CHAPTER 074: Gladys

The room feels tense as Gladys steps closer to Mike, her hands shaking as she reaches out. “Oh, my baby,” she whispers. Her eyes are filled with tears. It’s like she’s forgotten everyone else in the room and can only see her son.

Mabel walks toward her, smiling. “You must be Gladys,” she says, sounding cheerful. “I’m glad you could come.”

Mike looks confused. “Babe, what’s going on?” he asks, suspicious.

Mabel stays calm, like she doesn’t see how big a deal this is. “I invited your mother,” she says matter-of-factly. “I hired someone to find her, then I told her all about you.”

Mike’s eyes widen in disbelief and anger. “Why the hell would you do that?”

Beside me, I feel Caspian tense up. His hands are shaking as he sits back down, looking like he’s barely holding it together. His eyes stay glued to Gladys, the woman who caused him so much pain years ago.

“Because everyone needs their mother, Mikey,” Mabel says softly, like she’s doing him a favor.

Mike’s jaw clenches so hard it looks