Chapter 905 Mumma

Chapter 905: Chapter 905 Mumma

Jack’s eye twitched. Fuck this brat, calling his own dad ’uncle’?!

He wanted to scream. He wanted to grab the boy and shake him until he remembered. But instead, he forced himself to turn away before his irritation became obvious.

He walked toward the door, pretending to be busy with his cleaning. Just as he reached the hallway, he glanced back once.

Eli was already laughing with another child, completely forgetting about him.

Jack’s expression darkened.

He couldn’t afford to be careless. If the teachers became suspicious, he could lose his job and this was the only opportunity he had managed to find to get inside the kindergarten. If he was fired, he would have no way to reach Eli again.

So he lowered his head, pushed the broom across the floor and disappeared down the hallway. His hands were shaking with suppressed rage.

He would try again. He would find another way. And next time, he wouldn’t leave without getting what he came for.

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It was late afternoon when Eli, freshly bathed and dressed in his comfortable little clothes, came wandering through the house looking for Bella. His hair was still slightly damp, soft black strands clinging to his forehead and his little hands kept fidgeting together as he walked. There was something he desperately wanted to tell her.

On the way, he met Leo.

Leo had just returned from training, dressed in a black shirt that stuck slightly to his broad frame, his hair still wet from his shower with a few strands falling across his forehead. The faint tiredness on his face disappeared when he heard the familiar little voice.

"Papa, where is Beautiful?" Eli asked sweetly.

Leo’s gray eyes softened immediately. He bent down and picked the little boy up effortlessly, settling him against his arm.

"She’s in the garden."

Eli wrinkled his nose. "Papa..."

"Hmm?"

"You stink."

Leo stopped.

He slowly looked at his son with exaggerated disbelief. "What did you say?"

Eli covered his nose. "You smell funny."

"Oh?" Leo raised an eyebrow. "So my son is disliking me now?"

"No, no!" Eli immediately giggled, squirming in his arms.

Leo gently pinched his nose. "First you insult me, and now you’re laughing at me?"

Eli laughed louder. "I love you, Papa!"

Leo’s expression softened despite himself. "I love you too, little troublemaker."

They continued toward the garden, teasing each other along the way until they finally reached Bella’s favorite spot beneath the old tree.

Both of them slowed.

Bella was asleep.

She had arranged a small table and chair beneath the shade, her laptop still open in front of her and several papers scattered across the tabletop and onto the grass. Apparently, she had intended to work but had eventually surrendered to the warmth of the afternoon.

Her head rested peacefully on her folded arms.

Her long hair had come completely loose, spilling over her shoulders and partly across her face. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, creating soft golden patterns over her skin, while the gentle breeze occasionally lifted a few strands of hair from her cheek.

For a moment, neither father nor son spoke.

Eli stared at her with wide eyes. "Papa..."

Leo smiled faintly. "She looks like a fairy, doesn’t she?"

Eli nodded seriously. "Yes."

Then he whispered, "Put me down."

Leo lowered him carefully.

Eli immediately began walking toward Bella on his little tiptoes. His small feet made almost no sound against the grass and his eyes were fixed on her peaceful face.

A leaf drifted down from the branches above and landed softly against Bella’s cheek.

Eli quickly reached out and picked it away.

Bella stirred.

Her eyelashes fluttered.

Slowly, she lifted her head from her arms, blinking sleepily as she tried to understand what had disturbed her.

Then she saw Eli’s little face close to hers.

"Mumma..."

That word came naturally from him.

But Bella was still half asleep.

Her mind barely registered it.

She blinked once and twice.

Her sleepy eyes looked at Eli without really focusing.

Then, completely unaware of what he had just called her, she murmured something unintelligible and gently lowered her head back onto her arms.

Within seconds, she was asleep again.

Eli stared at her.

"..."

Behind him, Leo had gone completely still. His gray eyes widened.

He had heard it clearly.

Mumma.

His son’s first time calling Bella that.

For several seconds, Leo simply stared at the sleeping woman and then at Eli, as though he wasn’t sure whether he had imagined it.

Then the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

He pressed his lips together, trying desperately not to laugh.

Eli turned around.

He looked at his father.

Leo was already struggling to contain his amusement.

Eli’s little eyebrows immediately pulled together. "Papa."

Leo cleared his throat. "Hmm?"

"I said something."

"I know."

"Mumma didn’t listen."

Leo finally let out a quiet laugh.

Eli’s face became offended. "It’s not funny!"

"I’m sorry."

"You are laughing!"

Leo crouched down beside him, his smile softening as he watched the little boy stare at Bella with growing impatience. Eli’s small hands were on his hips, his expression one of pure indignation.

"I know, I know," Leo murmured, gently patting Eli’s head. "Maybe wake her up again?"

Eli hesitated.

He looked at Bella, then at Leo.

Finally, he carefully reached toward her shoulder with his tiny hand and gave it a little shake.

"Mumma... Mumma..."

Bella stirred.

Her fingers moved against the table and her eyelashes fluttered before her eyes slowly opened again.

"Mumma?"

The word reached her sleepy mind this time.

Bella blinked.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Mumma...?

She rubbed her eyes with both hands, trying to clear the sleep from them. Perhaps she was still dreaming. Yes, that had to be it. She had wanted to hear that word for so long that her mind was playing tricks on her.

She looked at Eli.

The little boy was standing right beside her, staring at her with those innocent eyes.

"Mumma!"

Bella’s heart gave a strange little jump.

She blinked again.

No.

She was awake.

She looked around the garden, then back at Eli.

Did he really just call me Mumma?

For a second, she couldn’t move.

Maybe she was imagining it because she had secretly wanted to hear that word for so long. The hope had been there, quietly waiting in the background, never demanding, never pushing but always present. And now, hearing it, she wasn’t sure whether to believe it was real.

She looked at Eli with wide eyes, her lips parting slightly, her heart pounding against her ribs.