“Tell him to start acting right," Gerard retorted.

Lilah interjected, “He was already upset. Let's not add to his worries."

Gerard stayed silent, causing Brenda to muse aloud, “Sometimes I think you care more about your girlfriend than you do about me."

Lilah's cheeks turned a shade of strawberry. "Brenda, please!"

With a chuckle, Brenda refrained from teasing further. "How long have the two of you known each other?"

Lilah shot a puzzled look at Gerard, who, equally baffled, spoke in a deep voice. "Is this document legitimate?"

"Absolutely. Why would I lie?" Brenda's voice quivered with a touch of indignation. "I once mistook you three for a family. Now, you are one. Shouldn't you be over the moon?"

Jerrold's gaze twinkled with joy as he regarded Lilah.

For Lilah, however, the facts seemed to defy reality. It was mind-boggling. But a memory flashed: Jerrold's age coincided with the time of her lost child.

A banquet from years past surfaced in her mind, where she and Ruby both served. Pieces of a once—jumbled puzzle began to fit.

"Let's dive deeper into this once we're home," Gerard said, his voice rich as molten chocolate. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, a gleam of elation shining in his eyes.

Lilah managed a nod, emotions dancing like fireflies in her eyes, too bright and fleeting to name.

Upon their return, Gerard didn't waste a second before laying into Jerrold about his escape act. Jerrold, for once, was all ears; every so often, his gaze would flit to Lilah, a goofy grin transforming his face.

Gerard, after what felt like hours, ended with a firm, "This can't happen again."

"Understood," Jerrold shot back, rushing to envelope Lilah in a bear hug, his eyes alight with a million emotions. If Jerrold were a dog, his happiness would've been evident in a frantically wagging tail.

Brenda's lips twitched into a smile; she could almost hear the echoes of laughter that once filled their home.

Suddenly, the room's atmosphere shifted as Richard stormed in, his face a roadmap of concern. Without a word, he scooped up Jerrold, inspecting him minutely, exhaling only when he was certain the boy was alright. "Kid, you gave us a heart attack! Promise me, no more stunts, alright?"

Richard, having been out scouring the streets, had raced home the second he heard Jerrold was safe. But as he caught sight of Lilah, lounging on the sofa, a shadow passed over his features. "Why are you here? You're not wanted. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have left home!"

Brenda, fiery as ever, shot back, “Hold your horses, Richard!"

Richard, though taken aback by Brenda's ferocity, pressed on for the sake of his grandson. "Ever since she showed up, it's been chaos.

And let's be real, Ruby's a star; she's in a whole different league.

More so, she's Jerrold's mom. She's the one who knows what's best for him."

With a resounding "snap", Brenda's hand met Richard's head. The room's tension was thick enough to slice through. Richard's eyes flashed with pain, but he still tried to stand his ground.

Handing him a document, Brenda asserted, "Ruby isn't Jerrold's mom."