?


    Damon raised an eyebrow and said tly, "It''s not about my approval. It''s about ensuring the safety of the other children."


    Gabriel kept his gaze low, anger flickering in his eyes. What else could he say?


    "Understood. I''ve learned my lesson today, Mr. Sumner," he gritted through his teeth.


    The crowd began to disperse.


    Most parents hurriedly took their children and left, keeping a noticeable distance from Wilhelm and Gabriel as they passed, still wary that Wilhelm mightsh out unpredictably.


    Before long, only Damon, N, and Mason remained at the gate with Gabriel and Wilhelm.


    Gabriel turned to Damon with a cold expression. "If there''s nothing else, Mr. Sumner, I''ll take Wilhelm and leave now."


    "Mr. Hackett, shouldn''t your son apologize to Buddy?" Damon asked.


    Gabriel''s expression hardened.


    Taking a deep breath, he looked down at Wilhelm and said sternly, "Wilhelm, apologize to Buddy."


    Wilhelm lifted his chin defiantly. "I won''t! I didn''t do anything wrong!"


    "Wilhelm, behave!" Gabriel snapped.


    "No! I''m not apologizing!" Wilhelm shouted, yanking his hand free and bolting toward the gate.


    Gabriel turned back to Damon. "Mr. Sumner, let me apologize on his behalf for now. I''ll bring him by to apologize properly another day."


    He hurried off to chase Wilhelm, leaving Damon watching him coldly.


    N touched Damon''s arm gently. "Let''s go home."


    "Mm," Damon hummed, crouching down to Mason''s level. "Buddy, Wilhelm will apologize to you next time, okay?"


    Mason nodded. "Okay."


    The three of them got into their car and drove home.


    When they arrived, Mason handed N the mysterious grand prize his teacher had given him. "Mommy, this is the prize Daddy and I won today. It''s for you!"


    N''s eyes lit up in surprise when she saw the golden rose brooch. She beamed.


    During the prize-giving ceremony, she had noticed Damon and Mason acting secretive as if they were hiding something from her.


    Before she could ask, Wilhelm''s outburst had drawn her attention away.


    She epted the brooch. "Thank you, sweetheart. I love it. Let me give you a kiss to say thanks!"


    She leaned in and kissed Mason on the cheek.


    Damon, standing off to the side, interjected, "I want one too."


    N shot him a nce. "Aren''t you a little too old to bepeting with your son for attention?"


    "I helped win that brooch too," Damon quipped, leaning closer and presenting his cheek.


    N pushed him away yfully. "Alright, it''s time for dinner. We''ll see about a kisster."


    ...


    After dinner, N went upstairs to rest, but Damon followed her.


    As she reached for her pajamas in the closet, Damon''s voice sounded behind her. "N, aren''t you forgetting something?"


    She turned to see him tilting his left


    cheek toward her, making herugh despite herself. Standing on her tiptoes, she moved in to kiss his cheek.


    Just as her lips were about to touch his skin, he turned his head.


    Their lips met instead, catching N off guard. She tried to pull away, but Damon wrapped an arm


    around waist, deepening the kiss.


    W


    When they finally parted, N''s face was flushed, her head spinning slightly.