After arriving at the hotel, Charlotte Thompson phoned Henry Hudson to let him know she wouldn’t be returning home, then climbed the stairs in her high heels, feeling somewhat exhausted.
It took her a while to find her room key in her bag, and when she opened the door, she found all the children neatly gathered in her room.
She forced a weak smile and asked, "What are you all doing here?"
Usually, the kids were quite independent, spending their time in their own rooms either building blocks or watching TV. Even Grace Thompson, who usually loved to sleep, was sitting upright here.
Why were they behaving out of the ordinary today, flocking to her room?
Upon hearing her words, the kids looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
Hank Thompson pondered for a few minutes, then, his chubby cheeks puffing up, he suddenly stood up and ran over to her, hugging her leg.
Charlotte’s heart softened. She squatted down to look Hank in the eyes.
First, she gently ruffled his fluffy head, then with a smile and a soft voice, she asked, "What’s wrong, Hank?"
Hank pursed his lips, silent for a while.
Charlotte found it amusing yet unusual to see her usually energetic son acting so solemn. "Darling, is there anything you can’t tell mommy?" she asked.
It seemed as though Hank was carefully choosing his words after a considerable thought. "Mommy, we all saw the live broadcast... Don’t be too sad, we just won’t deal with that bad man."
At his words, Charlotte was momentarily taken aback.
No wonder the children were acting as though on high alert; it seemed they knew everything.
Looking at Hank’s somewhat immature look, Charlotte felt a little upset. "Mommy’s okay. You are still a child, so don’t worry about adult matters, okay?"
After she spoke, Hank finally sighed in relief, then, like a little man, he nodded earnestly and said, "Don’t worry, Mommy! We will grow up quickly and protect you." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel✶fire.net
Charlotte uttered an acknowledgment, feeling somewhat emotional.
The children looked at each other, all feeling somewhat uneasy.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knock at the door. Charlotte paused, then got up to open it.
As soon as she opened the door, she heard Jordan Thompson cursing and complaining.
"Sister, you’re finally back. I was really enraged today." Jordan slumped into a chair, seemingly quite irritated.
"I saw the broadcast too, let’s not talk about that Willow... Willow whatnot? Anyway, that’s still okay, but what was up with Justin Battleson’s reaction?"
He took a deep breath, but his voice still seemed to be uncontrollably loud when he started to speak, "Not trying to badmouth you, Sister, but Justin Battleson is really like a sticky plaster that can’t be shaken off. You just announced you have a boyfriend, and he brazenly drags up stuff from nearly eight hundred years ago. What the heck is going on? I’m really pissed off."
His glance shifted, landing on the children, and realization dawned on him. "Did you guys also watch the broadcast?"
At his words, all the children nodded in agreement.
Seeing the situation, Jordan Thompson, the uncle who was closest in age to them, immediately understood. He slapped his thigh and said, "I knew it! Sister, look, these kids understand what’s wrong, but this Justin Battleson is utterly clueless."