Chapter 40


    Yvan made his way down the grand staircase of the opulent manor, a mocking smirk ying on


    his lips as he faced Matilda. “Matilda, you sure have a high opinion of yourself.”


    The servants had all dispersed, leaving only Matilda and Yvan at the entrance, locked in a standoff.


    Just a few days ago, Yvan had burst through her doors, and now, Matilda was the one stepping


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    into his house uninvited.


    Violet, upon seeing her, wore a mask ofplex and profound emotions–pity, hatred, and sympathy.


    To Matilda, the five years she had spent behind bars paled inparison to the heart–wrenching days


    since her release that she had to face Yvan.


    “So, you’ve set your heart on fighting me for our son?” Tears welled up in Matilda’s eyes, her voice a


    intive cry. “Let’s take this to court! You haven’t shown a shred of care for him in five years–I refuse to


    believe yourwyer can make you the victor!”


    “Go to court?” Yvanughed as if she’d told the funniest joke. “Chase is the sharpestwyer in all of


    Ashton City, and you want to talk about a court battle, Matilda? Aren’t you being a tad naive?”


    A sharp pain knifed through Matilda’s chest at Yvan’s merciless words. Some lessons in life–like Yvan’s


    cold–blooded cruelty–had to be learned the hard way, even if she had already experienced them


    firsthand five years ago. Why did she still find herself utterly defeated after all this time?


    But this time, for Logan, she would not back down.


    “Then I’ll see you in court!” Matilda forced a tearful smile, “Yvan, I won’t give an ich when ites to


    my son, not even if it kills me.”


    At the mention of death, Yvan’s pupils involuntarily shrank. Regaining hisposure, he sneered at


    Matilda. “You think you can die? I thought people like you preferred clinging to life like trash.”


    “That’s right, your son was born to this piece of trash.” Matilda retorted through her tears.


    She called upstairs with thest of her strength, “Logan!”


    Logan, hearing her voice, dashed out of his room and flung himself into Matilda’s arms, sobbing.


    “Mommy…”


    “Mommy will take you home in a few days. Just stay here and be good for now.” Matilda stroked


    Logan’s hair, her heart softening yet aching unbearably.


    Chapter 40


    Yvan could not stand such disys of affection that cast him as the viin.


    After Matilda had left, Violet tentatively suggested having someone escort her, but Matilda declined,


    turning away just as she had five years ago when she left the Boyd family.


    Her silhouette was unchanged from that time.


    Yvan watched her disappear into the distance, his expression unreadable.


    The next day. Yvan took Logan to preschool, where a chorus of curious children surrounded them.


    “Is that your dad? He looks so cool.”


    “He’s so handsome. Logan, your mom and dad are both so good–looking. I’m so jealous.”


    “Sir, could you be my dad too?”


    Yvan, uncharacteristically patient, smiled gently and answered each child’s questions before telling


    Logan, “Be good and wait for me to pick you up tonight.”


    Logan nodded and watched him leave; a sigh lost in the breeze as Yvan nced upward–the sky


    hinted at an approaching winter chill.


    Meanwhile, Matilda, draped in a thin trench coat, walked the city streets searching for awyer. She


    had already been turned away by three–each one refusing to take on a case against the prestigious


    Boyd family.