Audrey’s POV:
I rushed back to Luminous Gallery, my heart pounding against my ribcage.
Mrs. Smith’s phone call had only mentioned that something had happened to Noah, without any details.
Pushing through the gallery doors, I practically sprinted down the corridor toward the medical room.
Just as I rounded the corner, I heard a woman’s shrill voice: “That kid is an absolute menace! Look what he did to my son!”
I stepped into the medical room and froze at the scene before me.
Noah stood in the corner, his eyes red and swollen.
Across from him was a woman wearing heavy makeup, who was pointing an accusatory finger at Noah.
A boy of about five sat in a chair, sporting bruises around his mouth.
“Audrey, thank God you’re here,” Mrs. Smith breathed a sigh of relief. “Noah and Mike had some kind of altercation.”
I immediately knelt down to examine Noah’s injuries.
His arm bore minor scrapes, and tears welled in his eyes, though he stubbornly refused to let them fall.
“So this is the famous Ms. Lane?” Mike’s mother, Mrs. Parker, sneered coldly. “I’ve heard about you–turns out the rumors about your favoritism are spot on.”
She gestured toward her son, her voice rising several decibels.
“Look at my poor Mike! That little monster beat him up so badly his mouth is bruised, and the first thing you do when you walk in is coddle the aggressor? Is this what you call professional conduct?”
“No wonder everyone’s talking about your special relationship with the Thornton family. This kind of bias makes me sick!”
I took a deep breath, maintaining my composure: “Mrs. Parker, I understand your anger, but before we know the full story-
“What’s there to understand?” she cut me off.
‘Your little monster beat up my son! This is supposed to be the Upper East Side’s most prestigious children’s art institution, not some breeding ground for
savages!”
Hearing her repeatedly call Noah a ‘monster,” I could no longer suppress my rage.
“Enough!” I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. “If you dare use the word ‘monster‘ to describe Noah one more time, I guarantee you’ll see what a real ‘savage‘ looks like, Mrs. Parker.”
I stepped closer to her, each word squeezed through gritted teeth: “The behavior you’re displaying right now is infinitely more barbaric than anything you’re accusing him of.”
1/3
5:20 pm
Chapter 44
MOM
Mrs. Parker was stunned by my sudden outburst and instinctively took a step back.
Seeing her finally calm down, I adjusted my breathing slightly and continued: “Now, please tell me exactly what happened, instead of continuing with these pointless accusations.”
Parker’s aggressive stance weakened considerably, though she remained agitated.
‘Mike just accidentally bumped into Noah, that’s all. He was just trying to play with Noah, and then Noah went completely ballistic and beat Mike up.
She pointed at her son’s face: “Look at this–is this what a normal kid would do?”
I turned my attention to Mike, noticing how the boy’s eyes darted away, unable to meet mine or Noah’s gaze.
I’d seen this behavior countless times–the classic reaction when children are lying.
Combined with what I knew about Noah, I was certain things hadn’t happened the way Mrs. Parker described,
I knelt down and gently took Noah’s small hand, asking softly: “Noah, is that what happened?”
Noah firmly shook his head but didn’t speak.
I could feel his hurt and anger, but his choice to remain silent clearly wasn’t helping his case.
I stood up, facing Mrs. Parker.
“I need to speak with Noah privately. I promise that once I understand Noah’s version of events, I’ll give you a reasonable explanation.”
My tone was firm but polite: “If Noah did something wrong, I’ll make sure he apologizes and takes responsibility. But please understand, I need to hear his
side first.”
Mrs. Parker let out a cold laugh: “He hasn’t said a word since this whole thing started. Who knows if he’s just feeling guilty? Using that selective mutism thing as an excuse.”
I felt anger surge through me: “Mrs. Parker, do you really want to escalate this? You do understand who’s behind Noah, don’t you?”
Mrs. Parker’s expression shifted, clearly grasping the implication of my words.
‘Sélective mutism is a medically diagnosed condition, not an excuse,” I continued.
‘If you have doubts about that, feel free to consult a medical professional. But I think turning this minor incident into a conflict between two families wouldn’t benefit anyone, would it?”
“Come on, Noah,” I said gently, taking his small hand. “Let’s go to your art room.”
Just as
turned around, I saw a tall figure standing at the end of the corridor–Caspar Thornton.
He wore a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, his expression stern, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s as
The air seemed to freeze instantly.
swept across the scene.
2/3
3:20 pm PPMM
Chapter 44
The entire gallery fell silent. Mrs. Parker’s face went pale, and Mike hid behind his mother.
Caspar walked slowly toward us, each step carrying undeniable authority.
His gaze briefly lingered on Mrs. Parker and her son before turning to Noah and me, his expression softening slightly.
“What’s going on here?‘ His voice was low and calm, yet seemed to drop the temperature in the room by several degrees.
I tightened my grip on Noah’s hand, feeling the boy’s tension.
This conflict had already exceeded my expectations, and Caspar’s arrival would undoubtedly complicate things further.
Mrs. Parker’s arrogant demeanor had completely vanished.
Upon seeing Caspar, she quickly changed her tune: “Mr. Thornton, what a coincidence! It’s just kids being kids, nothing worth your personal attention.”
She smiled nervously, “My son’s tough as nails–a few bumps and bruises won’t hurt him.”
I couldn’t help but frown: “Mrs. Parker, we haven’t even gotten to the bottom of this. How can you already assume Noah’s at fault?”
Mrs. Parker gave an awkward laugh, her eyes constantly shifting between Caspar and me: “I… I didn’t mean that. Kids roughhousing is normal–we adults shouldn’t make a big deal out of it…”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
