Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

When kids are under the weather, they crave attention even more. Mateo, with his lips in a pout, whined, "But I want both Mommy and Daddy to stay here with me."

He was thrilled to see his dad when he woke up, but Everett had to leave sooner than he'd hoped. Selena tucked him in snugly, saying, "Once you're feeling better, he'll take you out for some fun."

"But it's not the same," Mateo mumbled, feeling a pang of disappointment for the first time. He turned his back to his mom, refusing to meet her eyes.

Selena gently rubbed his back. Her heart ached for him, but she knew she had to stay strong. Mateo was in the middle of withdrawal, and mood swings were just part of it. If she gave in and let Everett stay, Mateo might grow too accustomed to having both parents around all the time.

This phase would pass, and he'd adapt. As he grew, new experiences would capture his attention, and his longing would fade.

Downstairs, the evening quietly settled in. Everett hadn't left. He leaned against his car, a cigarette glowing intermittently between his fingers. His gaze was fixed on the second-floor window of Mateo's room, where the main light was off, leaving only a dim glow.

The master bedroom lights stayed off, too; he guessed Selena would spend the night with their son. Even

if he couldn't join them inside, just standing watch from outside brought him comfort. He was sure that one day, he'd walk through those doors again.

The night deepened, as silent as a whisper. Selena, worn out from a restless night before, slipped into a hazy sleep. The murmur of soft, broken words reached her ears. At first, she thought she was imagining it, but the sounds persisted.

Opening her eyes slowly, she

realized it was Mateo talking in his sleep. His small body trembled slightly, his face sweaty, as if he was caught in a nightmare. Alarmed, Selena quickly switched on the light and gently rubbed his chest to soothe him. "Mateo, don't worry, Mommy's right here. You're safe..."

His arms flailed until he clutched Selena's hand, his voice trembling with fear and tears, "Mommy, save me, there's so much fire, fire, Mommy, Daddy, help me..."

He must be dreaming about that fire incident! No wonder. He'd blocked out the details before, but maybe the fever had left him vulnerable to nightmares.noveldrama

Selena pulled him close, letting him

rest his head on her shoulder, patting his back, reassuring him that she was there. But instead of calming down, Mateo grew more. franti His warm breath brushed against her neck, his voice filled with panic and tears, "Don't come near, I don't want Miss Yasmine, I don't want to go..."

Selena froze, stunned. She feared she might have misheard, so she listened carefully again, holding her breath. But there was no mistake.

Logically, Yasmine had bravely

shielded Mateo during the fire, so

why would he be frightened or rejecting her now? Her Mateo, even

if he wasn't fond of Yasmine, wasn't ungrateful. Children are

pure-hearted; they remember

kindness.

The more Selena thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Could there be a hidden truth about that fire? Once this suspicion took hold, Yasmine's every action seemed cloaked in an eerie mystery...

After settling Mateo back into bed, she picked up her phone with trembling hands and dialed Everett's number!