Sweet Subterfuge

Chapter 724
Allen did not stop the car, but he didn’t drive to Disnieland either. Turning the car around, he drove in the direction of Larissa’s
home.
Tll send you back home. I won’t feel comfortable letting you go back on your own,” Allen said out of consideration for her. His
tone was firm, leaving no room for Larissa to refuse.
Freddy cried for almost hall the journey there, but no one in the car pald him any attention. Even Larissa, who usually treated him
kindly, maintained a stem expression throughout and ignored his crying.
Freddy was truly afraid. Choking back his so bs, he huddled in a comer of the backseat for the latter half of the journey. He shot
glances at Aster, who was sitting beside him, and at Larissa, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
After venting his anger, Aster gazed out of the car window, lost in thought. Larissa stared ahead in a daze, unaware of Allen’s
frequent glances.
In half an hour, the car stopped at the ground floor of Larissa’s home.
As soon as the car came to a halt. Larissa snapped back to her senses and unbuckled her seatbelt immediately.
“Larissa...” Allen began cautiously, but Larissa cut him off without even looking back, “Save it for another day.”
She opened the car door decisively. The moment her foot touched the ground, Aster had already appeared in front of her.
Without a word, he grabbed her hand tightly. A sharp pain radiated from her fingers straight to her heart. She held onto him,
enveloping his tiny hand in hers.
“Let’s go home.” Suppressing the urge to cry, Larissa tried to sound as calm as possible.
Wendy had the day off today.
When Larissa and Aster left in the morning, she was still sleeping in her room. By the time they returned, she had just woken up.
Feeling hungry. Wendy was making oatmeal in the kitchen.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, she poked her head out of the kitchen. When she saw Larissa and Aster at the door, her
eyes widened in surprise. “Why are both of you back so quickly?”
Biting his lower lip, Aster didn’t say a word. He changed into his slippers and went back to his bedroom.
Wendy stared at the closed door concernedly and gestured to Larissa. In a whisper, she asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
Larissa walked into the kitchen and poured half a carton of milk into a saucepan. She heated it on the induction cooker and cut
up some toast. “There was a little accident”
Wendy exclaimed in horror, “Accident? What accident? Is anyone hurt?”
“Not that kind of accident. Go and play with Aster for a moment. I’ll tell you everything once I’ve made breakfast.” Larissa was
dejected as
well and she didn’t feel like talking much.

At least, she had taken two bites of the sandwich Allen made. Aster hadn’t eaten anything all morning, she was worried that his
stomach
would ache.
Although Wendy was dying of curiosity, she followed Larissa’s instructions and took her oatmeal to Aster’s bedroom.
However, when Larissa came out with breakfast for Aster, Wendy was sitting alone in the living room, scooping oatmeal into her
mouth.
Before she could ask, Wendy interrupted her. “Aster doesn’t want to play with me. He said he wants to be alone for a while.”
Larissa walked to the door of Aster’s bedroom and knocked. “Aster, I’m coming in.”
There was no reply from him, Opening the door, Larissa was met with darkness. Aster hadn’t turned on the light. He had drawn
the blackout curtains tightly.
From the faint light in the living room, Larissa could make out a small form on the bed. Her heart was gripped with sadness. She
turned on the lights in the room and approached Aster with a tray in her hands.
“Aster, get up and have some breakfast.” She sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray on the bedside table.