Chapter 16

Mason turned his head away coolly. "I just don't want to talk." Cynthia was speechless. What a wilful reason indeed. "Well then, can you promise me to speak more from now on? Your voice is absolutely amazing! It's such a waste not to use it. If you made a wish, I'm sure the heavens would make it come true." Mason rolled his eyes at her. "How childish." Alright, even a three-year-old wasn't easy to fool these days. Cynthia tried to come up with more ideas, playing games with Mason to encourage him to speak. The day passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was 5:30 pm. It was time to pick up Yasmine from school. Cynthia then checked the time. Zachary still wasn't back, and she couldn't just leave Mason alone. She called Jesse. "Mr. Dalton, can I ask when Mr. Beaver will be back? I need to head home for something." Mason, who had been playing in the sandbox, immediately stopped when he heard her. His little face fell, and he sat in gloomy silence. He grabbed handfuls of sand with his small hands and began scattering it everywhere. Startled, Cynthia quickly set her phone aside. "Hey, Mason, what's wrong? Don't throw the sand—it might get in your eyes and it'll hurt!" Mason ignored her. "If you're leaving, I'm throwing it. I'll keep throwing it." So, this was the problem. Cynthia patiently comforted him, "I have to go home tonight for something, but I'll be back tomorrow to spend time with you. I promise, okay?" "No, I don't want that!" Mason stubbornly kept scattering sand, covering himself from head to toe and nearing a tantrum. Cynthia knew that indulging tantrums wasn't ideal for most kids, but Mason's situation was special. If this continues, it might trigger an episode. Resigned, she said, "Alright, alright, I won't leave. I'll stay with you tonight, but you need to calm down." Mason finally stopped and threw himself into her arms, clinging to her like a little koala as if afraid she might still leave. Cynthia felt a tug on her heart. She hadn't expected her son, whom she hadn't seen in three years, to rely on her so much and be so attached. Her emotions softened as she lifted his small body. She had no choice but to call Dolly and ask her to pick up Yasmine for her. Meanwhile, in the car, the conversation from the phone call echoed clearly through the vehicle. Jesse remarked, "She knows Mr. Mason doesn't want her to leave, yet she deliberately made that call in front of him to find an excuse to stay. Her scheming runs deep." Zachary's handsome face was unreadable, the air around him radiating coldness. He said nothing, simply instructing Jesse to continue driving. Then, he tried calling Janice again. In his view, Janice was gentle and well-mannered, and she was Mason's biological mother. If they spent more time together, Mason would surely bond with her and stop clinging to Cynthia. This time, the call didn't go through. He started wondering if her work was really that busy? His expression darkened as he turned off his phone. Half an hour later, Zachary arrived at the villa. Cynthia had just finished helping Mason bathe and eat and was tidying up the dishes. When she saw Zachary, she greeted him, "Mason is upstairs. Everything went smoothly today." Zachary shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it aside without acknowledging her. Well, it was not like she wanted to talk to him if it weren't for the little one anyway! But under someone else's roof, she couldn't afford to be proud. Cynthia said again, cautiously. "There are two things I'd like to discuss. First, I want to take Mason shopping tomorrow for some new clothes. He's so young; he should try a variety of outfits that are more suitable for children. Besides, wearing only black isn't good for his condition. "Second, I might need to stay here tonight. Mason threw a tantrum when I said I had to leave earlier, and I was worried he'd have another episode like last night, so I agreed to stay." She explained carefully, afraid Zachary would misunderstand her intentions. Yet in reality, Zachary had already misunderstood. His cool gaze landed on her as he said icily, "Cynthia, always remember the conditions you agreed to last night. Don't try any tricks with me."