Chapter 494 A Mother's Love

Leon instinctively took a step back. He hadn't returned home for years, fearing the confrontation with her.

He had once hoped to lift Fiona's spirits by excelling in his studies and bringing home a report card with high marks. But by then, Fiona had already succumbed to an illness that left her moods mercurial and unpredictable.

He had braced himself for Fiona’s wrath—he would have preferred it, in fact. But Fiona merely stared blankly out the window, as lifeless as a doll, and asked in a hollow voice, "Why didn't you pay closer attention? Was it necessary to buy that bag of rock candy?"

Fiona had then begun to cry, her despair deepening into acts of self-harm. The doctor diagnosed her with depression and warned them to avoid provoking her. She needed to be shielded from any triggers that might exacerbate her condition.

As Fiona's condition deteriorated, her hair thinned, and her body grew gaunt. Jeffrey and Leon, heeding the doctor's advice, tried to stay out of her sight.

When O