Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 198: "My Attitude Is to Resolutely Not Reconcile.

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: "My Attitude Is to Resolutely Not Reconcile.

Rory Linden froze for a moment, hesitating before she said,

"Yes, but Dad has his own life now, and you and I have our own lives too. We chose this way of life from the very beginning, and it will probably continue like this in the future."

Rory Linden never treated Leo Linden as just a child.

Lately, she had discussed matters concerning Sean Harrison with Sherry Walsh in front of Leo Linden on more than one occasion.

She guessed that Leo Linden probably knew something was going on.

"Oh..."

Leo Linden nodded but didn’t say anything.

Rory Linden then took Leo Linden downstairs to a stationery store, where they bought a backpack, paintbrushes, and other supplies.

Just as she finished paying, she got a call from Sherry Walsh, who told her she was done with her business and was on her way to pick them up.

When they walked out of the mall, Sherry Walsh’s car was already parked by the curb.

Sherry Walsh saw Chloe Chandler helping Rory Linden carry her things.

As she opened the trunk, she asked, "How’s Young Chandler? She might lack a good reality check from the real world, but her heart’s in the right place."

Before Rory Linden could speak, Chloe Chandler jumped in, "I’m great! Really! Ms. Linden, if you need anything at all from now on, just call me. I’ll be there in a flash."

Rory Linden was speechless.

Chloe Chandler pulled a car key from her pocket. "I have a car too! Just call me if you need anything, and I’ll drive over immediately!"

Rory Linden knew deep down that Chloe Chandler wasn’t really a good fit.

But she couldn’t find anyone more suitable at the moment, so she could only agree to it for the time being.

She had also told the hospital during her negotiations that she needed to take the weekends off for the first few weeks. She would only start her normal work schedule after finding a suitable nanny.

The hospital administration had been understanding.

Once they were in the car, Sherry Walsh asked, "What’s the plan now?"

Rory Linden answered truthfully, "I’m going to look at some cars."

Sherry Walsh opened the navigation app, set the destination for an auto mall in the city, and said casually,

"I have a weird feeling about Noah Sterling. He gave me a very minor case, then sent over an intern who’s a master’s graduate from Veridia University of Politics and Law."

Rory Linden had already figured it out. "It must have been at the airport earlier. Sean Harrison saw us and had him find a random excuse to get us over here."

"You saw Sean Harrison?!" Sherry Walsh couldn’t help but grow tense. "And then what happened?"

"I was buying clothes for Leo, and he suddenly ran over to pay for them..."

Rory Linden felt a wave of exasperation just thinking about it.

Sherry Walsh glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. "Huh?! Does he want to get back together with you?"

"It doesn’t matter what he’s thinking," Rory Linden said, her tone firm. "Whatever his reasons were back then, I struggled through all those difficult years abroad on my own. Now that everything is finally getting better, what right does he have to show up and try to make things right?"

It hadn’t been so bad when Rory Linden was pregnant.

But as her due date approached, her contractions started early, and she was admitted to the hospital two days ahead of schedule.

It was the height of summer, and the heat was oppressive. She lay alone in her hospital room, unable to sleep night after night. Even simple things like eating or going to the bathroom were an ordeal.

After giving birth, she ran a high fever from a clogged milk duct and still had to get up in the middle of the night to prepare formula for Leo.

To get back to work and earn money as soon as possible, she had to spend half her salary to hire a Chinese nanny to care for Leo during the day.

She had to wake up at night to prepare his bottles and still work hard all day.

Later, when she discovered that Leo Linden had selective mutism, it felt like her world was collapsing.

Only someone who has lived through it can truly understand the hardships of those years.

Even if she talked about it, no one else could ever truly feel what she had felt.

"I support you!"

Sherry Walsh was the only one who knew just how hard those years had been for Rory Linden.

Once, when Rory Linden couldn’t take it anymore, she had called her in the middle of the night, local time.

She didn’t say anything. She just cried.

She cried her heart out.

She cried for over an hour, then suddenly reined in all her emotions and told her, "I have to get ready for work now. Thanks."

In that moment, Sherry Walsh really couldn’t hold it together anymore.

She had also tried to persuade Rory Linden to return to Celestria, but Rory had refused.

The car arrived at its destination.

Before returning to Celestria, Rory Linden had already researched the domestic market.

Electric cars had been popular in the country for a few years, but in recent years, gasoline-powered cars had made a comeback.

Abroad, Rory Linden had driven a Volkswagen gas car, so she decided to buy the latest model of the same brand and series.

She chose white, which was readily in stock, and was told she could pick up the car in two days.

The next day, Rory Linden took Leo Linden to register at the nearest private kindergarten.

There were fewer children nowadays, so the number of students per class in kindergartens had been adjusted.

Rory Linden was upfront about the fact that Leo Linden had previously suffered from selective mutism.

This kindergarten had eight to twelve students per class.

Since Leo Linden’s age meant he could only enter the middle class, the director suggested he enroll now and join a class that wasn’t full.

Feeling the pressure from her job, Rory Linden agreed.

Over the next few days, Rory Linden filled their home with necessary furniture and daily necessities, and also hired a cleaning service to do a deep clean.

On Monday morning, she had just finished helping Leo Linden change into his school uniform, ready to take him to kindergarten.

At home, she had been very earnestly telling Leo Linden—

"No matter what happens, you can always come and tell Mom."

"For example, if you feel uncomfortable because of something a classmate or a teacher says or does."

"Or if you think the food isn’t good, or you don’t want to eat the fruit, you’re allowed to refuse."

"Of course, it’s not just about these things. You can share anything and everything with Mom."

Leo Linden nodded.

Perhaps because of his history with mutism, Leo Linden was more introverted than most boys his age.

Rory Linden was very worried that he wouldn’t get along with his classmates at kindergarten because of it.

But joining a new environment meant anything could happen...

After leaving the apartment, Rory Linden carried Leo Linden’s small backpack for him.

The two of them entered the elevator.

The elevator had just descended three floors when it stopped.

The doors opened. Rory Linden was still looking down, fixing Leo Linden’s hair, when she heard the little boy exclaim, "Mr. Sterling!"

Ryan Sterling: "Leo?"

Rory Linden looked up in the direction of the voice, surprised to see that the person getting into the elevator was Ryan Sterling!

Ryan Sterling looked at Rory Linden and Leo Linden, his face full of surprise. ’After all, just a couple of months ago, Rory had said she was moving back to Celestria. It’s only been two months, how is she back already?’

Ryan Sterling glanced at Rory Linden, then asked Leo, "You guys live here?"

Leo Linden nodded. "Yeah!"

The elevator began to descend.

"Leo likes Celestria, so I quit my job abroad and brought him back. I’m working at Celestria University Affiliated Hospital and renting an apartment here. We just moved in last month."

Rory Linden still hoped that Ryan Sterling could teach Leo Linden how to skateboard.

She wanted to explain things clearly to avoid having Ryan Sterling think she had been lying to him before.

Ryan Sterling hadn’t suspected Rory Linden’s words at all.

The moment he saw them, he figured they had returned from abroad again.

Just then, the elevator reached the B2 level.

The three of them stepped out of the elevator. Ryan Sterling glanced at the backpack in Rory Linden’s hand and asked, "Are you taking Leo to school? How about... I give you a ride."

As he spoke, he pointed in a certain direction.

Parked in that spot was a...

Motorcycle.