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97 A Tense Night
Last Updated:
2025-03-03 15:51:57
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Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 98 Unbearable Sin
As soon as Adela stepped into the dimly lit apartment, the stench hit her like a wave—damp mold mixed with the acrid scent of cigarettes and alcohol. The place reeked of decay, of hopelessness. The police had already arrived, but the room was empty. The only things left behind were a dirty mattress and a chair with loose ropes around it. Clearly, they had missed them."Mr. Norman, by the time we got here, they were already gone," an officer reported.Adela walked further inside, her heart tightening as she imagined Herbie sitting there, tied up, scared, trapped in this suffocating place. Her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, and a deep-seated guilt. If only she had been more cautious. If only she had noticed something was off sooner.“We need to find them. Now.” Layson’s voice was calm, but the authority in his tone was undeniable. He was fuming inside, not just at the situation, but at himself for underestimating Ella. He had always seen her as nothing more than a
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 99 Herbie is Rescued
Ella watched as Jackson surrendered, surrounded by countless cars. She knew that today was the end of the road for her—there was no escape. Just as she came to this realization, Layson’s car arrived.Adela saw the chaotic scene before them, and a deep sense of unease settled in her chest. The moment the car came to a stop, she hurriedly pushed the door open and ran out. Layson hadn’t even had time to react before she was already on her way. His heart clenched in alarm—police officers had their weapons drawn, and the situation was clearly dangerous."Adela, come back!"Layson quickly opened his door to chase after her. At the same time, Liam’s car pulled up, and he caught sight of Adela rushing toward the scene. His chest tightened with anxiety.Adela ran into the crowd of officers but didn’t see Herbie or Ella. Instead, she only spotted a man she didn’t recognize. Her heart pounded in fear."Where is my sister, Herbie?"She grabbed a nearby officer, desperate for answers. The uncertai
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 100 Ella's Story
Layson drove steadily through the quiet streets, making sure Adela and Herbie got home safely. After seeing them both settled, he finally left and headed straight to the police station. Meanwhile, Liam Walton was in the interrogation room with the officers, listening to Ella’s statement. Apparently, she had been following Adela for a while, originally just intending to ask her for money. But somehow, her greed had spiraled out of control, and things escalated into the kidnapping of Herbie.“I have nothing more to say. I just wanted to take her with me,” Ella muttered, her head hanging low. The confidence and aggression she had earlier were now gone, replaced by a hollow expression. Sitting in the dimly lit interrogation room, she seemed completely unaware of the weight of her actions.Liam, who had come to check on the situation, frowned at her indifferent attitude. “Do you even realize what you’ve done?”Ella scoffed and lifted her head slightly. “What did I do? Taking my own daughte
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 101 Returning to Peace
Adela had worked in the bar for a long time, and then one day, Ella somehow learned about surrogacy and told Adela to give it a try. Adela refused immediately, but debt collectors kept coming to their house, beating them and taking anything valuable. She had no way out, and in desperation, she agreed.When Adela brought back the money, Ella saw hope for a better future. But when she looked at Calvin’s pathetic state, she realized that staying in that house wasn’t an option. She started eyeing the money Adela had earned, thinking about how she could take it for herself.One day, when Adela returned home, she found Calvin had hanged himself in their house. Panic-stricken, Ella grabbed all the money and fled. Before leaving, she also took Adela’s birthstone, the one thing that truly belonged to her.She had hesitated for a moment when she saw Herbie standing in the room. She thought about taking her daughter with her but, in the end, decided to run away alone. A child would only slow her
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 102 I Want to See Her
As the sun set, the sky transformed into hues of soft red and golden yellow, as if only in that moment did the passage of time become visible. Today, a long-lost member of the Walton family had returned, and the warm evening light streaming through the grand living room cast a glow over a pair of polished leather shoes."Spencer, now that you're back, just focus on living your life. Stop dwelling on the past," the old Mr. Walton said, looking at his son, who had aged significantly over the years.Back when Spencer had insisted on leaving, the old man had been furious, telling him that if he walked out, he shouldn’t bother coming back. But as time passed, his anger faded. The older he got, the more he longed for family unity. Now that his son had returned, there was no need to bring up old grudges."Dad, I’ve thought things through over the years. No matter how much I dislike the constant power struggles, the Walton family is still my home. I had to come back," Spencer admitted, a trac
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 103 Dexter Is Back
The moment Ralph stepped into the house, he took off running. He had been waiting all day for this moment—Dexter was finally back. He couldn’t sit still at school, counting down the hours until he could rush home and tell his uncle everything. He had so much to share—how he had finally met his mom, how things had changed, and a million other little things."Uncle Dex!"Dexter had just stepped out of Richard’s study when he heard Ralph’s excited voice echoing through the house. A smile tugged at his lips, and his steps quickened. Meanwhile, Ralph barreled through the front door, shouting all the way. When he didn’t see Dexter in the living room, he immediately dashed upstairs."Uncle Dex, you’re back!"Seeing Dexter at the top of the staircase, Ralph wasted no time. He ran straight into him, wrapping his little arms around Dexter in a tight hug. Given that they were standing on the stairs, the sudden movement was dangerous. Dexter’s heart nearly stopped, but he instinctively caught Ral
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 104 I'm Pursuing Adela
When Layson arrived back at the Norman estate, the family was already having dinner. The dining room was filled with laughter and warmth—something he wasn’t used to seeing.Dexter was the first to notice him. He paused for a second, then quickly regained his composure."Hey, you’re back!"Last year, Dexter had finally started calling Layson “brother.” He no longer acted like the rebellious teenager who constantly clashed with him. Over the years, Diana had spoken to Dexter about Layson, and through those conversations, he gradually learned about the silent ways Layson had helped him over the years. Still, that didn’t mean he had fully come to terms with what had happened with Adela."Layson, you’re back! Come join us for dinner. Dexter just got home from school today," Diana called out warmly.Layson’s face remained expressionless, but his usual coldness seemed slightly less severe tonight. He had originally planned to stay late at the office, but a last-minute rescheduling of a meeti
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 105 Who is Marah?
When Adela returned to work, she was surprised to find that despite being away for only two days, the entire office was still buzzing about Layson. But what puzzled her even more was the topic—everyone was talking about how Layson and some woman named Marah were cousins.Sitting at her desk, Adela tried to focus on her work, but all around her, the conversations kept circling back to the same thing—Layson Norman. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shut it out.Her mind drifted back to the night Herbie was kidnapped. The fear, the helplessness—the way she had broken down completely. And through it all, Layson had been by her side. She could still remember the way she had leaned on him, how his presence had given her a sense of security she hadn’t felt in years.It was the first time in a long time that she had felt like she had someone to rely on.But Adela quickly shook off the thought. No. Layson wasn’t the right person for her. The life she wanted was simple, peaceful. And L
Last Updated : 2025-03-08
Latest chapter
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 217 The Warning
Lily scrambled to recall the design’s theme, her mind spinning. Then she remembered what Layson had said—the diamond element was meant to represent him.Seizing on the connection, she confidently redefined the entire piece: the design symbolized love.Now that she had calmed down, her thoughts were more structured. She had decent analytical skills—she wouldn’t have made it into Starry Jewelry otherwise.Carlton listened without interruption, his face unreadable. When Lily finally finished, he shifted his gaze toward Marah, his expression now laced with unmistakable disappointment.Marah frowned slightly, sensing something was off. Carlton’s silent disapproval began to fill her with unease.The air in the conference room turned heavy and suffocating. Carlton tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table before turning to Adela.“When you created this design,” he asked, “what was its true meaning?”The color drained from Lily’s face. Her hands began to tremble.It was clear now—no matter
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 216 Termination
Adela had reached the edge of fury—but oddly enough, that brought her calm.She inhaled deeply, casting a cold glance at Marah before turning to face Carlton, her expression once again unreadable, as steady as still water.“Director,” she said calmly, “this design is indeed mine. I can explain every single line, every embedded meaning. Both my home desktop and laptop have versions of this design—the concept sketches, early drafts, and every single revision saved across different files.”After finishing, she no longer looked at Carlton. Instead, she turned to Lily, her gaze sharp and unwavering. “Tell me, Lily—how many revision records do you have on your computer? Don’t tell me this design came to you in one perfect draft.”Her words were laced with sarcasm, and the cold gleam in her eyes bore straight into Lily’s now-tense expression.Even master jewelers wouldn’t dare claim a design came to them fully formed. Adela knew Lily had copied her work. At best, Lily might have tweaked a fe
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 215 Who Copied Whom
The day before the final deadline for submitting design entries had arrived.Adela informed Richard that she needed to leave early for the competition. For the first time in days, he actually glanced at her directly.“You’re participating in that contest?” he scoffed. “Marah told me it’s only for top-tier designers. Do you really think you’re at that level?”Dexter, who was standing nearby, couldn’t take it anymore and was about to jump in, but Adela quickly spoke up before things escalated.“Anyone can register for the competition,” she said calmly. “It’s about growing and pushing yourself. Winning isn’t the only point.”Richard sneered but didn’t press further. “Fine. Go on then. At least I won’t have to deal with you hovering around me all day. Must be a relief for you, huh?”Adela clenched her jaw but didn’t rise to the bait. She gave him a slight nod and walked out of the hospital with her laptop, determined not to let his bitterness affect her any longer.Just as she exited the
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 214The Theft
Despite Layson’s attempts to dissuade her, Adela returned to the hospital the next morning, just as she promised.Richard had been resting for days, and though his complexion had improved slightly, the toll of the accident was undeniable. The lines on his face had deepened, and his spirit had clearly dimmed—he looked significantly older than he had just a week ago.Though he didn’t openly say it, his resentment toward Adela hadn’t faded. He refused to let her feed him or assist him directly. Now that Dexter was home, Richard made it clear that only his son should take care of him.Adela understood and didn’t push. She simply sat quietly nearby, not even taking out her laptop while Richard was awake. If Dexter needed a hand, she’d step in without hesitation. Her quiet diligence gave Richard no reason to criticize her, though his coldness remained.Before long, Marah arrived, as she had every day without fail. Though she never stayed long, her visits were always perfectly timed and care
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 213 Public Disgrace
The moment Richard Norman spat out those entitled words, the faint smile in Layson’s eyes vanished without a trace. He was just about to speak when Adela tugged lightly on his sleeve.He turned toward her, focusing intently on her face, as if trying to read her thoughts through her calm expression.Adela looked at Richard and spoke evenly, “Mr. Norman, I’ll come by every day to take care of you. But not as the future daughter-in-law of the Norman family—only because you are Ralph’s grandfather.”Richard scoffed and said nothing. He didn’t care what reason she gave—as long as she complied. He was never concerned with process, only results.With no meaningful conversation left to be had, Layson saw no reason to linger. Barely half an hour later, he took Adela by the hand and left the hospital, leaving Richard fuming to the point of nearly passing out.Diana sighed and gently patted Richard’s back. “I can tell you care about Layson visiting you,” she said softly. “Why not say something k
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 212 Deliberate Trouble
That morning, like many others before, Richard Norman got behind the wheel and set off alone, heading toward a countryside farm to meet an old friend.But fate had other plans.Out of nowhere, a van with failed brakes careened into the road, smashing head-on into Richard’s car. The collision was brutal. Both vehicles were left mangled, and the drivers were rendered unconscious with serious injuries.By the time Layson Norman arrived at the hospital, Richard had just been wheeled out of surgery. Diana sat outside the operating room sobbing uncontrollably, her face drained of color. Marah, standing nearby with reddened eyes, tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears when she saw Layson approach.“Cousin,” she said in a voice tinged with fear, “Richard will be okay, won’t he? I’m so scared.” She leaned toward him, clearly hoping to be held or comforted.But Layson didn’t stop.He brushed right past her, leaving her reaching out into empty space. Her expression darkened for a bri
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 211 The Car Accident
Adela didn’t show up at the office all day.Richard and Diana came by the apartment. Layson had already left for work, so she had to face them alone—and the atmosphere was colder than ice.“You’re the one who encouraged Ralph to run away, weren’t you?” Richard accused, voice full of mockery. “This is how you act as a mother? I knew you had some hidden agenda when you got close to Layson.”His sarcastic tone made Adela’s chest tighten with anger. But with Ralph still playing quietly in the study, she forced herself to breathe deeply and hold it in.“Mr. Norman,” she said evenly, “no matter what I say, you’ve already made up your mind about me. So I won’t waste my breath. If there’s nothing else, feel free to make yourselves tea. I’ve got work to do.”She stood to leave, but Diana quickly stepped in to play peacemaker.“You know how he is,” she said with an awkward smile. “Always blunt. Don’t take it to heart. We just came to bring Ralph home. He’s got kindergarten tomorrow.”Adela gave
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 210 The Jewelry Design Competition
When Adela got Layson’s call, she was still at the office. The moment she heard that Ralph was missing, her voice shot up several decibels.Marah, already paying close attention to every move Adela made, immediately walked over, her face full of concern.When Adela hung up, Marah gently asked, “Did something happen to Ralph?”Then she quickly added, “I wasn’t eavesdropping—I just heard you mention his name.”Adela was too panicked to analyze her words. Instead, she felt a wave of gratitude for the concern.“He ran away from home,” she said, voice shaky. “I need to take the afternoon off to go find him.”Marah was technically her team leader, so she needed her approval for leave. That’s why she told her.“Oh my God, then you should go right now! Ralph is only five—it’s serious. I’ll approve your time off. I’ll even head out and help look. I mean, I am his aunt, after all.”Hearing those words, Adela didn’t wait another second. She grabbed her bag and bolted—completely missing the flick
Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama 209 Runaway
Adela kept her expression neutral. She’d already known Marah was Layson’s cousin, but she hadn’t realized she actually lived at the Norman family’s old estate. Still, it didn’t bother her much—Layson usually stayed at his apartment anyway.Watching Marah chatting so happily with Richard Norman, Adela didn’t try to join in or interrupt. In Richard’s eyes, that aloofness came off as arrogance.To him, Marah was being warm and friendly, and Adela wasn’t even pretending to appreciate it—not even a polite smile. It ticked him off instantly.He turned to Diana and muttered, just loud enough for the room to catch: “The Norman family’s daughter-in-law needs to be gentle and well-mannered—not someone who expects us to tiptoe around her.”That line caught everyone off guard. But the words “daughter-in-law” had people glancing toward Adela.Just then, Layson walked in from outside, carrying something in his hand. The moment he set it down, he caught the tail end of Richard’s comment. His tone wa
