---- Chapter 268 Jenna was so furious she couldn't even continue crying. Mary helped her up, and she gritted her teeth. "Let's see how long she stays smug." Wendy's steps faltered slightly at that, but she quickly kept walking toward Ethan's room. 'There was something laced in Jenna's words, something almost gleeful, like she was savoring Wendy's downfall. Wendy couldn't help but connect it to the onslaught of public attacks she was enduring. There was a good chance Jenna had ahand init.

But now wasn't the time to deal with that. Right now, Ethan was her priority. The door to the nursery was slightly ajar. As she neared it, she heard James' sharp voice from inside. "Stop crying. You're a boy-you should own up to your mistakes. Hasn't Aunt Jenna always been good to you? And yet you..." Before he could finish, Wendy pushed open the door. As he stood on the carpet, Ethan lifted his tear-streaked face. The moment he saw her, his eyes widened, and he ran straight into her arms.

"Mommy!" He didn't like how strict she was, didn't like that she never let ---- him eat snacks, and didn't like how she always made him follow the rules-but the second he saw her, he knew that no one in the world would believe in him like she did. Wendy frowned as she looked down at the little boy clinging to her leg. The walls she had so carefully built to harden her heart started to crumble again. James turned to look at her, visibly surprised .

That surprise quickly twisted into a mocking smirk. "What happened to 'I'm never coming back?' That was just last night." He had thought her showing up meant she'd finally come around. And now? He saw it as confirmation that her so- called independence and talk of divorce were nothing but an act. Wendy met his gaze with a chill in her eyes and didn't bother to respond to his sarcasm. "Did you actually look into what happened? Or did you just start yelling at him?

Teaching kids right from wrong means guiding their behavior, not just scolding them." James frowned. "Ethan is my son. You think I'd accuse him?" He wasn't listening-only doubling down. Wendy, clearly losing patience, asked flatly, "Where's the footage? There are cameras in the living room. If you want to know the truth, just check the security footage." The moment she said that, Ethan clutched her arm tightly. ---- She felt his anxiety and fear.

She squat down to his level and gently ran her fingers through his messy hair. "Don't be scared. If you did something wrong, then own up to it. Apologize. Understand that what you did was hurtful, and promise never to do it again, okay?" Even in this moment, when she was scolding him, her voice wasn't harsh or overbearing. By getting down to his level, she made sure he could hear her, not just with his ears, but with his heart.

Ethan sniffled, nodding quickly, his cheeks streaked with tears and mucus. "Mommy, I didn't... It was Aunt Jenna..." His voice trembled, but before he could finish, James shoved a phone into Wendy's hand. "See for yourself. Not only did he do something disgusting - he lied about it too." His voice was cutting, sharp enough to make Ethan flinch and fall silent again. Ethan looked up, terrified. He didn't even dare to cry anymore, only letting tears fall silently down his face.

Wendy didn't immediately play the video. She set the phone aside and gently wiped Ethan's cheeks and nose with a tissue.