“Can I really accept it, mother?”

“Of course.”

Rowena nodded and hugged her son again as she felt her throat tightening and her eyes heating up. 

The sight of her son being so excited that he could almost fly away with joy, was all due to just some new clothes and toys. Even though she was supposed to be happy for his happiness, instead, his joyful appearance only made her feel sad and ashamed of herself. Simultaneously, she was angry at herself for not asking her uncle for help before.

What sort of pride is that?

True, her uncle had a stubborn nature and would not have forgiven her yet, but he would not have turned a blind eye.

If she had asked him to lend her some money, even if she didn’t visit him in person due to the possible risks her action would bring….

The thought of exposing her son to the kind of poverty that an average family would have never experienced made her ache, as though someone had stabbed her in the heart with a dagger.

“Mother…?”

“Thank you for being so obedient. Damian.”

With a quick glance, before he could realize what was happening, Rowena hugged the small body with all her might and placed a soft kiss on the child’s forehead.

“That tickles! By the way, mother, Where are we going?”

Damian, who had started to giggle and smile at the familiar expression of affection, looked at his mother with innocent eyes, and continued. 

“To the friend you mentioned before?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like that uncle.”

“It’s already fixed.”

Rowena smiled and patted Damian on the head.

Genok, who had been watching them silently, gave a low cough behind her. With the tacit signal, Rowena stretched out her folded knees.

“Mother has to go now.”

“Where?”

Damian tilted his head, even though he didn’t understand.

“I thought we were going.”

“We are honey, mom has to go to the other cabin, you’ll have to stay with this uncle, Okay? But don’t worry, We’ll meet up again when we reach our destination.”

“No!”

Damian, who realized that the sad mother-son reunion was over, hugged Rowena’s waist with an angry face.

“Damian.”

“No! Mom, are you going with that uncle? Without me?”

The realization was instinctive. While the startled Rowena froze in place, Damian tightened his grip on her waist.

“No. No. No. Stay with me. I hate you going with that man.”

“Damian!”

Damian, with tears in his eyes, threw an unexpected tantrum.

Upon seeing her son’s unusual behaviour, she froze, but then bit her lips and moved to release the hand that held her waist.

“Mother…”

“Damian, you have to be polite. You shouldn’t behave like this in front of that uncle, okay?”

She looked like she was about to cry, and felt as if her heart was being ripped out of her chest, the effect of her son’s crying face was strong on her. i sent to wuxia to take down my translations, yet after shamelessly asking for which novels i’m talking about, they ignored me, so wow. But if she acted soft here, she would only  provoke Killian. She pondered the effect that each of her words would have on her son. She had to have a strong heart.

“Mr. Genok?”

“Yes?”

Nodding at the calm call, Genok winked to the nanny who stood behind Damian.

“‘No! Let me go! Mother, I don’t need all this. Mother!”

“Young master, please calm down. I’ll show you something interesting. Okay? Hmm?”

“Let me go!”

Leaving her screaming son behind, Rowena walked out of the second-class cabin as if she were running away.

Every step was as heavy as if she had heavy shackles on her ankles. The sound of her son’s cries seemed to absorb into her ears and never go away.

She walked so fast that her steps seemed as though she were actually running nonstop. Then she stopped at the entrance of a first class cabin. Rowena spoke neatly to Genok, who opened the cabin door.

“Let me repeat this again.”

“……”

“Take care of Damian for me, please.”

She had already reminded him, but she was not reassured.

“Of course.” 

“You’re not to touch a single hair on his head. If something happens to Damien…I don’t know what I’m going to do either.”

She looked at his face with a death defying look. Genok nodded again.

“He’s the only son of the master I serve. Don’t worry. You can trust me.”

After repeated assurances, Rowena stepped into the first class cabin. She had the face of a prisoner on death row walking toward the gallows.