The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 315

However, as she deeply reflected on Hayden's words, a strange sense of calm slowly washed over her.

The moment she had made the conscious choice to stop hiding, she should have mentally prepared herself for this exact reality.

What was the point of sitting here agonizing and tearing herself apart from the inside?

Suzie took a long, stabilizing breath.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

She refused to let fear dictate her life anymore.

....................

At the commercial shoot.

Richard stared at the adorable little toddlers in front of him, his eyes crinkling into joyful crescents.

"Jamie, look at them. All the wealth and social status in the world means absolutely nothing compared to this. Honestly, if I had great-grandchildren as precious as these angels, I would give anything for it."

Richard's smile abruptly vanished. He shot Jamie a sharp glare and let out a disdainful scoff.

He wasted no time twisting the knife. "You really are a useless disappointment."

Standing off to the side, Jamie furrowed his brow and offered a tight, bitter smile.

"Go stand under the canopy over there. Don't ruin my good mood," Richard snapped irritably. "Just looking at you pisses me off."

The moment the older man finished scolding him, Zoey wiggled around on her chair and slid down onto her stomach.

Her little legs hit the ground, and she immediately pattered past the round table, stopping right in front of Richard. Tilting her sweet little face up, she spoke in a soft, melodic voice.

"Mister, please don't be mad. If he made a mistake, you can punish him by making him stand perfectly straight against a blank wall. The kind of punishment where he isn't allowed to move a single inch."

Having delivered her verdict, she turned her pouty lips toward Jamie. Looking incredibly fierce for her tiny size, she scolded him. "Sir, you are entirely too tall to be making this older gentleman so angry. That is very bad behavior."

Jamie's frown deepened. He stared down at the pint-sized girl, his eyes slowly narrowing into dangerous slits.

Standing just behind Jamie, Aaron Stillman broke into a cold sweat.

His boss, a man known for his icy arrogance, had just been publicly humiliated by his grandfather.

Richard slammed his cane against the ground and barked an order.

"Put her down this instant. What kind of monster speaks to a child like that?"

Aaron was left entirely speechless. He had to admit, his boss was utterly hopeless when it came to interacting with children.

"Zoey! Look."

Zayn and Zeke's excited voices suddenly pierced the air.

Everyone on set immediately turned to follow the direction Zayn was pointing.

Seeing the commotion, Zoey began squirming frantically in Jamie's arms, desperate to get down.

Jamie cast a glance toward the distance before gently lowering the little girl to the ground.

The three children immediately took off sprinting toward the man approaching them.

Jamie slowly straightened his posture. As he watched the man walking over with a radiant smile and wide, welcoming arms, a fleeting, barely detectable shadow of disappointment flashed through his eyes.