The child's voice caught everyone's attention, and they all turned to look at the stairs. Fred stood near the stairs on the second floor, and Jacqueline glared at Fred with a look of anger and shock. She must have seen something.Concerned, Serenity hurried to her daughter's side. "Jackie? What's going on?""Mommy, I saw Fred push Yanny down the stairs!" Jacqueline said. "I'm not the only one who saw it! Micah saw it too!"Jacqueline did not understand why Fred would push Yanny. Thankfully, Yanny had grabbed the handrail, or he would have gotten badly injured.Jacqueline had seen it on a TV show before. A lady who had gotten pushed down the stairs had died. Even though Mom told her that the TV show was fake, she had nightmares about it for a long time.Serenity then turned to Micah. "Micah? Is Jackie telling the truth?"Micah answered with a nod. "Jackie and I saw it. When Yanny was about to descend the stairs, Fred suddenly ran to him and pushed him."All eyes were on Fred at o
"Tell me your reason. I know you would never push someone for no reason," Serenity continued asking."Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me!" Fred said."But if you don't tell me, how do you know I won't believe you?" Serenity asked in reply."Have you forgotten? I'm a lawyer. If you have a reason and were wrongly accused, I'll clear your name. But if you did push Yanny down the stairs on purpose, I'll punish you!"After a short silence, Fred said in a small voice, "I heard a sound. I thought something was coming toward Yannick, so I tried to push him away.""There was a sound? What do you mean?" Serenity asked in confusion."It was a sound," Fred said. He was too young to describe the sound he had heard, so this was his best explanation.Serenity pondered for a moment. "You said there was a sound. Was there anything else? If you want me to believe you, you should tell me more. Was it just a sound? How can I help find evidence for you with that?"Fred kept his head down a
Jacqueline realized Fred was not going to apologize no matter what she said. Anger took over her, and she declared, "You must apologize to Yanny! If you don't, I won't play with you again! I don't want to be your friend!" This was the most serious threat a child could give, and surely enough, Fred's face paled at Jacqueline's threat.Fred reached out, wanting to grab Jacqueline. He wanted to tell her the truth, that he had heard a sound coming for Yannick, so he had pushed him away. But in fact, he had not even touched Yannick. Yannick had accidentally fallen when he tried to avoid him.Fred paused, his hand catching nothing but air, and a feeling of emptiness washed over him instantly.The servants around them looked at him with ridicule, disgust, and disdain. Fred shrank back and dropped his hands. He kept his head down and returned to his room like a poor, little soul.The room felt so empty and cold. Fred had never felt this cold before.Would Jackie no longer consider him a
Serenity hesitated for a moment. In the end, she shook her head and still believed in Fred. "I don't think Fred would do something like that. I'll look for evidence, in any case.""But what if the evidence still points to Fred? Would you still defend him?" Jackson asked.Serenity gave Jackson a look. "What are you trying to say?" They were married, and she sensed Jackson was implying something in what he said."Now that this has happened, wouldn't it be better for Weston Stanton to take Fred away?" Jackson said. "Serenity, you only took Fred in because he had no place to go. I'm not against it, but I can't say I agree. He's Jenny's son, after all." Although Fred was just a child, Jackson was extra careful with him. He was afraid that the boy would blame the Valor family for his mother's death. The boy might be harboring hatred toward the Valor family without them realizing it."Now's a good time to give Fred back to Weston. The kid should return to the Stanton family for his own
Serenity's face tensed, and Fred lying was the last thing she ever wanted."But we can't be sure yet. I'll have someone check the villa and see if something is making a sound. Maybe we all missed it," Lisa said."We all missed it? The three of us? And Yanny?" Serenity thought the chances were too slim.Lisa let out a small laugh. "Okay, I know you hope Fred didn't do this on purpose, but what if he did? Maybe Fred didn't mean to push Yanny down the stairs. Maybe he just wanted to push him to scare him. Besides, kids often play pranks without thinking of the consequences."Serenity sighed again. Did Fred really do it on purpose, and was what he said about the sound just a lie? Maybe giving Fred back to Weston would be better like Jack said.-At night, Fred curled up in the bed. Jackie had been ignoring him for the past two days. Although they ate at the same table as usual, she refused to talk to him.The servants in the mansion had noticed, naturally. They had been glaring at h
Fred could not accept it! He did not want Jackie to hate him! He would do anything for her, so please let her not hate him! Serenity had something to do that day, so Elliot picked up the kids from school in the afternoon.While on the way home, Fred kept sneaking glances at Jacqueline, but Jacqueline refused to interact with Fred. She kept talking to Micah about her day in the kindergarten.Soon, the car arrived at the Valor Residence. When the children were getting out of the car, Fred suddenly grabbed Jacqueline's sleeve.Fred began to speak with caution. "If… If I apologize to Yannick, can you not hate me?""So you're finally going to admit it? That you deliberately pushed Yanny down the stairs! And you even lied about it!" Jacqueline asked.Fred stiffened, and his face turned red. He knew he should be saying yes even though he never did it, but he just could not say it.He did not do it. He did not lie! Why should he admit something he never did?!Jacqueline saw Fred's ref
"No!" Fred yelled. "I didn't do it! I didn't push anyone!" Fred kept shouting. He curled into a ball and tried to protect his hands. His hands were the most important to him. He needed them to play more beautiful music for Jackie. Jackie loved playing the piano with him.By the time an adult noticed the fight and pulled the kids away, it was too late. Fred had gotten beaten so terribly, and his face was all bruised and swollen.Fred ran into Jacqueline while limping toward his room. Jacqueline was shocked to see Fred all bruised and swollen and became worried. "What's wrong? Who hit you?" Jackie asked, but she regretted it as soon as she spoke. They were in the middle of a fight, and they were not supposed to be talking, so she immediately shut her mouth.Fred looked at Jacqueline and stammered, "D-Do you want to play the piano? I can play it now." That was all he could do for her. Fred protected his hands during the fight earlier, so his hands were not injured. He was able to
When Fred was living with Jenny, Jenny would not care much about him even if he got into a fight with someone else and injured himself.His mom was addicted to her alcohol and would spend her time doing nothing and watching TV. Otherwise, she would spend her time talking about her past glory."Come here. I'll treat your bruises." Serenity took the little boy back to his room, grabbed the medicine box, and carefully treated his wounds.Fred remained silent and felt Serenity carefully putting the medication on his bruises."If it hurts, just say so," Serenity said, afraid she was using too much force while treating Fred's wound and that he might be silently in pain.Fred pursed his lips, and for some reason, the pain gradually faded. Was it because of the medicine? Or was it because of Aunt Serene?The next day, the swelling on Fred's face remained. Serenity thought of giving the little boy a few days off from school until he was better, but Fred insisted on going to kindergarten.