Betrayed by the Father Reborn in His Rival's Arms novel Chapter 50

Lucius was taken aback, recalling how she used to stay up all night nursing Leo whenever he fell ill. "You're always the one who takes care of him when he's sick. Come back and do your job."

Madeline frowned. "The past is the past. Since Liliana is his mother, you should ask her to take care of him."

"I already told you she doesn't know how to look after children!" Lucius snapped impatiently. "What is wrong with your attitude? You are his adoptive mother. Isn't it your responsibility to take care of him?"

"So what's the plan, Lucius?" Madeline shot back. "Am I supposed to be his caretaker for the rest of my life?"

"Yes," Lucius answered, his voice hard and uncompromising.

"Then what exactly is his mother doing?" Madeline demanded. "What is his father doing? If neither of you wanted the responsibility, why did you even bring him into this world just to dump him on me?"

Lucius exploded. "When you adopted him, you swore you'd raise him until he was an adult! You think I wanted this kid? If you're going to refuse to do your job, then just let him die!"

Madeline's blood ran cold. "Are you even human? What kind of father tells his own son to die?"

Before she could say another word, a weak, trembling little voice echoed through the speaker. "Daddy, I'll be good. My tummy doesn't hurt anymore. Please don't be mad."

The line immediately went dead as Lucius hung up.

Madeline stood frozen in horror, realizing Lucius had screamed those vile words while standing right next to Leo.

He hadn't even bothered to step out of the room. He was the boy's biological father, yet he treated him like a burden to be kicked away, casually wishing him dead.

Leo was five years old. He wasn't a baby anymore; he understood exactly what was being said.

Hearing his father wish him dead, the little boy had forced himself to endure the excruciating pain, desperately promising to be good just to stop his father's anger.

But Madeline could hear the raw agony in the child's voice.

Knowing Lucius's utter disdain for the boy and Liliana's tendency to use him purely as a prop for attention, she knew they wouldn't lift a finger and would genuinely let Leo's condition deteriorate.

She sat in silence for a few minutes.

The attending physician told her that if she had waited even a little longer, it would have perforated his intestines.

With the foreign object removed, he just needed some IV fluids and electrolytes to fully recover.

Breathing a massive sigh of relief, Madeline carried a much calmer Leo back into the car and headed home.

His color had returned, and he sleepily asked for some of her homemade soup. Despite being completely exhausted from staying up the entire night and originally planning to leave, Madeline went to the kitchen and cooked him a warm bowl of soup.

Once he finished eating, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep in her arms, and she tucked him safely into his bed.

As she quietly left the house, Lucius was still nowhere to be found.

Liliana was nowhere to be found, either.

She considered calling Lucius to update him on Leo's condition, but quickly dismissed the idea, knowing he was probably wrapped up in the luxurious sheets of some five-star hotel with Liliana.