Little Wolf and I moved into a house in the city. The owner was eager to sell the property and travel the world, so we settled in quickly.
The warm sunlight shining on the garden in the yard was particularly beautiful. Although there weren't many flowers in the garden right now, I would carefully arrange it according to my preference.
This was the first time in three years that I felt a sense of stability. I could live with my son in our own house and enjoy a comfortable life. It was wonderful.
"Mommy, when are we leaving?"
Little Wolf rushed down the stairs from the second floor, dressed and with his little backpack, his eyes sparkling as he looked at me.
Today was his first day at kindergarten, and I hoped everything would go smoothly.
"Sweetheart, you need to finish the milk and sandwich on the table first." I smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead, then lifted him onto the chair. The chair was still a bit high for a three-year-old.
"Okay, Mommy. I'll eat my breakfast obediently." Little Wolf nuzzled my cheek and sat up straight, starting to eat. Though he was small, he sat up tall, and his every movement exuded a hint of elegance.
"By the way, sweetheart, you can't use the potion you have at school."
Back when he was with the witch clan, kids would isolate Little Wolf, and at first, they even threw stones at him. As a result, he got used to carrying potions for self-defense. Now that he was in a human school, it was better to keep those things hidden to avoid drawing attention and ensure our safety.
"Got it, Mommy."
After breakfast, I took Little Wolf to kindergarten. As the best kindergarten in New York, it was bustling with people on this first day of school. However, before classes officially started, there was a placement test to determine which class the kids would be in.
I wasn't worried about Little Wolf's test. His intelligence was far superior to that of other children. Sun and Dave always said he was like a genius, possessing remarkable thinking skills. Although he was only three, his knowledge was on par with that of an elementary school student.
Wearing sunglasses and a mask, I walked alone through the kindergarten. Every wall was adorned with exquisite graffiti, making it quite enjoyable. I took a moment to relish the leisurely atmosphere.
"Darling, our baby must be the smartest child. Don't forget you promised to take us on a picnic if he scores first."
A familiar voice immediately alerted my senses. I frowned and paused, quietly hiding around the corner, peeking out from the blind spot.
Sure enough, it was my stepsister Grace and my ex-boyfriend Liam, who pretended to love me. What terrible luck to run into two enemies on Little Wolf's first day of kindergarten. However, something seemed off about them.
Grace was wearing a red long dress, trying to cozy up to the man next to her, but he brushed her off with a hand gesture as he answered a call, inadvertently creating distance. In an instant, Grace's face transformed like a color palette, shifting through a spectrum of emotions.
What was going on? Grace used to avoid wearing colors like that. She preferred solid-colored dresses, and many classmates viewed her as a goddess, unlike me, who loved vibrant clothing and sometimes dyed my hair in eye-catching colors.
So whenever we faced off in public, people tended to side with Grace. Initially, I felt wronged, but I gradually got used to it. Still, when did she start wearing the colors she once disliked? Even Liam, who admired her, didn't seem to treat her like a treasure anymore.
It seems that over the past three years, I'm not the only one who has changed. After a quick glance, I turned and walked in the opposite direction. I wasn't particularly eager to meet them; if given a choice, I would prefer to never communicate with them again, letting each other go. That man could just be considered trash, left for Grace.
"Madam, could you please come here? Faolan had a little conflict with another child." A staff member from the kindergarten stopped me after I had taken a few steps.
"Who won?" I adjusted my sunglasses while following the staff member.
"Uh?" Caught off guard by my question, the staff member hesitated for a moment, but then managed to respond with a confused expression, "Faolan won."
"Hmm."
If little Wolf does not get hurt, I will take it easy. I trust that my child wouldn't start a fight for no reason.
When the staff member led me to the teacher's office, I saw a teacher in a suit and skirt, hair down, pointing a ruler at Faolan's nose and scolding him. Just as the ruler was about to strike Faolan's back, I rushed forward and caught it in mid-air.
"What are you doing?" I pushed the ruler away and held Faolan close, glaring at the stumbling teacher. Faolan is my only child; I won't allow anyone to hurt him without reason.
"Madam, your child was caught cheating during the exam and disturbing the other children. Shouldn't he be punished?" Once steady, the teacher rolled her eyes at us, pointing the ruler at Faolan's nose as she scolded, "Children who steal the hard work of others are bad seeds from birth. I'm just helping to educate him and save him from going astray."
"Going astray?" I thought, not afraid of losing my temper. I don't believe a kindergarten exam would cause my usually upright and clever son to cheat. I squatted down, hugged Faolan, and lifted his head, looking into his eyes as I softly asked, "Faolan, is what the teacher said true?"
Tears filled Faolan's eyes, and as I spoke, they began to fall. In a hoarse voice, he replied, "No, Mommy. He wanted to see my answers. I told the teacher, but she didn't listen. He tore up my test paper, and that's why I hit him. Mommy, was I wrong to hit him?"
Following Faolan's finger, I noticed a chubby boy cowering in the corner, his body appearing much larger than normal. I kissed Faolan on the forehead and said, "Sweetheart, you did nothing wrong; they are the ones at fault."
After comforting little Wolf, I stood up with a blank expression and addressed the teacher, "My child says this boy was cheating."
"Are you kidding? This is the son of the Simon Group. Would he copy your answers?" The teacher scoffed and ignored me.
"You…"
Before I could finish, a sharp voice came from the doorway, "My baby, are you okay?"
Grace, the very person I had just hoped to never see again, rushed in and hugged the chubby boy in the corner. Liam followed right behind her, and suddenly, the small office was filled with familiar faces.
I tightened my mask, not wanting to be recognized, but perhaps fearing what I didn't want would come to pass. Liam, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, "Amelia, is that you?"
He stepped forward and tried to remove my mask, but I turned my face away, dodging him.
"Amelia, have you been well all these years? I've always…"
"Liam." Grace, still holding the chubby boy, suddenly shouted, interrupting him.
Liam's expression changed to one of displeasure, but he didn't continue.
"Thanks to you two, I've been doing quite well these past years, but I don't think we have a relationship that allows for reminiscing. Let's resolve this matter quickly." I shot a disdainful glance at my ex-boyfriend, who had the audacity to inquire about my situation, and continued to look at the teacher.
The female teacher, stunned by the strange scene, had been silent until now. Seeing that I had brought up the topic, she was about to speak but was interrupted once again by me.
I used magic to look directly into the teacher's eyes and said, "Teacher, think carefully before you speak. After all, it's best for everyone if parents resolve conflicts in one go."
For a moment, the teacher's eyes seemed unfocused, then she said, "Ewan tore up Faolan's test paper after Faolan refused to help him cheat."
The teacher's voice had a mechanical quality, as if my spell had affected her speech, but the people present didn't seem to notice.
"That's impossible. Ewan would never cheat; something must be wrong," Grace said, her gaze icy, like a venomous snake ready to strike.
"There's no point in arguing. Let's release the surveillance footage so everyone can see the truth," I said, meeting Grace's glare head-on, a faint smile on my lips.
"No need for that," Liam interjected, trying to downplay the situation. "This is just kids messing around; there's no need to be so aggressive."
"But my son has been wronged. It seems your wife doesn't realize whose fault this is."
"How could I be at fault?"
"Grace," Liam said, intimidating her before pushing the pudgy boy forward, "Ewan, apologize."
The boy named Ewan, who had been so arrogant before, now looked defeated, his face drooping as he mumbled, "I'm sorry."
"Do you want to forgive him, sweetheart?" I asked, tugging at my son's hand.
Faolan initially shook his head but then nodded slightly. "The book says most children's problems stem from their family education. This little friend must have a tough time at home, so I forgive him, but he can't do this again."
"Who are you calling a bad parent?"
"Whoever feels guilty speaks up." Ignoring Grace's furious outburst behind me, I took Faolan's hand and walked out.
"Amelia."
I didn't notice Liam had followed me until he grabbed my hand.
"Let go."
I felt a wave of nausea, as if a thousand ants were crawling on my skin, wanting to wash it off immediately.
"Amelia, after you disappeared, I kept looking for you. Is there still a chance for us?"
"Are you asking me to come back and play your childish games with you and Grace, where you love me, and I love you? Let me officially tell you that we will never have a chance. I wouldn't even look at you again if I were with an animal." I shook off Liam's hand and hailed a cab, taking Faolan with me.
The boy I fell in love with at eighteen was ultimately buried in that scorching afternoon.
However, I could only cherish the memory of my youth.