Chapter 106: A Tense Encounter

I walked quickly even though I knew Mrs. Siti was following me while chuckling behind me. I simply did not want to hear that woman say that strange sentence for the second time.

“Me jealous? Of Kenn? Where did that conclusion even come from?” I muttered to myself.

I walked faster while continuing to curse that thought. “Me and Kenn? Impossible.”

When I arrived in front of Abel and Reno’s room, my steps stopped instantly.

My body froze and my eyes widened completely. “Kevan?”

Yes, Kevan was inside their room, standing face to face with Kenn. The looks in both of their eyes were so sharp that it made me certain something had happened before I arrived there.

“What are you doing here, Kevan?” I finally asked, breaking the tension.

Kevan turned his head, his face softening slightly when he saw me. “I came to pick you up, Frel. I just finished my student council matters earlier than expected.”

Before leaving for the orphanage, I had indeed sent Kevan a message about my departure with Kenn. I had no choice but to do that because Tomi and Dara had other agendas. Meanwhile, Kevan himself was busy with a meeting for the early semester preparations that would be held two weeks later.

As the Student Council President, he had a big responsibility to divide his members’ tasks, ranging from assigning seating numbers, checking exam facilities, to updating information on the school website.

However, as far as I remembered, Kevan did not say that he would come to pick me up. Why was he already here now?

“But didn’t you say the meeting would take a very long time?” I asked hesitantly.

“I handed over the remaining tasks to my deputy so I could come here right away,” Kevan replied gently. He then glanced at Kenn, who was still standing rigidly in front of him. “It seems I came at a bad time.”

Kenn snorted softly, his voice sounding cold. “You always come at the wrong time.”

“What do you mean?” Kevan’s voice lowered slightly.

I tried to step closer, but after only a few steps and before I could say anything, the shrill voices of Abel and Reno startled me.

“Mom!” they shouted in unison.

They ran over and hugged my waist tightly. I gasped when I heard that call in front of Kevan.

I turned toward Kevan, who was now looking at me with a confused expression.

“Mom?” Kevan repeated the word in a questioning tone. He looked at me intently. “Frel, what is going on?”

I really wanted to explain the situation, but when my lips parted, I immediately held back. I did not want to hurt Abel and Reno’s feelings as they clung to me affectionately.

“Tomorrow is Sunday, Dad wants to take us out. Mom has to come too, okay?” Reno asked, which was met with an enthusiastic nod from Abel.

“Dad?” Kevan now shifted his gaze to Kenn, his brow furrowing. “So this is the reason you brought her here, Kenn?”

Kenn merely looked at Kevan flatly. “She’s the one who insisted on being brought here.”

I bit my lower lip while weighing my answer. I shifted my gaze back to Kevan. There, lines of worry were clearly visible on his face.

I tried to lighten the atmosphere. “Kevan, would you like to come along tomorrow too?” I asked hopefully.

Then I turned to Abel and Reno. “Can Kevan come along?” I asked them. “With that handsome guy over there. He’s a very good person.”

Abel and Reno immediately turned their bodies toward Kevan, who was throwing them a sweet smile.

However, they shook their heads in unison. “We don’t want to! We only want to be with Mom and Dad,” they shouted together.

I could only grimace, truly not knowing how to respond. I turned toward Mrs. Siti, hoping she could help, but she only shrugged and smiled teasingly.

This was the end for me.

“Kevan, I’m really sorry,” I said to Kevan with a face full of guilt.

He returned my gaze while shaking his head slowly with a reassuring smile.

“It’s okay, Frel. I understand.”

“Mom, please come with us tomorrow,” Abel whined while tugging at the hem of my shirt. “If Mom doesn’t come, that means Mom is mean. Mom doesn’t love us anymore?”

Seeing Abel start to cry, panic began to spread through me. “Abel, don’t cry. I beg you.”

I saw Kenn step forward to approach Abel, then crouch in front of her. “Abel must not cry. Abel is a great and smart child,” Kenn said while wiping the tears from the little girl’s cheeks.

His eyes then glanced at me briefly before returning to Abel. “Calm down. Just like the previous days, tomorrow we will still go out the three of us.” Kenn paused his sentence, his voice gentle and calm yet it felt piercing. “And remember, Abel, never force someone who does not want our presence by their side. Understand?”

That sentence made my heart throb with pain.

Abel and Reno immediately nodded obediently. However, Kenn’s words just now instead made the guilt in my heart grow even larger.

“Wait! I will go with you tomorrow,” I finally said firmly. “I want to go with you.”

At once, a happy sparkle returned to Abel and Reno’s faces. “Really, Mom?”

“Yes, I promise,” I answered softly.

Kevan fell silent. The light in his eyes dimmed further upon hearing my decision. I could not bear to look at him any longer, so I could only lower my head.

“Forgive me, Kevan.”

A few minutes later, I felt my hand being held gently. A kiss landed on the back of my hand, making me look up reflexively.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Kevan said with a forced sincere smile. “It’s already late, let’s go home. You need to rest so you won’t be too tired when you go with them tomorrow.”

I was startled when Kevan pulled my hand and led me out of the room without waiting for anyone’s response.

Instinctively, I turned back before truly passing through the door. I looked at Abel, Reno, Mrs. Siti, and lastly, Kenn.

Whether it was just my feeling or not, Kenn remained silent there. However, I saw his jaw tighten and his hands clench tightly at his sides. His gaze was so sharp, as if he were stabbing something with restrained anger.

When I noticed the direction of his gaze, my heart began to pound rapidly.

By God, could my sight be mistaken?

Kenn was staring sharply at the clasp of my hand and Kevan’s that had not come apart.

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