Chapter 5 Jasper is Lost
The sudden voice startled Tyler. His body jerked, then he turned his head. When he saw me, I clearly caught a flash of panic in his eyes.
He quickly hung up the phone and stood up.
"When did you get here?" His tone was accusatory.
My shoulders heaved violently with anger, like a powder keg about to explode.
"Tyler, why didn't I see what kind of person you really are back then? Why did I ever like you?" I was shaking with rage.
Tyler frowned. "Is this what your fancy education taught you - to eavesdrop on other people's phone calls?"
A smile lurked in my eyes as I silently mocked Tyler's clumsiness.
He really kept opening my eyes wider and wider.
"I wouldn't bother eavesdropping on your disgusting conversations with Ava, but I'm glad I heard it. Tyler, I gave birth to Jasper. When I had him, I almost died from bleeding. I didn't risk my life to have Jasper just so you could share him with another woman!"
Tyler's face instantly turned cold as frost. "How many times have you said the same thing? You have everything you want at home, you can't handle any hardship or hard work. I asked Ava to help with Jasper's school stuff, and you won't even allow that?"
I laughed in anger. Every time, Tyler could make his ridiculous behavior sound like it was for my own good.
"I'm the child's mother, his biological mother. Is Ava infertile? If you keep letting her mess with my child, then I don't mind telling the media that the famous cellist Ava might not be able to have children."
As I finished speaking, Tyler's brow furrowed tightly, his expression even darker than before.
I knew he was angry.
But that's exactly the effect I wanted. If I didn't use threats, he and Ava would just keep doing whatever they wanted.
"Sophia, when did you become so vicious?"
I said coldly, "Thanks to you."
"Jasper is five years old. You haven't really taken care of him all these years. Ava has been playing the mother's role. Now you suddenly want to play the good mother - what's your point?"
My lips pressed into a tight line, my eyes filled with anger that couldn't be dissolved.
"Tyler, you were the one who kept taking Jasper out, and over time that made Jasper resist me. You think I don't know what your goal was? Now you're blaming me for this - where's your conscience?"
After I finished, Tyler fell into endless silence. I noticed his knuckles turning white, while his eyes held a storm.
I had never been this "bold" with Tyler before. He probably felt I had become a different person - someone who wouldn't just obey him, someone who would fight back.
"Not letting you suffer or work hard - that makes me heartless?"
I sneered. "Aren't you afraid of getting hit by a car when you say things like that?"
"Sophia! My patience has limits! What you did to Ava today was wrong. I asked her to go to the parent-teacher meeting. If you're angry, take it out on me. There's no need to hurt Ava!"
My expression was furious, my eyes red. "Tyler, you make me sick! So sick I want to throw up!"
Just as the atmosphere reached a standstill, Jasper's voice came: "Daddy, Mommy, are you fighting?"
Tyler and I both looked toward the bed at the same time. Jasper had sat up and was looking at us sleepily.
I didn't want Jasper to be affected by adult problems, so I walked over and comforted him gently. "No, baby. Daddy and Mommy were just talking. We woke you up."
Tyler walked over and sat on the other side, also soothing him softly. "Daddy and Mommy won't fight. Don't worry, Jasper."
When facing Jasper, Tyler always became as gentle as water.
The next morning, as dawn broke, the sun slowly rose from the horizon, its rays spreading across the earth, and a cool breeze brought the fresh scent of leaves.
As usual, I made breakfast and took Jasper to school, promising to pick him up after school in the afternoon.
After getting home, I stayed in my room continuing to work on cases. Early this morning, a classmate from abroad sent me case files - a verdict that had troubled them for a month. With less than half a month until the next court session, my classmate hoped I could help prepare a defense to see if we could turn things around in court.
By the time I finished writing the defense, it was already past four in the afternoon. I hadn't even eaten lunch, but perhaps knowledge was my spiritual food - I didn't feel hungry at all.
School would be out soon, so I washed my face, changed clothes, and drove to pick up Jasper.
When I arrived at school, I learned that Jasper had already been picked up.
"Was it Jasper's father?"
Ella hesitated.
Looking at her expression, I already guessed who it was.
At that moment, the anger in my heart couldn't be calmed. I no longer respected Ella, but said to her with full anger: "Ella, you know I'm the child's mother, yet you let my son be taken away by another woman. Is this what you should do as a teacher?"
Seeing my anger, Ella looked scared. She explained, "Ms. Brown, Ms. Davis used to pick up Jasper from school often, and she said your husband asked her to come, so I let Jasper go with her."
"School just let out, but Jasper was picked up so quickly - is that even possible? Or was Jasper taken before school even ended?"
Faced with my questioning, Ella looked nervous, her hands rubbing together anxiously.
"Speak!" I said angrily.
Ella jumped, stammering: "He was picked up twenty minutes before dismissal. Ms. Davis said she needed to take Jasper somewhere."
My lips trembled, my eyes red, but I forcibly suppressed my emotions.
"Ella, I'm Jasper's mother. I don't allow anyone except me and his father to take Jasper away, even if his father asks them to. This is the last time. If there's a next time, I'll report this to the education bureau."
"Ms. Brown, I'm sorry... I..."
I didn't wait for Ella to finish. I turned and left, walking toward my car by the roadside.
Getting in the car, I quickly called Tyler. I couldn't stand that he treated my repeated warnings as a joke.
I called four or five times in a row, but Tyler's line was always busy.
For some reason, my heart suddenly started to panic inexplicably.
While I was in a daze, the phone rang back.
Before I could speak, Tyler's words made my blood instantly freeze.
"Jasper is missing."