Chapter 719

 719:
Only when her eyes met Linsey’s worried expression did the tightness in her chest begin to ease.
She flashed Linsey a calm smile. “Everything’s alright now.”
Caylee exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest. “Thank goodness. I almost made a huge mistake.”
Turning toward her, Linsey gave a gentle shake of her head. “It’s not on you. Coming back to Grester, I knew I’d eventually run into someone from my past. You’ve never met those people, so of course you wouldn’t know how to react right away. Besides, I was the one who asked you to take Zander to the play area.”
Back then, Caylee had only heard Dustin’s name mentioned as a close associate of Collin but had never seen him in person.
After getting a clear look at Dustin’s face, she silently vowed never to let something like that happen again.
Zander, who had been quietly observing, finally looked up at Linsey. “Mommy, was that man dangerous? Why are we hiding from him?”
Before Linsey could answer, Dolores stepped in, her tone serious. “Zander, that man is connected to someone who hurt your mom. If he finds out about you, he might try to use you to hurt her again, and we can’t let that happen.”
Fear flickered across Zander’s face, his body stiffening at her words.
Immediately, Linsey pulled him into her arms, holding him close. “Dolores, don’t scare him like that,” she said softly, a hint of helplessness in her voice.
Dolores didn’t back down. “Zander needs to have some awareness of the risks. What if that man really tries to take him away?”
She took a moment before continuing, “You’ve sacrificed so much for Zander and Zenia, carrying them, raising them alone, enduring everything by yourself. And what has that man ever done? Aside from being their biological father, he hasn’t lifted a finger. So why should he have any claim to them now?”
Hearing those words, Zander clung to Linsey’s side, gripping her clothes tightly. “Mommy, I don’t want anyone else. Zenia and I just want to stay with you.”
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Reaching out, Linsey gently brushed her fingers through Zander’s hair. “Don’t be scared,” she said. “Dolores didn’t mean it that way. No one’s going to take you or your sister from me. I promise we’ll always stay together.”
Dolores’s heart sank a little at the sight of Zander’s troubled expression. A soft sigh escaped her lips. “Let me check if Dustin has left the building. Once I’m sure he’s gone, I’ll make sure you both get back to the hotel safely. It’s not wise to linger out here too long.”
After thinking it through, Dolores added in a more cautious tone, “Until Gorman arrives, we need to keep both Zander and Zenia completely out of sight, especially from Collin and Dustin. Once Gorman’s here, at least we’ll have someone we can count on to keep them protected.”
Linsey gave a firm nod. “That makes sense. I’ll be extra careful from now on.”
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