Chapter 1173

Cayden still felt uneasy, even after picking up Archie and Benny from kindergarten. He sensed Lucian's shadow in their gaze earlier; their suspicious looks clearly indicated they believed he was hiding something. Sure enough, Archie asked, the moment they were in the car, "Mr. Lawson, is our mommy really with Mr. Farwell right now?"

Unsure how to respond, Cayden pretended not to hear and drove toward Roxanne's house. Benny then questioned him, "Mr. Lawson, are you hiding something from us?"

Unable to elicit answers, the boys began formulating their own theories in the backseat. Fearing they'd guess correctly, Cayden said, "Why would I lie to you two? Mr. Farwell gave Ms. Jarvis medicinal herbs for her research; she's working overtime to take inventory. I think Mr. Farwell has something to discuss with her. That's probably why he sent me to pick you up."

Archie and Benny exchanged uncertain glances. While finding Cayden's behavior strange, his explanation was believable, something they wanted to believe. They decided to trust Cayden, for now, though a lingering unease remained.

"And here we thought something terrible had happened to Mommy!"

Cayden's heart skipped a beat. He forced a chuckle. "No way! Ms. Jarvis has been conducting research for years! You two should have more faith in her!"

Archie and Benny simply pursed their lips and smiled. No further questions were asked on the way home.

Just as Cayden breathed a sigh of relief, Benny asked, "By the way, Mr. Lawson, when will Mommy be coming back?"

Caught off guard, Cayden broke into a cold sweat. "W-well, I'm not too sure. We might need to wait until she and Mr. Farwell finish their discussion." Fearing more questions, he added, "Now, go inside and wait. I'm sure Ms. Jarvis will return as soon as possible once she knows you're home safe."

With that, he tried to reassure the boys while simultaneously encouraging Roxanne, who was fighting for her life in the hospital. He had no idea of her condition but believed she wouldn't abandon her sons.

Archie and Benny nodded obediently and waved goodbye. Cayden's face clouded as he watched them enter the mansion, then returned to his car. Only after his car disappeared did the boys speak.

"Archie, do you think Mr. Lawson was telling the truth?" Benny asked curiously.

Archie shook his head, his expression tense. "I don't know."

Benny clutched his chest. "It feels uncomfortable over here..."

Archie, noticing his brother's distress, also felt his heart racing since school. He recalled a theory about the bond between mothers and children.

Oh, no... Did something bad happen to Mommy? If that's the case, why would Mr. Lawson keep it from us? Hold on... If Mr. Lawson picked us up, then Daddy must be with Mommy! Yeah, I'm sure Daddy will take good care of Mommy!