chapter2243

Felix gulped but still dared not give Miranda the real answer.

"Mom, honestly, I just slipped. It had nothing to do with anyone else."

He refused to let Jonathan or Elliot look down on him, especially with girls present.

Needing his mom's help would only brand him a spineless mama's boy online.

Seeing he would say no more, Miranda sighed and yielded.

"Be more careful next time, understand?"

"Got it," Felix said with a brisk nod.

Miranda finally led him away from the gate.

Even as he left, Felix shot Jonathan and Elliot two lingering glances.

Right then Cecilia arrived, just in time to see Miranda and Felix heading off.

She hurried over. "Jon, Elliot, are you two okay?"

She worried Miranda might have bullied them.

The twins shook their heads together. "We're fine."

Cecilia finally let out a relieved breath.

Yulissa approached with a bright smile. "Ms. Cecilia, long time no see. Picking up the kids too?"

Cecilia answered only with a polite nod. "Mm."

"Why not walk home together? It seems we share the same route," Yulissa suggested, eager to build a bridge to the Jamieson Group.

Cecilia's reply came cool. "You've got it wrong—we're heading in the opposite direction."

With that, she bent toward the boys.

"Let's go home."

"Okay."

She led the two children away down the path.

Watching from behind, Yulissa waited until Sophie had gone before grumbling, "Isn't your aunt supposed to be friends with Cecilia So aloof! And your Aunt Vivians just as bad

"She married into the Sinclair family yet won't lift a finger for her own folks!"

Dante pressed a hand to his forehead; his mother's complaints gave him an instant headache.

Why did everything have to rely on others, he wondered; why couldn't they just work harder themselves?

Dante shook his head, voice tight. "Mom, please stop telling me this. I don't want to hear it."

Yulissa yanked Dante's arm and dragged him forward. "You rotten kid!"

Pulled along, Dante stared at the pavement; sadness pooled in his eyes.

He wished his own mother protected him the way Jon and Elliot's mother shielded them.

If she could be even half as protective as Felix's mom, that would already be something.

Across the parking lot, Felix climbed into the car with Miranda beside him.

Miranda brushed dust from his clothes, then froze at the clear sneaker print on the seat of his pants.

Her hand stopped in mid-air.

"Felix, are you lying to Bailey?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

Felix blinked, baffled. "Mom, I didn't."

Miranda pointed at the dusty print. "You said nobody bullied you, so how do you explain that shoe mark?"

Cornered, Felix muttered, "Jon kicked me."

"What?" Miranda flared. "That unwanted child actually kicked And you still tried to cover f

him what were you think or you?

Felix shrank back at her anger.

"It... it was Jon," he stammered. "He threatened me and said I couldn't tell the truth."

Miranda balled her fists. "That

unwanted child has gone too

Pol

far-hitting you and then threatening you on top of it."

"Mom, please help me," Felix begged, tears brimming.

A flicker of satisfaction slipped through him; with Mom involved, Jon and Elliot would finally be taught a lesson.