The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Serena rubbed her sore shoulders as she returned to the hotel.
"Alyssa, sweetheart, open the door, okay? Just eat a little something, please." It was Keith's voice.
Serena's heart clenched, and she hurried over. She saw Keith standing in front of the door, visibly anxious, knocking again and again.
"Mr. Brannon, what's going on?" Serena asked.
"Alyssa locked herself in the room and won't come out. She won't eat either. Nothing I say is working." Keith rubbed his forehead.
Serena felt a pang of sympathy rise in her chest. "Let me try," she said softly.
Keith remarked, "Alyssa's a little emotionally unstable right now."
Serena replied, "It's okay. She and I got along pretty well before."
She walked up to the door and gave it a gentle knock. "Alyssa, it's me, Serena."
There was silence inside, and Serena's heart tensed up. "Alyssa, can you talk to me?" she inquired.
Alyssa was curled up in the corner of the room, clutching a stuffed animal tightly in her arms. She buried her face in its soft fur, trying hard to keep her tears from falling.
The knocking and Serena's gentle voice comforted her but also made her feel even more hurt. She wanted to open the door, wanted to run into Serena's arms, but she was scared.
After a long moment of hesitation, Alyssa slowly shuffled to the door. She reached out her small hand and gently turned the knob.
Seeing the door open, Serena let out a breath of relief. She crouched down to meet Alyssa at eye level.
"Alyssa, what's wrong? Can you tell me?" Serena asked.
Alyssa still didn't say a word, just pressed her lips tightly together.
Serena didn't rush her and waited patiently. "Alyssa, are you feeling sad? Is that why you don't want to eat?"
Alyssa kept her head down, remaining silent.
"Okay, you don't have to eat. How about I play a game with you instead?" Serena said gently, smiling as she pulled a tiny stuffed toy out of her pocket. "Look, it's a little bunny. It wants to play hide-and-seek with you."
Alyssa looked at the little bunny in Serena's hand, then looked up at Serena. After a moment of hesitation, Alyssa finally gave a small nod.
Serena held out the bunny and wiggled it in front of her. "The bunny's going to hide now. Alyssa, can you find where it went?"
Alyssa's eyes lit up as she reached out her tiny hands to search for the bunny. Serena took the chance to hide it behind her back.
Alyssa started feeling around Serena, trying to find the bunny. When Alyssa grabbed hold of it, she hugged it tightly against her chest.
"You're amazing, Alyssa." Serena praised her with a smile. "Now the bunny's hungry. How about we feed it something?"
Alyssa nodded and picked up a small cookie to offer to the bunny.
"Chomp, chomp, the bunny's full now. Alyssa, wanna take a bite too?" Serena brought a cookie up to Alyssa's lips.
Alyssa hesitated for a second, then opened her mouth and took a small bite. Serena patiently fed her one bite at a time, until Alyssa finished a small bowl of oatmeal and a few snacks.
Keith stood nearby, watching Serena patiently coax Alyssa with such care, and something unfamiliar stirred in his chest. "Thank you, Ms. Gray."
"No need to thank me, Mr. Brannon. Children with autism need more patience and companionship. You should try to spend more time with her when you can," Serena said.
Keith nodded. He knew Serena was right. He was always caught up in work, rarely spending time with Alyssa. And now she was enduring so much at such a young age.
He silently walked over to Serena and gently placed his hand on Alyssa's head, softly brushing her hair.
Over at Powell Manor, Leon was sitting on the couch with a sullen face. He clutched his game console tightly without a word, his face stiff.
Ever since Serena left, he'd been brought back to Powell Manor, once again under Albert's strict discipline.
Albert sat across from him on the armchair, a file in his hand and a deep frown on his face. "Leon, put the game console down."
Leon's fingers instinctively tightened, gripping the console even harder, but he didn't set it down.
Albert put the file aside and walked over, looking down at Leon. "Leon, you're not a little kid anymore. You can't keep acting out like that."
"I'm not acting out. I just want to play games," Leon retorted.
"Playing games is fine, but it has to be in moderation. Right now, studying is your top priority."
"I just want to play video games."
"Leon."
Albert looked at Leon's defiant face and felt a wave of helplessness. Leon had been spoiled since he was little. Changing him now wouldn't be easy.
Albert's tone softened, "Leon, you can play video games, but you can't get addicted."
"Grandpa, I want to go out and play," Leon said, walking up to him, trying to act cute.
Albert refused, "No. You haven't finished your homework."
Leon's eyes shifted. He thought, 'Grandpa doesn't like Ellie. If I say I'm going to see Ellie and Ollie, he definitely won't let me.
'But I really miss them. I haven't seen them in so long. Maybe I'll just say I want to see that wretch instead.'
With that thought, Leon walked up to Albert, tugged on his sleeve, and gently swayed it, acting sweet. "Grandpa, I want to go see Mommy."
"Your mother's gone. She's overseas now." Albert watched Leon's flickering eyes and the way his lips were pressed into a tight line. He knew Leon was playing one of his little tricks again.
Albert thought, 'Leon's obviously thinking about Eliza and Oliver but chooses to say he wants to see Serena instead.'
Leon pouted. "Grandpa, you're lying. That wretch... Mommy wouldn't just leave."
"She's already given up custody. From now on, you'll stay with me and focus on your studies," Albert replied.
Leon froze for a moment. Even though he had never liked Serena much, it had never occurred to him that she might actually leave him. He ran back to his room in tears, grabbed his phone, and called Victor.
"Hello? Leon, what's wrong?" Victor asked.
"Daddy, Grandpa said that wretch doesn't want me anymore. Is it true?" Leon's voice came through the phone thick with tears, hitting Victor like a jolt to the chest.
Victor responded, "Leon, don't say that. Why would your mom not want you? Your grandpa's just messing with you."
He thought, 'No matter how much Serena hates me, there's no way she'd give up custody of Leon.'
"It's true. Daddy, Grandpa said she already gave up custody. He said I have to stay with him from now on. Daddy, I don't want that. I want to come home." Leon's sobs grew louder.
Victor didn't want to believe Serena would really give Leon up, but the way Leon kept insisting made him start to question it.
"Leon, be good. Daddy's really busy right now. Once I'm done, I'll come see you, okay?" Victor said halfheartedly. His mind was full of Eliza—he had no energy left to deal with Leon's crying.
Leon sobbed, "I want Ellie. Daddy, can you take me back to Ellie? I don't want to stay here. Grandpa always looks so serious. It's no fun at all."
Victor's fingers tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white. He thought, 'Could Leon be telling the truth? Did Serena really give him up? No, that's impossible. No matter how much she hates me, she wouldn't give up Leon.'
Victor paced the room, irritated. He didn't believe Serena would really walk away, but Leon's crying made him start to doubt it.
He thought, 'Why would Dad say that to Leon? How could he scare a kid with something like this?'