You just want Great-Grandma's seaside villa so you can give it to that pretty boy! Shame on you, shame shame shame!"
The moment Hilary's words landed, the living room erupted into chaos.
Jeffrey Smith's face changed drastically. He jumped up, eyes full of suspicion and fury as he stared at his wife.