The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 121: Chapter 121

At that moment, a crisp child's voice rang out. "Mom!"
Leon had just stepped out of the kindergarten when he spotted Serena. For a second, he couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed them, and tears nearly spilled over.
Not far away, Victor also noticed what was happening. He quickly walked over and took Leon's hand. "Don't run off like that. What if you got lost?"
Tara, watching from a corner where no one could see her clearly, let out a faint sneer. But when she lifted her head again, her expression had softened into something pitiful and delicate.
She said, "It's true that Alyssa and I aren't close, but it is because of this woman. She came between my family when things were tough, won my daughter over, and now Alyssa barely even recognizes me as her mother."
Alyssa panicked when she heard that and immediately shook her head. But as soon as she tried to speak, not a single word came out.
She thought anxiously, 'That's not how it is at all! Serena and Dad are just good friends. I like her because she's always kind to me, not because she tricked me.'
The parents standing nearby seemed half-convinced already, and a few started pointing fingers at Serena. One of them muttered, "So young, and already the other woman? Even stealing someone's kid? That's just low."
As soon as Leon heard that, even while Victor was holding onto him, he couldn't take it anymore. He yanked himself away and stormed over. "Liar! My mom would never do something like that!"
Leon hit her with surprising force, and because Tara hadn't seen it coming, she stumbled backward. Instinctively, she raised her hand, about to strike him. But before she could, a firm hand gripped her wrist.
Then, a voice rang out. "He's just a kid. But what's your excuse? You really think you can lay a hand on him without going through me first?"
Tara looked up and saw that it was Victor. Sensing the weight of his presence, she hesitated and awkwardly lowered her hand.
She muttered, "How about you keep an eye on your son instead of using his age as an excuse? Why is it okay for him to run into me?"
Leon shouted again, "My mom isn't like what you said. You're the bad one!"
Serena had been stunned when he suddenly rushed over just now. It took her a moment to react, but once she did, a quiet warmth spread through her chest. She hadn't expected it, but it meant something to her.
It struck her that, from the way Leon acted now, he genuinely seemed to be growing out of his old habits and starting to show real concern for people.
She stepped in front of the two children, shielding them behind her, and said calmly, "Do you really think you can spread lies like this without consequences?
"You're the one who dumped Alyssa at the orphanage just because she got sick and couldn't be useful to you anymore.
"And now you have the nerve to show up here, pointing fingers at me and saying that I stole your kid."
By now, the faint smile on Serena's lips had completely faded. "If you had shown even the slightest care for Alyssa, I wouldn't have stopped you from being in her life. But look at what you've done."
With that, she held up Alyssa's small hand. Instantly, the crowd saw for themselves that the girl's delicate wrist was covered in angry red marks, all left by Tara not long before.
Serena's voice sharpened. "Is this how a real mother acts? Do you really want Alyssa back, or are you just after her foster father because he happens to be young, handsome, and loaded?"
Every word struck Tara squarely, leaving her speechless.
Leon quickly chimed in from the side, clearly eager to help. "My mom doesn't need to seduce anyone. We already have money. She wouldn't care about that."
"She really wouldn't," Victor added as he stepped forward, his expensive suit making that fact perfectly clear.
Tara could see she had lost control of the situation. Realizing there was no winning this, she slinked away in defeat.
Alyssa usually didn't like Leon, and she was always afraid he would take Serena away from her. But at this moment, a trace of hesitation showed on her face.
It struck her that Leon had just helped Serena, and she realized she probably shouldn't have treated him so rudely.
After the whole ordeal, the crowd slowly began to disperse. Serena turned around, her expression unreadable.
Leon carefully tugged at the hem of her shirt, murmuring, "Mom... I haven't seen you in so long. I missed you."
Serena pressed her lips into a tight line and turned to look toward Victor instead.
Leon was young and impulsive, so it didn't surprise her when he spoke up for her. But the fact that Victor had come to her defense, too, really caught her off guard.
"Thank you for standing up for me earlier," Serena said.
Truthfully, after everything that had happened, she no longer felt anything for Victor.
Victor noticed the calm in her eyes and let out a deep breath. "It's nothing. I was just telling the truth."
He then pulled Leon gently to his side and, after a brief hesitation, said carefully, "Leon's birthday is tomorrow. He has been thinking about you a lot lately. Maybe you could—"
Realizing where Victor was headed, Serena cut him off, "No, thanks."
Hearing that, Leon lowered his gaze, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.
Serena added, "I have something going on tomorrow, but I've already bought him a gift. I'll have it sent over by courier. I actually got it ready a while ago."
As soon as Leon heard that, his eyes lit up. He stared at her hopefully.
'She prepared it in advance. That means she doesn't really not care about me. If I can fix the mistakes I made before, she'll come back to me one day,' he thought, holding on to that hope.
Victor replied, "Alright. I'll be home to sign for it tomorrow."
Not far away, the Powell family's driver had already pulled the car up. Victor took Leon and got in.
Only then did Serena look down and gently rub Alyssa's soft cheeks, her smile warm and reassuring.
Earlier, while Serena had been talking to Victor, Alyssa had quietly fidgeted with her fingers. Serena could see that she was unsettled. Tara popping up out of the blue must have shaken her.
In a soft voice, Serena comforted Alyssa, "It's okay now. If that woman ever comes again, just go find one of the security guards. They will protect you. No one is going to take you away."
Alyssa quickly nodded in agreement.
For a moment, Serena felt a wave of relief. Thankfully, she had come on her own today. If she had left it to the nanny, Alyssa might have already been taken.
Afterward, Serena brought Alyssa out for dinner before dropping her off at home.
She had already texted Keith about everything that happened today, just to make sure he'd stay alert. Tara had found the kindergarten, and who knew when she might try to take Alyssa again.
Serena knew Tara only cared about the money, so she was sure Tara would treat Alyssa well. Still, Serena didn't want Alyssa turning into a bargaining chip in her own mother's hands.
Back home, Serena finished wrapping the gift she had prepared for Leon.
As she looked at the package in front of her, a faint smile tugged at her lips. Thinking back to how Leon had reacted earlier, she realized she felt a little more at peace.
Serena had come to understand that the more she forced things, the more she seemed to lose. And if she had figured that out sooner, maybe she wouldn't have gone through all that heartache.