Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 36

"Your mom won't blame you."

Leo looked up at him, his eyes swimming with tears.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then why isn't she coming back?"

Lawrence had no answer.

Because Wren was throwing a tantrum.

Because she wanted him to bow his head.

Because she felt she had been wronged.

He couldn't say any of these things to a child.

Leo suddenly grabbed his sleeve and whispered, "Dad, can you make Willow leave?"

Lawrence's expression shifted.

"Why?"

Leo looked down.

"It's not that I hate Willow." His voice was tiny. "But if Mom sees her here, will she really never come back?"

Outside the door, Willow stood perfectly still in the hallway.

She had only intended to grab a glass of water.

But the moment she heard those words, her footsteps froze.

The hallway lights were warm, yet her hands grew colder by the second.

Leo actually wanted her gone.

Just a few days ago, he had been saying that she understood him better than his own mother.

He used to love it when she helped him build toy rockets, brought him desserts, and never disciplined him the way Wren did.

Yet all it took was Wren coming back for a brief visit and mentioning that 'it hurts,' and everything flipped.

Willow's fingertips dug fiercely into the side of her glass.

Inside the nursery, Lawrence remained silent for a long moment.

"Willow is only staying here temporarily to keep you company."

Leo whispered, "I don't want her company anymore."

Lawrence's frown deepened.

"Leo, you can't be impolite like that."

Leo's eyes grew red again.

"I want Mom."

Looking at his son, the irritation burning in Lawrence's chest flared higher.

Ever since Wren refused to come back, there hadn't been a single day of peace in the house.

Leo cried, his mother complained, and Willow felt wronged.

Wren clearly knew this family needed her, yet she insisted on using this tactic to force his hand.

Lawrence stood up.

Her face was extremely pale; she had clearly overheard everything.

"He's just upset and talking nonsense."

Willow lowered her head. "I know. I'm just a little sad. I truly only wanted to help Wren take care of Leo. I never meant to put him in such a difficult position."

Lawrence frowned.

"It's not your fault."

Willow shook her head, her voice so soft it was barely a whisper.

"Maybe Wren was right. I don't have a sense of boundaries. I just thought that when she wasn't around, someone needed to be here for Leo."

Hearing this, Lawrence's expression turned even grimmer.

Wren drops one comment about boundaries, and now even Willow was starting to doubt herself.

Wren certainly knew how to manipulate people.

"You don't need to move out," Lawrence stated flatly.

Willow looked up, a glimmer of surprise in her eyes.

Lawrence's tone was calm, yet broker no argument. "Leo is just emotionally unstable right now. He'll be fine in a couple of days. You're staying."

Willow bit her lip.

"But Wren..."

"If she chooses not to come back because of this, that is entirely her problem."

The chill wrapping around Willow's heart finally began to thaw.

She looked at Lawrence and said softly, "Thank you for believing in me, Lawrence."