Chapter 256: Sky Call Her Granny?

When she reached his side, she was surprised to see he was holding a camera lens rather than one of the cameras displayed nearby. She had been certain he would choose a brand-new camera.

"Sweetheart, I was surprised you didn’t pick a new camera. You don’t want to replace your camera?"

Skylar shook his head.

"My camera is still good, Mom. Also, it’s the latest series that Dad bought. I’ll wait for the next series when it comes up. For now, I just picked the extended lens because I don’t have it yet, and I think I’m going to need it in my next project."

Sienna nodded with understanding. Although she didn’t know much about photography, she appreciated that Skylar only wanted to buy something he knew he would need later and didn’t have yet.

"Alright, it seems you have a plan. Let’s pay for it."

She turned to the sales assistant and handed over her black card. Since it was only a lens, she assumed it would cost much less than the cameras displayed in the store.

However, the moment the assistant handed her the invoice, her eyes widened. The price was so high that she nearly stumbled over her own feet. She glanced back at the camera she had looked at earlier, only to realize that the lens Skylar had chosen actually cost nearly three times as much.

She looked at Skylar, who was smiling innocently, completely unaware of her brief moment of shock.

Sienna could only laugh inwardly. She had just learned an expensive lesson—photography equipment was far more complicated than she had imagined.

"I guess cameras really do have expensive hobbies," she said with a small sigh as she completed the payment.

Skylar tilted his head. "Mom, cameras don’t have hobbies."

She laughed softly. "You’re right. I meant photographers."

"Oh." He nodded seriously for a moment before grinning. "Good. I thought my camera was secretly shopping without telling me."

"If that happens, we’re returning it immediately."

He giggled. "Deal."

Once the payment was complete, the sales assistant carefully packed the lens and handed it to Skylar.

"Thank you, Mom."

"You’re welcome, sweetheart." Sienna gently patted his shoulder before smiling at him. "So, where are we going next?"

Skylar placed a finger against his chin as though he were thinking through a very important schedule. A moment later, his face brightened.

"I need to go to the sports store. My basketball coach said I need new shoes."

"That’s a great idea. Mommy also needs running shoes..." Sienna replied warmly. "Let’s head there now."

Skylar happily nodded and carried the shopping bag with obvious pride as they walked toward the exit together. Seeing him so excited made Sienna forget about the lens’s shocking price. As long as it made him happy and supported something he genuinely loved, she didn’t regret buying it.

However, the cheerful mood didn’t last long. Just as they were about to head toward the store entrance, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Skylar? Is that you?"

Sienna turned toward the voice near the entrance and was surprised to see two women walking into the shop.

One was an older woman with a graceful, elegant appearance who seemed to be in her early sixties. The other appeared to be in her early thirties. Although the younger woman wore a cap that partially hid her face, Sienna recognized her immediately. ℴℴ𝘮

Her breath caught as countless questions rushed through her mind.

’Huh! Isn’t that Jessica Simmons?’

’How does she know Skylar?’

’And... who is the older woman beside her? Why is she looking at me as if I’ve done something wrong?’

The questions came one after another, leaving her mind in turmoil and a dull ache settling deep in her chest. She instinctively tightened her hold on Skylar’s hand, quietly pulling him a little closer as though she could shield him from whatever was unfolding before them.

"Oh, Granny..."

Skylar’s cheerful voice instantly drew Sienna’s attention to him. She stared at her son in complete surprise as the bright smile spread across his face. There was no hesitation or uncertainty in his expression. He clearly knew the older woman.

Her thoughts became even more tangled.

’Sky calls her Granny? Is she Zachary’s mother? I thought she and Zachary’s father were still on vacation in Europe.’

She quickly looked back at the older woman, only to freeze when their eyes met. The woman’s expression wasn’t warm or welcoming as Sienna had hoped. Instead, her gaze was filled with caution and quiet suspicion, as though she were trying to judge the woman standing beside her grandson.

A moment later, the older woman’s expression softened as she turned back to Skylar. A gentle smile appeared on her face, though there was a trace of impatience in her voice.

"Little Sky, why are you here? Where’s Arthur? Come here to Granny."

Skylar blinked in confusion. His eyes moved from the older woman to Sienna, then back.

"Granny, I came with my m—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Jessica Simmons suddenly stepped forward. Without warning, she grabbed Skylar’s wrist and pulled it away from Sienna before Sienna had a chance to react.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sienna demanded, startled by the sudden movement.

But she was too late.

Her fingers slipped from Skylar’s hand as Jessica pulled him away with surprising confidence before gently guiding him toward the older woman.

Everything happened so fast that Sienna could barely process it. Confusion, worry, and anger crashed over her all at once, making her heart pound hard against her ribs.

For a brief moment, she simply stood there, trying to understand what had just happened.

Her eyes immediately searched for Skylar. He looked just as surprised as she felt. Still, instead of looking back at her, he was focused on the older woman, who continued speaking to him with familiar affection.

Sienna slowly curled her hands into tight fists at her sides. She forced herself to remain calm, but the sight before her only made the uneasy feeling in her chest grow stronger.

She shifted her gaze toward Jessica, ready to question her, only to find Jessica staring back with an expression that was just as cold and irritated.

The unexpected hostility caught Sienna off guard.