Chapter 370

Serena’s POV

I sat there, watching as Mrs. Langston suddenly turned to Hattie. The tension in my chest tightened immediately.

"By the way, Hattie," Mrs. Langston said with a pointed look.

"Yes, Grandma?" Hattie responded in that signature sweet voice of hers. The way she spoke always sounded like she was trying to be cute, but I knew it was just how she normally talked. Mrs. Langston's favoritism toward her was unmistakable.

"You and Mateo are getting married soon, aren't you?" Mrs. Langston asked directly.

My heart clenched. Even though I'd been expecting this topic to come up, hearing it spoken aloud still sent a jolt of discomfort through me.

"Yes, we're planning to get married," Hattie admitted candidly, making a point of glancing at Mateo with a sweet smile that spread across her face. The sight made me want to look away.

"This year?" Mrs. Langston pressed.

"In the fall," Hattie answered. "When the fruits ripen—it's a good omen."

I silently calculated. Fall. That was only a few months away. So soon.

"Better decide quickly. Wedding venues in Washington are booked solid these days," Mrs. Langston urged.

"Don't worry, Grandma. Once Mateo's parents return to the country, we'll discuss our wedding plans with them. Though I'm sure they won't object," Hattie said with complete confidence.

"That's good," Mrs. Langston nodded with satisfaction.

Mr. Kennedy joined the conversation. "Hattie, make sure to send me an invitation to your wedding in advance. I'll prepare a generous gift for you."

"Thank you," Hattie accepted without hesitation, looking excited.

Then I noticed Hattie turning to look at me. I had a feeling she was about to ask me something.

"Serena, you'll be free then, right?" Sure enough, Hattie extended an invitation to me.

I sighed inwardly, not wanting to make a definite promise but also not wanting to seem dismissive. "We'll see when the time comes," I answered honestly.

For one thing, they'd only mentioned fall, without a specific date—who knew exactly when it would be? And secondly, my work schedule was truly hectic, with frequent last-minute changes. If I ended up not being able to attend, I didn't want to go back on my word.

"I'll send you an invitation early. Please come if you can," Hattie said sincerely.

Seeing her hopeful expression, I could only respond, "Alright, I'll try my best."

Afterward, everyone continued enthusiastically discussing Hattie and Mateo's wedding plans. I sat there, my thoughts already far away. When they were deep in conversation, I found an opportunity to slip away.

I went straight to Milo's room, wanting to check on him. Pushing open the door, I found him lying on the bed, looking troubled. Seeing my 10-year-old son like this made my heart ache. Shouldn't children his age be carefree? Why did he look like a miniature adult carrying the weight of the world?

"Mommy," Milo greeted me as I entered, sitting up on his bed.

His manners were impeccable—such well-behaved children always endear themselves to others. I sat down beside him on the bed.

"Why the long face?" I asked softly, though I already had a good guess.

"It's nothing," Milo shook his head in denial.

I went straight to the point: "Is it because of Mateo?"

Milo bit his little lip. I knew he couldn't hide anything from me. Sure enough, he nodded in admission. "I just think he's awful."

I thought for a moment, trying to find a simple way to help him process this: "If you think of him as a stranger, you won't find him so awful anymore."

"Is that how you think of him?" Milo looked up at me, his eyes full of a need for reassurance.

"More or less," I answered briefly. This was indeed one of my coping mechanisms.

"But he's not a stranger..." Milo protested quietly.

I stroked his hair, my tone gentle but firm: "Sweetie, eventually he will become a stranger."

I could see that this statement caused Milo some distress.

"It's okay," I continued stroking his head, trying to comfort him. "We really can't let unimportant people affect our lives."

"Mommy, do you... really have no feelings for Mateo?" Milo suddenly asked, his eyes filled with both worry and hope.

"Of course not," I answered without hesitation, my tone resolute. This wasn't the first time I'd answered this question, but whenever Milo needed reassurance, I would give him a definitive answer. I didn't want to give him any false hope that would only make him more unhappy.

"Oh, right," Milo seemed to suddenly remember something and reached for an object from his bedside. "This is a gift Mateo gave me."

I looked down to see it was a gold brick.