Chapter 456: Don't Count On It in This Lifetime

Anne Sutton looked up at the man standing before her. “It was fine,” she said.

Nathan Fawcett gazed at her and said, “You did a great job today.”

“A great job with what?” Anne Sutton asked without looking at him.

“The situation with Leo,” Nathan Fawcett said.

When he saw Mia Shaw call the police, Nathan Fawcett had been wondering how he could help. But in the end, he wasn’t needed. She had prepared for everything perfectly on her own.

She brought Leo back without causing any trouble.

“I’ve thought it through,” Anne Sutton said. “If I’m going to stick up for him, I have to go all the way.”

Half-measures would just make the child suffer in the end.

A person like Mia Shaw wouldn’t reflect on her actions if you just gave her a simple warning and handed the child back.

Nathan Fawcett looked at her and smiled.

Anne Sutton shot Nathan Fawcett a glare. “As for you yelling at Ian today, I haven’t settled that score with you yet.”

“…” Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, “You saw it yourself. You saw how he talked to Finn. He gets angry the second someone disagrees with him. Who acts like that? He was our only child for a long time, so he has a temper, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.”

He was used to being an only child and had his moments of willfulness.

Sometimes, simply spoiling him wasn’t the answer.

“Look at you, being so high and mighty,” Anne Sutton said.

She just hadn’t argued with him in front of the children.

Nathan Fawcett retorted, “What, you think I don’t love our son? Do you think I’m favoring Finn and don’t love him? Would I do that? He’s my son! Have I treated him poorly all these years? I’m only a bit strict with him because I don’t want him to grow up to be arrogant and spoiled.”

“Well, I’m not happy with you right now, anyway,” Anne Sutton said.

Understanding his reasoning was one thing, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

After speaking her mind to Nathan Fawcett, Anne Sutton went straight to her room.

Watching his wife leave, clearly unhappy, Nathan Fawcett rubbed the bridge of his nose. He realized that ever since Finn had appeared, he and Anne Sutton were always getting into arguments.

He let out a helpless sigh.

…

That evening, Anne Sutton had Leo sleep in Ian’s room.

Finn went back to his own room to sleep.

At first, Ian had been annoyed by Leo, but after realizing how pitiful the boy’s situation was, he started treating him quite well. The two of them even chatted happily together.

As Anne Sutton came out after her shower, she received a call from Sylvia Warren. “Ms. Sutton.”

“Why are you calling?” Anne Sutton asked, her face cold.

“Is Leo still with you?” Sylvia Warren asked.

“So now you decide to care about your son?”

“I’ll come see him tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Anne Sutton retorted, “If you can’t properly care for your son, then don’t bother coming! I don’t want to see a useless mother like you.”

‘Giving birth to a child and then abandoning him!’

It was truly painful for Anne Sutton to witness.

If he were an older child, it might be different. But for a child so young, if he couldn’t even rely on the parents he trusted most, what faith could he possibly have in the world?

Sylvia Warren took Anne Sutton’s scolding to heart. “Yes, I know I’m in the wrong. I have my problems. But… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! You know Mia Shaw is quite capable at SV now. I don’t want to offend her.”

“Then just keep this up. Ignore whether your son lives or dies.”

“Please, help me think. Is there anything I can do?” Sylvia Warren pleaded. “Now that Mia Shaw is married to Charles Prescott, the child is in her care. If I make things too ugly between us, Leo will be the one who suffers in the end.”

“Can’t you just take your child back? What are you afraid of? He’s your own son!”

“But Charles…”

“I can’t stand seeing you so hesitant. Come over tomorrow, and we’ll talk then.”

Unable to stand it any longer, Anne Sutton hung up.

…

The next afternoon, Sylvia Warren came to the hospital to see Anne Sutton.

Anne Sutton’s face darkened when she saw her, and she did not give her a warm welcome.

Sylvia Warren put on an apologetic smile. “Ms. Sutton, I know I was wrong. Is Leo doing all right with you?”

She had originally planned to go directly to the Linden Family’s home but was afraid she wouldn’t be able to get in, so she came to find Anne Sutton first.

Anne Sutton glanced at her and frowned. “He’s fine. But he’s a pitiful child. His parents might as well be dead for all the good they do. Being abused by a stepmother like that… you really have the heart to let it happen. Aren’t you afraid your son will develop problems from Mia Shaw’s abuse?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, too,” Sylvia Warren said. “About whether I should fight for custody of Leo.”

Anne Sutton looked at her. “So, what are you hesitating about? What’s making you too scared to even fight for custody of your own son?”

“I’m afraid,” Sylvia Warren said. “I’m afraid I can’t win against Mia Shaw.”

Hearing Sylvia Warren’s words, Anne Sutton laughed coldly. “And why can’t you win against her? What power does she have? What’s so incredible about her that makes you this afraid? Mia Shaw comes from an ordinary family. Didn’t she rely on Charles Prescott to get her start? He’s the one who sent her to study abroad! She’s no different from you.”

‘They were both women who got ahead by relying on Charles Prescott!’

In Anne Sutton’s eyes, there was no real difference between them.

“But now even Charles has to walk on eggshells around her,” Sylvia Warren said. “She found him a job. She’s very powerful now.”

“Aren’t you powerful too?” Anne Sutton said. “Sylvia Warren, you’re a big star now. You’ve starred in two productions, and you have popularity on your side. Have you ever thought that if you wanted to crush Mia Shaw right now, you have plenty of opportunities?”

“How would I do that?”

“You have influence, so what are you afraid of?” Anne Sutton said, looking at her. “She’s abusing your son. Can’t you just expose her?”

Sylvia Warren was different from other female celebrities.

From the very beginning, the public knew she had a child!

She didn’t have to be afraid of people knowing about her child!

Hearing Anne Sutton’s suggestion, Sylvia Warren asked, “Can I really do that?”

“Why not?” Anne Sutton replied. “Weren’t you just afraid of Charles Prescott blacklisting you before? With your current level of popularity, do you think your boss is more afraid of him, or of losing you, his money-making machine?”

Although she had used Charles Prescott’s resources to rise to fame, he had lost all his influence now.

Sylvia Warren, on the other hand, was the one making money for her boss.

Her boss would naturally protect her!

Hearing Anne Sutton’s words, Sylvia Warren exclaimed, “You’re right!”

She had simply been too afraid of Charles Prescott.

So, whatever he forbade her from doing, she wouldn’t do it.

It had reached the point where even now, with Charles Prescott powerless, she was still afraid of him in her heart.

Anne Sutton looked at the woman and sighed helplessly. “That’s the long and short of it. Go home and think it over carefully. Let the world know that Mia Shaw is abusing Leo. Only when public opinion is on your side will you have any chance of getting your child back. If you’re counting on Charles Prescott, you might as well give up now.”

Thinking of that useless man…

He really hadn’t changed at all. The only things he could see were his job and his career. In his eyes, everything else was expendable—even his own son.