Chapter 3857

“I told Mrs. Lewis not to worry about picking you up at the airport. Zachary and I will come to get you ourselves.” Serenity then turned, offering Duncan a warm smile in greeting. Duncan, who typically exuded a gruff and no-nonsense demeanor, appeared noticeably softer. Love truly had the power to transform people. Liberty was finally back.

She gently set Sonny down. Despite having shed a few tears, Sonny still clung tightly to Liberty. Even Duncan, standing nearby, couldn’t persuade him to let go. All he could do was reach out to gently stroke Sonny’s little face.

The boy pouted, clearly upset. He looked up at Duncan and complained, “Uncle Duncan, you went to find Mom without waiting for me.”

Duncan knelt down and said, “You told me you’d be playing for a while, so I thought I’d go ahead. But now we’re both back, aren’t we? Next time, I’ll make sure to ask you first, okay? Don’t stay mad at me—I even bought you lots of new toys. Come here, let me hug you. I missed you.”

Sonny crossed his arms, frowning. “No, Uncle Duncan, you didn’t miss me. You only missed Mom. I missed her too, and I want to be with her.”

While Sonny had been having fun during Liberty’s absence, seeing her now brought all his feelings rushing back. He felt abandoned, as if she had been gone forever. Video calls didn’t compare, especially since they didn’t occur daily. Liberty was often too busy or could only call late at night when Sonny had already fallen asleep.

Noticing her son’s sadness, Liberty bent down and lifted him once more. “Mom’s here with you until you start school,” she assured him, kissing his cheek. “I work hard, and sometimes I can’t be with you as much as I’d like. But you’re the most important.”

“You’re the most important thing to me, Sonny. I love you so much, and everything I do is to provide you with a better life,” she said.

Sonny returned the kiss and murmured, “I know, Mom. I’ve missed you. You’ve been gone for so long. I’m really happy to see you, but now that you’re here, I feel like crying.”

Liberty held him close, allowing him to settle against her.

Serenity gently placed a hand on Sonny’s head and said, “Sonny, why don’t you walk around for a bit? Mom just got back, and she’s tired. Let her rest.”

Liberty shook her head with a smile. “I’m fine. I’ll carry him.”

However, Sonny wriggled down to the ground and made his way to Duncan. Climbing onto Duncan’s lap, he looked back at Liberty and said, “I’m not letting Uncle Duncan off the hook—I just don’t want Mom to get tired.”

Duncan chuckled. “Of course, of course, you haven’t forgiven me.”