Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Byron said, “Sylvia, just focus on your work. Don’t worry about Ruby. She’s perfectly safe with me.”
When Sylvia couldn’t get through to Ruby on the phone, she suspected Byron had taken her out again.
The call finally connected. The moment Sylvia asked her question, Byron shot back with an unapologetic, assertive reply.
Sylvia was fuming, her chest tight with anger. ‘What the hell is he thinking? He took my daughter out without even giving me a heads up, she wondered.
Sylvia practically roared into the phone, “Byron, you bastard. Where the hell did you take Ruby?”
Byron’s ears were ringing from her shouting. His handsome face darkened. ‘Holy shit. She actually called me a bastard?‘ he thought. ‘Damn it. I’m going to hang up right now.‘
Byron had canceled his business engagements just to take Sylvia’s daughter out for some fun, and this was the thanks he got. He even got scolded for it
“We’re at the zoo.” Though Byron wanted to hang up, picturing Sylvia made most of his anger melt away. After all, he still felt he owed her. Softening his tone, he asked, “Want to come?”
But before Byron could finish his sentence, Sylvia abruptly ended the call.
Byron’s face darkened. ‘Shouldn’t have told her,‘ he thought bitterly.
At that moment, Byron was at the zoo with Zack and Ruby.
They were bursting with energy, bouncing with excitement. Up ahead was the panda exhibit, the place they’d been begging to visit all day. Laughing and holding hands, they ran toward it.
Byron followed behind them. When he looked up ahead, his brows furrowed in displeasure. He spotted Joanna and her niece, Yara.
Yara was in the senior class and used to be close to Zack. But ever since Ruby came along, Zack hardly played with her anymore.
Yara snapped, “Ruby, why do you keep clinging to Zack all the time?”
Yara, wearing a playful white dress with cute accessories, spotted Ruby in the same white tracksuit as Zack. Her eyes welled up with jealous tears as she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Ruby’s arm.
Ruby frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Ruby?” Zack rushed forward, pulled Ruby close to shield her, and glared at Yara. “Yara, Ruby’s my best friend. Keep your hands off her.”
The kids were squabbling. Her expression darkened when Joanna saw how protective Zack was of Ruby.
Joanna had always hoped Yara would spend more time with Zack so she could keep tabs on him. But to Joanna’s dismay, Zack had grown so fond of Ruby that he’d practically stopped playing with Yara altogether.
“Zack, is there some conflict between Yara and Ruby? Why don’t we just let them sort it out on their own?” Joanna yanked Ruby out of Zack’s protective hold, then gave Yara a pointed glance.
Yara was two years older than Ruby. Though Joanna didn’t spell it out, Yara knew exactly what to do. She thought angrily, ‘I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget, so she won’t dare cling to Zack anymore.‘
“Joanna, enough of that.” Byron’s icy voice suddenly cut through the air. His face darkened with fury as he strode forward, his piercing gaze locked onto
Joanna.
Joanna froze in panic, her face draining of color at the unexpected sight of Byron. She hastily defended herself. “Byron, it’s nothing serious. I just wanted Ruby and Yara to stop fighting and get along.”
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Chapter 74
Byron shot Joanna a cold glare, then pulled Ruby to his side. He scanned Ruby up and down, only easing up when he confirmed the warn the Otherwise, he would feel sorry for it.
“Byron, let us kids handle it ourselves, okay? Just watch. I’ll show her who’s boss,” Ruby tilted her head up, her eyes sparkling with determination as the
said.
Ruby could clearly see that Yara wanted to hit her, but she wasn’t scared one bit.
“Absolutely not,” Byron said firmly.
“Who’s boss?” Yara shouted, her face twisted with rage. She lunged at Ruby, grabbing her arm and trying to shove her to the ground.
Bang. Ruby didn’t hold back for a second. Her fist shot out fast and true, landing squarely on Yara’s cheek. Yara staggered back several steps in a row, feeling a wave of dizziness
Though Ruby was younger than Yara, she packed surprising strength. She dashed over, pinned Yara down, and swung her fists, landing another solid punch. Yara burst into tears the moment Ruby’s punch landed.
Joanna panicked and rushed forward, desperate to pull Ruby away.
However, Byron shot out his hand, blocking her path. “Didn’t you want them to sort it out themselves?”
Byron had already heard Joanna trying to instigate a fight between Ruby and Yara, and it infuriated him.
Seeing Ruby holding her own, especially since it was Yara who’d thrown the first punch, he decided it was time to teach Joanna and her niece a lesson they wouldn’t forget.
Joanna’s eyes welled up with panic as she pleaded, “Byron, I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier. Please, make Ruby let go of Yara. Poor Yara, she’s all my brother and his wife have.”
“So your child is precious, but other people’s children deserve to be punished?” Byron was deeply disappointed with Joanna, but he couldn’t just let the two kids keep fighting. He called out firmly, “Ruby, come here.”
Ruby obediently let go of Yara and dashed back to Byron’s side, tipping her chin up proudly. “Byron, she was no match for me.”
Byron frowned, his expression turning serious. “From now on, don’t go picking fights with other kids at kindergarten. But remember one thing.
“If someone deliberately gives you trouble and there’s no teacher around, don’t let them push you around. If anything happens, I will get you back.”
“Okay,” Ruby beamed with delight. It was just like her mother always said, standing up to all the school bullying.
Byron gazed at the beautiful little girl before him, a surge of indescribable affection welling up inside him. He reached out his hand, lifted Ruby effortlessly, and gently set her on his broad shoulders.
Ruby burst out laughing, feeling like a pampered little princess as she tightly clutched Byron’s short hair. “Byron, let’s go see the pandas.” With Ruby perched on his shoulders, Byron strode confidently toward the panda exhibit.
Zack scurried after them. He looked happy but couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous. “Ruby, don’t you dare fall off. If Mom finds out, she’ll kill me.”
The moment those words were spoken, all three of them, including Byron, simultaneously tensed up, as if they could vividly picture Sylvia blowing her
top.
“Byron, what the hell are you doing? Put Ruby down right now. What if she falls?” a woman shouted as she exploded.
Speak of the devil. Sylvia came running over, breathless. The moment she saw Ruby perched on Byron’s shoulders, her face flushed with fury.
