Chapter 93: The Ungrateful Son: “I Saw Mom”
“Then go back to sleep,” Gemma said earnestly, carefully tucking the pink blanket over him. The pink softened his usually stern demeanor, making him look far less intimidating
“I’ll take Noah out to eat,” she added.
Noah had only had a small cupcake earlier–his stomach was probably still growling. Cassius clutched the corner of the blanket, the faint smile on his lips disappearing.
“Okay,” he replied, his tone chillingly cold, like the air in a walk–in freezer.
Gemma’s heart skipped a beat.
What was up with him?
Just then, Noah popped into the room, pushing the door open.
“Gemma, let’s go! I’m starving” he whined, but then froze as his eyes landed on the couch.
“Uncle Cassius, are you starving too? Did you faint from hunger?”
Cassius,”
“Uncle Cassius, come eat with us!”
Gemma hesitated. “Your Uncle Cassius said he wanted to rest…”
“Alright,” Cassius said, flipping off the pink blanket and rising with a calm, unbothered air. “Let’s go.”
Gemina almost felt her brain short–circuit
Did she just meet a whole new side of Mr. Cassius?
Noah, truly too hungry to care about long trips or fancy restaurants, clung to Germa
She pointed to a small diner nearby. “How about this place?”
The moment she said it, she regretted it.
With their status, there was no way these two would stoop to eating at a place like this.
Even though, in her opinion, the food here was delicious
“Uh, I was just joking. We can-
“This works.”
Cassius interrupted, walking toward the diner without a hint of disdain.
Noah cheered, dashing in to grab a seat next to him. “I’ll have fries, creamy mushroom soup, lasagna, and grilled skewers!”
Relieved, Gemma followed them in, ordering two cups of warm chicken broth for the pair.
“You’ve gone too long without food. Warm soup first–case into it to protect your stomachs.”
“Alright.”
Cassius agreed easily, surprising her.
Gemma smiled and reached out to tousle Noah’s hair. “And you, Noah?”
Noah rubbed his head against her hand.
“I’ll do whatever Gemma says!”
“Such a good boy,” she cooed, playfully tapping his nose
As they waited for their food, the nearby diners‘ hushed conversation caught Gemma’s attention.
“Did you hear? Read’s medicine isn’t safe anymore.”
“What? But their pills always worked for me when I had a cold“”
“Looks like they’ve been cutting corners. The authorities are cracking down. A bunch of their executives are under investigation.”
Chapter 93. The Ungrateful Son “I Saw Mom”
“It’s no surprise, though. Too many heirs fighting to take over. Family drama, you know..”
“Why feel bad for them? We’re the ones who suffer. If we don’t take medicine, we tough it out. If we do, we might die
faster!”
“Yeah, but at least they’re being investigated. Hopefully, it scares some people straight.”
Gemma frowned, her heart sinking.
Brian’s serious tone over the phone earlier suddenly made sense, along with his concern for her safety.
“Is the Read family…!”
She started to ask Cassius instinctively, figuring he’d know the ins and outs of something this big.
But when she looked up, she found Cassius calmly eating, his bowl of soup almost empty.
She blinked in surprise, but he seemed to read her mind.
Finishing the porridge, he finally said. “The Wilsons made their move.”
His short statement carried a weight of information
Gemma’s face paled.
“I didn’t think..I’d drag the Read family into this mess.”
“It’s just business strategy,” Cassius replied, unusually willing to explain
For one company
to target another, it takes countless discussions among shareholders and board members.” “They need a common interest to justify spending resources–time, money, manpower–to take down a competitor.
The bluntness hit her like a wake–up slap.
Marcus never took her seriously. Even when he was furious over the divorce, he wouldn’t mess with his company’s future.
She’d really overestimated her own importance.
“Thanks.. I’ll order another dish to show my gratitude,” she said, shaking off her thoughts with a deep breath.
Cassius set down his fork and knife..
“I wasn’t trying to comfort you.”
After a pause, he added. “The Wilsons‘ decryption key you sent me
It’s enough to u
predict their every move.
Oh. She’d actually forgotten about that
But….
Cassius‘ blunt honesty was… both hurtful and oddly touching
Their food arrived quickly.
Noah happily dug in, his cowlick sticking up like an antenna, making him look like a little cartoon character
Cassius, too, seemed to enjoy the meal, as if this humble diner served gourmet food
The glow of the streetlights and the warm diner lamps created a cozy atmosphere.
The three of them chatted endlessly, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
After the meal, Gemma prepared to leave.
Elizabeth’s condition had stabilized–she didn’t need to stay any longer.
“Well, I’ll head back—”
“You promised-”
They both started talking at the same time.
Gemma blinked in surprise. “You first.”
Cassius‘ tone was noticeably gentler than usual.
“You promised Noah a movie. Now’s a good time.”
Chapter 93: The Ungrateral Son 1 Saw Mal
Now?
Even Noah looked stunned for a moment before his eyes lit up.
“Uncle Cassius, you’re the best! Yay, movie timel
Gemma, who had been about to decline, couldn’t say anything
She looked at Noah, now bouncing with excitement, and then at Cassius, whose stoic expression seemed to say, “A promise is a promise.”
“Fine. Super Wings or Godzilla?” she asked.
Cassius frowned slightly, “What?”
Noah, oblivious to his uncle’s chilling aura, shouted, “Octonauts!”
“Alright!”
Gemma quickly bought tickets online for a theater just three hundred meters away. “Let’s go!”
“Uncle Cassius, come on!”
Noah grabbed his uncle’s hand, pulling him toward the theater with all his might
Gemma followed, her smile growing wider with every step.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
In the quiet night, at the mansion, Marcus and Alijah stared at each other.
Ever since Margaret was hospitalized, no one had been keeping Alijah in line.
He’d moved back home but still felt uneasy. even with the nanny around.
So he repeatedly called Marcus, dragging him home from overtime at work.
“All this, just so I can tell you a bedtime story?”
Marcus patience was paper thin, his frustration ready to explode.
His company was under attack–every move they made seemed one step behind their competitors:
He was already at his wit’s end.
If only Gemma were here.
She’d know how to calm Aliph and ease his own stress.
“Of course not,” Alijah said, sitting up straight. “I wanted to tell you–1 saw Mom.
