Ruby Sullivan didn’t understand why her son was asking her for her birth details, thinking it was probably just for fortune-telling. But seeing him stamr and look a bit shy, she stopped pursuing the matter.
Before long, Seth Sterling ran back again, happily taking her hand, "Let’s go, Mom."
Ruby Sullivan rarely saw her son so excited. His emotion instantly infected her, making her happy too.
They took a few steps when Seth suddenly tilted his head, looked at her, and smiled, "Mom, you’d better start dating soon too."
Upon hearing this, Ruby Sullivan stopped in her tracks. She imdiately thought of the phone call in the car that caused all this and squatted down to hug her son, "I’m sorry. Actually, Mom has known about Dad’s situation for a long ti. I just haven’t had a chance to discuss with him how to tell you. There’s nothing wrong with what Dad did. Mom will eventually have a new life too."
"I hope Mom can be happy."
"Thank you, son. I will be." Ruby Sullivan pinched her son’s small face, satisfied, stood up, and held his hand as they continued forward. Her face bead with a bright smile, as if the path beneath her feet was leading to happiness. No worry or hesitation was needed, just bold steps forward.
*
After getting into the car, Honey imdiately asked Seth what he had been up to just now. Seth had already prepared an answer, casually saying that a gift from the Master had fallen on the way, so he went back to look for it.
Hearing that a gift was lost, Honey broke into a sweat for her brother. When he said he had found it, she let out a sigh of relief.
This year, both he and Honey were six years old. Although he was a bit worried that his little sister might be so naive that she’d be easily deceived in the future, he also worried that if she beca as smart as he is one day, she might lose a lot of joy. At this mont, his gaze toward Honey was a bit complicated.
Since Ruby Sullivan ca back, although Seth occasionally acts spoiled and has beco more lively than his usual adult-like deanor, he has also taken on more responsibility for his naive sister and his continually struggling mother. This has made him even more eager to grow up.
Honey was a bit confused by her brother’s stare, "Brother, is there sothing dirty on my face?"
Seth snapped out of it and smiled, "No, I just think my sister is so cute." He said this and ruffled Honey’s hair, his heart feeling very content.
It’s probably best if this naive sister stays naive. He could just fend off the bad people for her, couldn’t he?
Honey was so delighted by her brother’s praise that she grinned, flashing her little white teeth, "I think so, too."
When they got ho, everyone was a bit tired. The servants had already prepared dinner, so Ruby Sullivan didn’t refuse and agreed to leave with Vivian tomorrow.
During dinner, Brandon Sullivan called to ask if she would be coming ho for a al the next day.
On the second day of the New Year, traditionally, one is supposed to visit their mother’s ho to pay respects. If Brandon Sullivan hadn’t called, she would have forgotten about this tradition.
The last ti they had t was at the tamorphosis launch. So much had happened since then that Ruby Sullivan hadn’t paid him any attention. Or, more precisely, since he had threatened her with the two kids, she had wiped him from her heart. No matter how he was now, she couldn’t view him the sa way again.
"Ruby?" Brandon Sullivan hadn’t heard her speak for a while, and impatiently called her na again.
"I’ll go back by myself, let’s leave it at that."
Brandon Sullivan seed a bit disappointed and mumbled softly, "It’d be nice if you brought the kids. It would be lively."
Ruby Sullivan frowned. Don’t you know why I’m not bringing the kids? But she swallowed those words back, considering it her filial duty as a daughter.
"Alright, I’ll hang up now." She gave him a reminder.
"Oh, oh, alright, you and Ethan coming together is good too." After saying this, Brandon Sullivan began laughing cheerfully.
Ruby Sullivan felt it was too difficult to clarify things over the phone, so she said nothing further and hung up, returning to the dining table to continue eating.
Vivian noticed that her expression wasn’t good when she returned and asked with concern, "What happened?"
"It’s nothing," Ruby Sullivan said, but seeing Vivian’s sincere eyes, she added, "My dad called to ask if I’m going ho tomorrow."
After hearing this, Vivian sighed too. Knowing such matters are hard to advise on, she still offered this as an elder, "Go have a look, don’t leave yourself with regrets."
"Okay." Ruby Sullivan continued eating, her mood once again heavy.
This first day of the New Year felt rather unpleasant to her.
That night, before visiting the children’s rooms, Ruby Sullivan went to knock on Ethan Sterling’s door. Ethan wasn’t surprised to see her.
"I think you need to talk with Seth. I don’t want him to misunderstand you." She knew how it felt when the image of a father collapsed. Although it seed that Ethan didn’t have much of an image in Seth’s heart, there was no need to make it worse.
"I understand."
"Since Honey didn’t pick up on it, do you want to tell her to listen to you? I tend to think it’s better to tell her. Instead of letting her discover it one day like today, it might be better to tell her sooner. She’s never really understood the difference between parents living apart and together."
"Alright."
It had been a long ti since she’d heard him speak so sparingly. Thinking he wasn’t in the mood to chat, she decided not to be annoying, getting up to leave.
She never doubted Ethan’s love as a father for the two kids, so she trusted that he would handle the issue well.
Before she left, Ethan suddenly asked a bit eagerly, "Don’t you want to ask anything?"
"Ask what?"
"About... my girlfriend."
Your girlfriend has nothing to do with , Ruby Sullivan felt slightly perplexed, but then rembered sothing that had been buried in her heart. It ca to mind because it had been weighing on her.
"That day I went to The Sterling Group to see you, did you not answer my call because your girlfriend was with you?" Ruby Sullivan thought it best to clarify. If not for bumping into them that day, she wouldn’t have known he had a girlfriend. If avoiding each other was intentional, then she’d be more cautious about showing up without making an appointnt next ti, at least not showing up at The Sterling Group unannounced.
Ethan Sterling thought back to that day, recalling the events clearly as it was the only ti recently that Ruby had visited.
"I didn’t answer your call?"
Ruby Sullivan nodded, feeling there was no reason for his big questioning expression. Would she lie to him?
Ethan Sterling frowned, "That day, before you ca, I’d been in etings with several executives, didn’t have my phone, I had no idea you called."
Ruby Sullivan thought for a mont and instantly understood what had happened.
Of course, Ethan Sterling realized this too, his face turning even darker.
Ruby Sullivan walked out and savored Ethan’s expression, feeling a bit smug. If this had caused any displeasure between the couple, well... she was quite pleased with that.
After leaving Ethan’s room, she went to Honey’s room. The little one had been bouncing around all day, playing wildly. She fell asleep after just a few stories.
Ruby Sullivan quickly ca out of her daughter’s room, unexpectedly seeing Ethan co out of Seth’s room at lightning speed. Although she didn’t know what father and son talked about, Ethan’s increasingly gloomy expression indicated that Seth wasn’t easily accepting his dating news.
Ruby Sullivan instinctively lifted the corners of her mouth, feeling as if she hadn’t been this delighted all day.
"Honey asleep?" Ethan asked softly.
"Yes, they’ll still be here tomorrow. If you aren’t going out, there will be plenty of chances to talk to them properly." After saying this, Ruby Sullivan went downstairs.
She tidied up a guest room to stay in for the night.
As she passed by Ethan, she was suddenly grabbed by the wrist.
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