Chapter 771

Lucas gave Teresa a polite nod.

Teresa nodded back. “Thanks for the little gift you gave Mike. He really likes it.”

For some reason, she thought Lucas looked familiar and couldn’t help glancing at him a few more times.

“This is my wife.” At some point, Jonathan had placed a hand on her shoulder, a clear gesture of claiming his territory.

Teresa snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see Jonathan’s handsome face, tinged with a hint of hidden jealousy.

Lucas smiled slightly at Jonathan. “Mr. Lynn, we meet again. Your wife is just as Mike said–a real beauty.”

“Actually, Mike’s dad and I aren’t…” Teresa started to explain that they were divorced, but Jonathan’s deep voice cut her off.

“Mind if I ask what you’re doing here? Another training session?” he asked Lucas.

Lucas shook his head. “No, nothing like that. Just wandering around here. I don’t get much free time, so I’m making the most of it.”

“Mr. Big Star, since you’re free, come play with us!” Michael liked Lucas a lot and grabbed his hand.

Lucas was about to refuse, but Michael held on, his bright eyes sparkling. “Come on, let’s go.”

Lucas couldn’t say no to him.

Teresa spoke up from the side. “Sorry, my son’s bothering you.”

“It’s no trouble,” Lucas said. “I’ve got nothing else to do today. I’ll just buy a ticket and join you.”

Seeing them chatting so happily, Jonathan frowned slightly.

“Let’s go, Mr. Big Star.” Michael was already pulling Lucas toward the entrance.

Jonathan pressed his lips together but said nothing when he saw how happy Michael was.

Since Teresa was pregnant, she couldn’t go on many rides. Jonathan and Lucas took turns playing with Michael.

From a distance, Teresa watched Lucas. He was about as tall as Jonathan, slim, and had a shallow dimple when he smiled.

She still felt like she’d seen him somewhere before, but she couldn’t remember where.

After a while, Michael got tired. Jonathan picked him up, and he fell asleep on Jonathan’s shoulder.

“Mr. Lynn, today was great. Thank you,” Lucas said with a sincere smile.

Jonathan replied gently, “You’re welcome. And thank you too–my son kept you busy.”

“It was nothing,” Lucas said. “I’ll be going now.”

Jonathan watched Lucas leave, while Teresa’s eyes also followed him.

Jonathan walked over with Michael in his arms and gave her an annoyed glare. “Good-looking, huh?”

Teresa snapped back to reality. “Who are you talking about?”

Teresa frowned. “What are you even talking about?”

Jonathan stayed stone-faced and pretended not to hear. “Let’s go. We’re going home.”

With that, he turned and carried Michael away. Teresa followed, frowning, clueless about why he was suddenly mad.

Once they got in the car, Teresa tried to take Michael from Jonathan’s arms, but Jonathan stopped her.

“Don’t wake him,” he said.

“What’s wrong with you? Did I make you mad?” Teresa asked.

“Mad? Why would I be mad?” Jonathan stroked Michael’s head, his face cold. “I’m just your ex-husband. Why would I care?”

Teresa was speechless.

Then she got back to the point. “That man just now–the one who gave Michael the gift. Is he the guy you said came back from Cerein?”

Jonathan took a deep breath. He had a good impression of Lucas at first, but Teresa kept asking about him, which stirred up a little jealousy in his chest.

“You like him or something? Want me to set you two up, so you don’t have to ask so many questions?” he said.

Teresa frowned. “It’s not like that. I just feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before, that’s all.”

Jonathan’s brows eased a little. He reached over and gently pressed her head, turning her face toward the car window.

“Take a good look. Who does he look like? Maybe you saw him in your dreams?” he teased.

Teresa rolled her eyes and brushed his hand away. “I’m serious. He really does look familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere. I just can’t remember where. Let me think.”

After a while, she said, “Forget it. I can’t remember.”

Just then, Jonathan’s phone rang. He carefully freed one hand and answered without waking Michael. “Okay. Got it. Thanks for the hard work.”

After hanging up, he told Teresa, “They found Peggy’s address. Let’s drop Mike off at home first, then head over.”

“Okay,” Teresa said.

Meanwhile, Peggy was in the hotel, quickly packing her luggage.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Peggy tensed up. When she opened it and saw Lucas walk in, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re back just in time,” she said. “You can’t stay in this country any longer. We’re leaving right now.”

“What do you mean? You were the one who called me and said you’d support my dream. That’s why I came back.” Lucas was stunned. He felt like a fool for believing her.

Peggy shot him a sharp glare. “I told you not to show your face in public. You can do any other job you want, but this one? Absolutely not.”

“Why? Why do you get to take away my right to chase my dream?” Lucas argued. “You know what? I went to an amusement park today. And guess what? That was the happiest, freest time I’ve had in thirty years."

“How ridiculous is that? When I was a kid, I begged you to take me somewhere fun. Did you take me even once?

“All you ever did was yell at me and hit me. I feel like I was born just to be your punching bag. Am I even really your son?”

Peggy slapped him across the face. The sharp smack echoed in the room.

Lucas winced and clenched his jaw, like a volcano about to erupt. His fists tightened. “Why did you hit me?”

Peggy lowered her hand and said, “You’re grown now, and I don’t want to hit you. But don’t talk nonsense. Don’t say things that upset me. You’re my son. When I’m old, you’ll take care of me.”

Lucas straightened up. “Just because I’m your son, I have to wear these chains and let you destroy my dream? After all these years… maybe you never loved me.”

Peggy frowned and went back to packing. “I’m done talking about this. Hurry up and pack your stuff. We’re leaving now.”

Lucas stood there, frozen. He waited, but the answer and apology he wanted never came.

As her son, he would never hit her back. But Peggy never once apologized after hitting him.

He buried the pain deep inside, turned away, and walked off with nothing but disappointment and despair.

Seeing him leave, Peggy didn’t bother packing everything. She grabbed what she had and chased after him. She ran down to the first floor, trying to catch up. “You ungrateful brat, stop right there!”

Just then, a few people walked in through the revolving door on the other side of the hotel. Peggy caught a glimpse of Evelyn and froze, panic flashing in her eyes.