Chapter 114: Unhappy With Him

Nearly an hour later, James emerged from the room, looking exhausted. Despite trying every trick he knew to elicit a response from Estella, nothing had worked.

"How did it go?" Lucian asked anxiously.

James shook his head. "Essie has completely withdrawn. She refuses to communicate with anyone, even me. I suspect something triggered her. The only solution is identifying the source of her trauma."

Lucian's expression fell.

Seemingly oblivious to his friend's mood, James continued, "Has Essie encountered anything recently that might have caused this change?"

Memories of Roxanne breaking Essie's silence flooded Lucian's mind. The answer was clear.

After a pause, Lucian recounted the morning's events.

James was stunned by how Roxanne had affected Estella. "Perhaps this woman is the key. Essie might improve if we could get her to visit."

Getting Roxanne to visit Essie? Lucian's brow furrowed in frustration, remembering Roxanne's departure that morning. "Right. I'll try talking to her."

James nodded.

Meanwhile, Roxanne remained unaware of Estella's predicament. She felt unsettled since leaving the kindergarten, unsure if it was due to Lucian's words. His tone and expression hadn't seemed feigned, but she suspected his involvement.

Throughout the drive home, Roxanne was subdued, but she hid her distress from her children.

They were already settled when she entered, approaching docilely. "Are you done with the paperwork, Mommy?"

Roxanne smiled, concealing her feelings. "Yes, and I spoke to Essie for you."

"Thanks, Mommy!" the children chirped.

Patting their heads comforted Roxanne. Across from them, Madilyn, increasingly unhappy with Lucian, watched the unfolding drama with pained concern.

The children, leading their mother by the hand, excitedly seated her on the couch. "Since we can't go to kindergarten and aren't enrolled in tuition yet, can we have a break?"

Their mother readily agreed. "Of course. We can arrange tuition after you've rested."

"Can you take a break too?" Benny hugged Roxanne, his demeanor endearing. "It's been so long since we've been out together. Let's go to Universe Park! Aunt Madilyn said it's fun!"

They'd concluded their father's expulsion decision had saddened their mother, so they wanted to cheer her up.

Roxanne seemed hesitant. Understanding their feelings, she relented. "I haven't been there in a while either. Since I'm off today, let's go!"

With no pressing work at the research institute, and in no mood for it anyway, Roxanne readily agreed.

Gathering a few things, the four of them set off for Universe Park.

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