Billionaire's Regret: Losing Me And Our Son - Chapter 284: Chapter 284

I stood before a weathered wooden door and knocked.
Shortly after, footsteps approached from inside the courtyard, and the door was pulled open from within.
In the courtyard, a silver-haired old lady looked at me with a gentle, beaming smile and said warmly, "Long time no see, Natalia. I didn't expect you'd still remember me."
I had messaged her on WhatsApp before coming. I said, "Mrs. Wilcher, sorry to disturb you so late at night. This is my brother, York Smith."
With a smile, I introduced them. "York, this is Mrs. Wilcher. She was the head of the orphanage where I grew up."
Maybe it was just my imagination, but York shuddered slightly when I called him "brother."
York quickly collected himself and gave a polite nod. "Hello, Mrs. Wilcher."
"Come in, it's chilly outside," Hannah Wilcher said with a gentle smile, stepping aside to make way.
As I led York inside, a golden retriever with a limp suddenly bounded out, making York jump in surprise.
"Hey, don't be scared. This is April. She's really friendly and won't hurt you," I said softly to York while holding his arm. Then I crouched down and gave April's head a gentle rub.
April affectionately nuzzled against my hand.
At the same time, the other pets in the courtyard heard the commotion and came swarming over to us.
York stared at the dozen or so pets in the courtyard, eyes wide in astonishment. "Holy crap, is this some kind of hidden zoo?"
I chuckled and explained, "These are all stray cats and dogs that Mrs. Wilcher rescued and adopted after she retired. Each of them has a tragic backstory. April was originally a gift from a man to his girlfriend. After they broke up, the man broke her leg in anger and dumped her on the street. When volunteers got the report, they rescued her and brought her here to Mrs. Wilcher."
April seemed to understand what I said and nuzzled her fluffy head deeper into my arms.
I patted April on the back. She suddenly looked up at York, her tail wagging uncontrollably.
As far as I knew, York had no experience with pets.
I gently tugged on York's sleeve and suggested with a smile, "Looks like April's really taken a liking to you. Want to try petting her?"
He paused for a moment, then awkwardly reached out his hand.
I gently took York's wrist and guided his palm onto April's head.
As York ran his hand over April's soft fur, his eyes lit up, and a smile instinctively curved his lips.
April's tail wagged even harder as she snuggled into York's arms, then suddenly licked his hand affectionately.
York looked at April with a puzzled expression and asked, "Is she happy right now?"
"Yes." I smiled as I watched York's movements become increasingly skillful, then explained, "I once saw an animal documentary that said when a dog gets close to a person, it can synchronize its heart rate with theirs within seconds. That way, it can empathize with you. If it senses you're happy, it'll get even happier."
"April, are you happy?" York's gaze softened instantly as he looked down at her, an uncharacteristically tender smile spreading across his face.
I'd never seen York so at ease before. After pausing in surprise, I felt a swell of happiness rise in my chest.
The other cats and dogs edged closer to York, all vying eagerly for his attention.
Natalia couldn't help but say, "Who would've thought that all these pets would love you so much!"
York, captivated by the little animals, pressed further, "So, what's their backstory?"
Hannah called out, "Kids, the ravioli are ready! Come and get them while they're hot."