Chapter 1808


    Thssa recognized him instantly—her son, Atticus Everhart! Though he had grown taller and


    older, he was still the child she had raised. His features, his demeanor, and that inherent warmth


    about him drew Thssa’s gaze and tugged at her heartstrings the moment he appeared.


    Ovee with emotion, she ran towards him and, just like in the past, squatted down to be at eye


    level with him. But now, squatting made her even shorter than Atticus, forcing her to look up at him


    instead. With her hands on his shoulders and tears in her eyes, Thssa examined Atticus closely,


    confirming in her heart that this really was her child.


    Unable to hide her longing, Thssa embraced Atticus tightly, pouring all the years of missing him


    into that hug. Holding him, she eximed excitedly, “Atticus, it really is you, Atticus. You’ve grown


    so much, nearly as tall as your mom now…” After all, he was still just a seven or eight-year-old kid.


    Atticus stiffened for a moment, unustomed to being hugged after three years, but soon rxed,


    knowing that the person embracing him was his mom—the mom he remembered every day while at


    military school. Atticus gently hugged Thssa back, his voice still young as he said, “Mom, stand


    up, don’t squat, your legs will go numb.”


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    As Atticus said this, he also tightened his embrace, helping Thssa to stand. Hearing the long-


    missed term "mom," Thssa felt a surge of emotion and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. She


    cried with relief and joy as Atticus helped her up. Letting go of Atticus, she steadied herself on his


    shoulders, her vision blurred with tears, and looked at him closely, “My Atticus has really grown up.


    If you grow any more, mom might not even recognize you.”


    Seeing Thssa cry, Atticus, who was usually reserved, felt his eyes grow warm. He raised his


    hand to wipe away her tears, trying to keep his voice steady as he said, “Mom, no matter how long,


    I''ll always recognize you.” Atticus’s words brought Thssa to tears again. The child before her was


    the treasure she had longed for day and night. Three years had passed, and he had grown from a


    little treasure into a big one.


    “Mom, don’t cry, or you won’t look pretty anymore. Dad might startining,” Atticus said, his


    youthful voice teasing slightly. Thssaughed through her tears, quickly wiping her face, and took


    Atticus to Lysander’s side, saying, “This is your dad, you haven’t greeted him yet.”


    She had been so caught up in the joy of reuniting with Atticus that she almost forgot to introduce


    him to Lysander. Atticus looked Lysander up and down with a cool gaze. The man, once towering


    and unapproachable, now seemed smaller, seated in a wheelchair. Lysander still wore a bespoke


    ck suit, dignified and elegant, yetcking his usualmanding presence. Atticus knew his dad


    was in a wheelchair because his legs wouldn’t carry him. And today, it was because of his dad''s


    inability to stand that Payton and Wyatt had gathered to bully his dad and mom!


    Looking at Lysander, Atticus felt both aggrieved and pained, enduring the ache in his heart without a


    word, appearing expressionless. But Lysander, gripping the armrests tightly, fixed his gaze on his


    son, Atticus. The little guy looked so much like him, a miniature version of his younger self. He even


    saw in his eyes the same pride and resolve that he had as a young man. Lysander was proud of


    Atticus! Yet, he was unable to pave the way for him or shield him. Now, he was just a man confined


    to a wheelchair, dwarfed even by his own son.