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    Chapter 281


    Rowan ryed Ka''s message honestly. "Ms. Ka said this is a cheap item made during an activity at the sanatorium. She tried making a protection charm and wanted to give it to you, hoping for your safety and well-being."


    Myra looked at the charm in her palm, her emotionsplicated. It was a cheap, small trinket one could find on the street for a few dors.


    What was rare, though, was that Ka had made it herself sincerely.


    "Silly girl..."


    She gently stroked the charm, then asked, "How is Ka doing at the sanatorium? Has anyone been mistreating her?"


    "Well..." He hesitated, unsure how to respond.


    Her heart sank when she heard this. "Just tell me!"


    "Ms. Ka has lost a lot of weight. She looks weak, and herplexion isn''t good. She also has a serious wound on her head; it looks like she fell and hurt herself." Rowan reported. "The people at the sanatorium say she injured herself while falling."


    "What?" Myra almost lost her temper again. If not for thest shred of rationality, she would have rushed to the sanatorium to demand answers about how her daughter was treated.


    How could Ka have gotten hurt so severely? She was definitely being mistreated!


    At that moment, Dexter returned from work. Myra quickly put away the charm and waved at Rowan to leave.


    He immediately exited the vi.


    Dexter changed his shoes at the entrance. Myra took his coat and hung it up, gently asking, " Darling, why are you back sote again today?"


    He rarely shared thepany''s troubles with her, not wanting her to worry. But with the pressure mounting recently, he told her the truth.


    "Another department was disbanded these past two days. Some employees caused trouble, and I had to step in to handle it, so I came homete."novelbin


    "Why disband the department?"


    "A project got snatched away, so there was no choice but to shut down the entire department."


    "I see." Myra walked behind the sofa and started massaging his temples.


    They talked about a few other things.


    She suddenly nudged Dexter''s shoulder as they conversed and softly said, "Darling, the New Year ising. The house feels too empty. I was thinking..."


    "Thinking about what?"


    "I want to bring Ka home for the New Year."


    "No!" Without a second thought, he rejected the idea outright. "There are too many eyes on us right now. Public opinion is just starting to settle down. We can''t give them any more reasons to criticize us."


    She was frustrated. "You''re always overthinking, afraid of everything! I just want to bring my daughter home for the New Year. What business is it of outsiders? They can gossip about it if they want to."


    He was speechless and sighed in helplessness. "But didn''t you say before that you''d treat her like she no longer existed, that you''d never see her again, that you''d sever tiespletely?"


    "I..." Myra paused for a moment but didn''t feel guilty at all. Instead, she became even more adamant. "I did say that, but people change! Ka has always been an obedient child. If it weren''t for Shawn''s instigation, how could she have made such a mistake?


    "Shawn has been sentenced. He got what he deserved! As parents, we should give our child a chance to change!"


    She went on and on, but Dexter''s stance remained firm.


    "This is not negotiable! Even if you want to bring Ka home, it''ll have to wait at least a year or more until this matter ispletely forgotten."


    She remained silent. Frustrated, she turned and stormed back to their room, mming the door shut and locking it behind her.


    He shook his head, helpless and resigned.