A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 244

Adrian suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Logan, and an equal tug at his heartstrings for Matilda. He couldn't quite put his finger on the source of this tenderness. Was it a spur-of-the-moment impulse, or a desire to claim her as his very own?

The little boy stared at Adrian for a long while. "You should head back. My mom's gonna pick me up soon, and it won't be cool if she sees you here."

Adrian bristled with frustration and, grabbing him by the arm, plopped down on a nearby bench with a thud. "I'm your dad, and I'll sit right here! What's she gonna do, punch me?"

Logan squirmed in his embrace. "You're not my dad..."

"I'm your step-dad!" Adrian retorted, turning to gaze at Logan again. The man had a smile that could light up a room, even though such words were usually reserved for describing women. But Adrian's features truly deserved such ambiguous praise—his looks were nothing short of stunning.

"I already have an uncle," Logan grinned, winking at him. "So, no need for a step-dad anymore."

Adrian hugged him tight, pulling him onto his lap, finding him incredibly adorable. How could such a sweet kid be Yvan's son?

"What about my face, huh? Look at it," Adrian urged.

Logan inspected him. "It's pretty pale."

"And?"

"Your chin's kinda pointy."

"...Don't you have any better compliments?" Adrian was at a loss for words. "Aren't you some kind of prodigy? Make up a sentence, tell me how handsome I am."

"A nose is a nose, eyes are eyes."

"...Are you saying my nose looks like eyes?" Adrian fumed, shoving Logan onto the bench beside him. "No more hugs for you, you ungrateful brat. You can't cuddle familiarity into someone."

Logan didn't fuss any further. They passed the time with idle chatter, all alone as the schoolyard emptied out around them.

Adrian sat on the bench waiting with Logan for Matilda, but as time ticked by, Matilda and Orson appeared instead. From afar, the pair, tall and striking, seemed almost like a married couple.

"Matilda."

She paused in her tracks.

"Remember what I told you. Make sure you've got it clear."

His tone was deep and unusually chilly. Adrian, usually so carefree, was seldom this serious.

Matilda didn't respond, just continued walking away with Orson. Adrian watched the three of them retreat into the distance and suddenly let out a cold laugh. He didn't know why he was angry, only that he was abruptly filled with irritation.

Watching Matilda leave with someone else, he suddenly thought of himself, left behind, alone. Logan had said his mom could hold a grudge, and he wasn't wrong. When Matilda turned cold, she was more ruthless than anyone else—cutting ties without a second thought.

Mason had changed for her into what he was now, and Adrian feared becoming the next Mason. It was supposed to be a game of cat and mouse, but Adrian felt that, slowly, the hunter was no longer him.