Chapter 109 What Is Her True Identity?
"Ma'am, let's talk inside," Bennett urged; seeing Adeline's distressed face, he hurried over with a comforting smile, gently tugging at Helen's sleeve. "This neighborhood is bustling; the hallway's a gossip hotspot. Better to discuss things indoors!"
Helen's frown deepened, ready to counter the boy's suggestion, but then she caught a full glimpse of Bennett's face.
That face... It inexplicably conjured memories of Adeline as a child.
The boy's presence, scent, and bright, starry-eyed gazes were the spitting image of Adeline's childhood self.
When she saw him, any retorts she harbored faded away.
After a long while, Helen sighed, allowing Bennett to lead her through the door.
To Helen's surprise, from the outside, the house looked like any other.
But inside, the furnishings were simple and clean, yet the walls and the ceiling bore the scars of charring and blistering burns.
The tragic evidence of fire peeked through even in the spots where it had been freshly painted.
Helen paused, "Your house..."
"Someone sent by Miss Molly torched it," Bennett revealed as he guided Helen to sit on the couch, then sat opposite her. "My mom and little Lauren were here the day the fire happened."
"If help hadn't arrived in time, we would've lost them both."
The kid's large eyes blinked woefully, irresistibly endearing.
But his words unsettled Helen.
"It's impossible."
"Molly is Lauren's aunt; she would never do such a thing. You must all be mistaken!"
She glanced again at the blackened spots in the room, reaffirming her conviction. "It's just impossible."
"Have some tea."
Adeline, carrying a tray with freshly brewed tea, emerged from the kitchen. "Today was my first day at The Foster Group; I barely interacted with Jasper."
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her whirlwind of emotions. "So there's no way I could have found Molly's whereabouts this fast."
Setting a cup in front of Helen, she said, "Please have some tea."
She had specially prepared Helen's favorite—a delicate green tea.
But Helen barely glanced at it, still furrowed on the sofa. "When can you get news about Molly?"
"As a mother, you know the agony of not knowing where your child is."
"The thought of Molly leaves me unable to eat or sleep."
Adeline's smile froze.
She looked at the cup of steaming green tea on the coffee table and couldn't hold back. "When Adeline went missing, did you lose your appetite in worry as well?"
The woman's eyes bore into Helen, searching for a sign of her concern on Helen's face.
But Helen shook her head.
"Although Adeline is my daughter, in my heart, she just doesn't measure up to Molly."
"Molly is kind and gentle; she has done so much for Adeline in silence, and Adeline has never even bothered to offer a word of thanks."
"And besides," Helen sighed, "Molly met Jasper first, you know. Molly was kind-hearted; she didn't compete with her sister for attention, but Adeline was always pushed to the sidelines."
Adeline stood frozen, rigid in place.
"Did Molly tell you all this?"
She could hardly believe that her mother, whom she had always held in such esteem, would speak of her this way.
"Not everything came from Molly; I've seen it with my eyes."
After saying this, Helen sighed again, "They're both my daughters, yet the difference between them..."
It felt to Adeline as if she could hear her own heart-shattering, piece by piece.
Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the turmoil within her. "I understand."
"I must admit I have no news of Molly at the moment, but I promise to inform you when I hear something."
"Bennett, please open the door for Helen and see her out."
Bennett glanced at Adeline's pale face.
With a sympathetic glance at his mother, the little guy hopped off the couch and hurried to the door, opening it wide. "Helen, please, it's time to go."
Helen frowned.
She glanced at Bennett; the kid was charming and endearing. She wasn't quite ready to leave. "Didn't you welcome me in so warmly just before? Why the rush to send me away now?"
Adeline gave her an icy look. "Weren't you the one who didn't even want to come in just a moment ago?"
Helen fell silent.
After a while, she sighed, grabbed her handbag, and turned to leave.
With a 'bang,' the door closed behind her.
In the moment after Helen had left, Adeline's tears, which she had fought to hold back, began to cascade down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She had always cherished family, feeling guilty for not contacting relatives abroad.
Even when she knew Helen misunderstood and failed to comprehend her, she could chalk it up to the long separation, causing misconceptions.
But now, Helen had implied that her disappearance hadn't truly saddened her.
Adeline finally saw it.
There had been no affection for her from the start.
None.
Not from family, not from lovers.
Their love was reserved for Molly.
"Mommy, you still have the three of us."
Somehow, Bennett had made his way behind Adeline.
The young boy reached out, gently grabbing Adeline's fingers, his voice faint but persistent, "We'll always be your support."
Adeline turned and embraced Bennett, her tears falling silently.
That night, she finally fell asleep under Bennett's care.
In the little guy's words, men are naturally supposed to look after women.
Adeline found his maturity so touching that she no longer wanted to indulge in her fragility.
Just as Adeline woke up the following day, Ryan knocked on her door with a few others.
"Miss Wilson."
Ryan, who usually called Adeline by her first name, was now showing her a new level of politeness. "Mr. Foster's car is downstairs."
"You and master Bennett go ahead with him; I'll have the crew pack up your luggage and move everything to Blue Bay."
Adeline paused before replying, "Okay."
She turned to glance at Bennett.
The child, on the other hand, wasn't overtly emotional. He gave Adeline a radiant smile, then looked up at Ryan. "Is Lauren with you?"
"Lauren's waiting for you two in the car."
"That's great!"
With a deep sigh, Bennett grabbed his jacket and backpack and headed for the door, taking Adeline's hand. "Let's go, Mommy!"
Walking behind Bennett, Adeline couldn't help but softly ask, gazing at the back of her son's cute head, "Aren't you going to ask me what happened?"
She had intended to discuss Jasper with Bennett that evening, but Helen's arrival had completely thrown her off balance.
Unexpectedly, the boy didn't show much hostility towards the sudden appearance of Jasper.
"Blake told me," Bennett whispered. "Mommy, whatever you decide to do, just go for it."
"As long as it isn't too dangerous, we're with you."
His words were incredibly heartwarming.
Adeline pursed her lips and held Bennett's small hand tightly.
Downstairs, Jasper's car sat silently.
Its presence was an anomaly in the usually quiet neighborhood, drawing curious neighbors out for a look.
"Brother!"
Lauren saw Adeline walking out with Bennett from afar and ran excitedly towards them from the car.
After all this time, she could finally call Bennett her brother without reservations!
Bennett sighed in mild resignation as the little girl enthusiastically lunged into his arms.
"Okay, we see each other daily; what's with the excitement?"
"Oh..."
The little girl pouted, squeezed between Adeline and Bennett, and took their hands as they walked towards the car.
Sitting in the car's back seat, Jasper frowned as he watched the scene unfold before him.
He suddenly had a feeling.
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