Billionaire's Regret: Losing Me And Our Son - Chapter 90: Chapter 90

I had just reunited with Shirley, and I wasn't ready to spill everything to her just yet.
Right now, I wasn't planning to share Benedict's identity with anyone, not until I was sure I could get custody of him. There was still a lot to figure out.
But York? He was like a ticking time bomb, always setting off my nerves. I knew he didn't want me back in the Smith family, but at this point, what was he hoping for?
Shirley noticed something was off and raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" she asked, clearly a little confused.
I paused, the words about my son—who had passed away—almost slipping out, but I pushed them back.
York flashed a smile, as if nothing was wrong. "Don't misunderstand, Natalia. I just heard you and Dr. Stuart are getting along well, so I might've spoken too quickly."
With one sentence, he managed to save his position and throw in a little jab at me. I frowned even more. Looking at York, I still couldn't figure out what was going on in his head.
Shirley, clearly intrigued, leaned in. "Dr. Stuart? Is that the childhood friend of yours? I've heard he's a great guy, always looking out for you."
I snapped back into the conversation and said, "Yeah, Aiden and I are just childhood friends."
Shirley looked like she wasn't totally convinced, but she didn't push it when she saw the look on my face.
After lunch with Mary, York headed back to the office, and Shirley dragged me to the mall.
We ended up at a fancy home store, and she started browsing through the furniture. She looked at me with a smile. "So, what kind of furniture do you like? I picked the biggest bedroom for you, with a balcony facing the garden.
"In the fall, the smell of osmanthus will fill the air. Now we just need to pick out the furniture. I want you to choose it."
Her smile was warm, and as I looked into her eyes, I felt that deep, comforting mother's love I hadn't experienced in years.
Seeing that I wasn't saying anything, Shirley blinked in surprise. "Do you not like anything here? Want to try another store? If not, I can get a designer to make something just for you."
I snapped back to reality and smiled. "No need for all that. I'm not picky about furniture. Honestly, your taste is great. Just decorate it however you want."
Shirley's smile softened even more. She put her arm around my shoulder and rested her head against mine. "It really hasn't been easy getting you back. As your mom, I just want to give you the best."
It had been so long since anyone called themselves my mom, but in that moment, I felt truly blessed to be showered with her love.
I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back my feelings, and whispered, "Thank you, Mom."
Shirley froze for a second, then excitedly grabbed my arm and pulled me through the store. We walked past all kinds of furniture until she pointed at an expensive-looking dressing table. "This one! Perfect for your room," she said to the salesperson with a grin.
I glanced at the price tag—30 thousand dollars. My biological mother really was living in a whole other league.
After we finished shopping, Shirley tried to convince me to come back to the Smith family's house with her.
I politely refused. I'd signed a divorce agreement with Quinn, and I still had three years to work at Madden Group. The apartment I was in now was just more practical for me.
Shirley huffed. "The Madden family is way out of line. 10 million dollars to buy my daughter's freedom? If they think they can get away with it, they'll be sorely mistaken. I'll have someone deliver it to Quinn tomorrow."