At Wendy's single word—"Alright"—Tommy and Fiona's eyes lit up instantly, blazing with desperate hope.
She agreed. They were saved. For a fleeting moment, relief surged through them... Only to shatter in the very next second.
"Is that what you were hoping I'd say?" Wendy let out a soft laugh. "I'm not that stupid."
The words fell like a hammer. The three of them froze.
Fiona swallowed hard, her mind refusing to accept what she'd just heard.
"W-Wendy… you're joking, right? Mom knows you're still angry… I was wrong… just don't keep this up…"
Her voice sounded forced, fragile. Wendy was their last lifeline. She couldn't believe her daughter would be this heartless.
"Who's joking?" Wendy replied coolly. "I'm completely serious."
She paused, then continued, her tone calm and rational to the point of cruelty, "You think a few soft words will make me come back? What would going back even do for me—besides increase my risk? What benefit is there for me?"
