"Mommy! I wants play car again!"
To make up for the promise she couldn't fulfill last Saturday, Roseanne took her son to the arcade today.
Now she stood nearby, following Kaden who moved eagerly from one game to another. His eyes lit up with excitement as he tried every machine he could find, completely absorbed in the flashing lights and sounds around him.
"Kaden, don't run," Roseanne reminded him. The boy had been running around the arcade for almost an hour, yet he still had enough energy to jump straight into the racing game.
But Kaden was too excited to be careful. As he jumped onto the cabinet, his foot landed in the wrong spot. His body tilted backward and Roseanne felt her heart drop. She instinctively rushed forward.
"Kaden!"
Before she could reach him, another pair of arms caught the boy.
"Are you alright, tiger?"
The voice belonged to the man sitting at the racing game cabinet right beside the one Kaden had tried to climb onto. He had reacted quickly, catching Kaden just in time before the boy could hit the floor. After steadying him, the man gently set him down on the seat.
Roseanne quickly pulled herself together and immediately felt the urge to scold him. "Kaden! Mommy told you not to run and jump around," she said, her voice filled with worry.
"Yes, Mommy… I'm sorry, Mommy," the boy mumbled while lowering his head.
Roseanne let out a small breath before turning to the man who had caught him. "Thank you so much. I'm really sorry for not keeping a closer eye on him.
The man stood up from the racing game seat and shook his head. "No, no, it's alright. Kids at his age are naturally curious. Sometimes their excitement just gets the better of them."
He looked to be in his thirties, not much older than Roseanne. He was dressed casually and wore glasses, giving him a calm and approachable look. A warm smile rested on his face.
"Kaden," Roseanne said, turning to him, "what do you need to say to him?"
Kaden looked up at the man. "Thank you… for saving me, mister."
The man smiled and gently patted the boy's head. "Be good and listen to your mom, alright?"
Kaden nodded quickly.
After that, the man excused himself and walked away. Roseanne watched him leave for a moment before turning back to her son.
"Mommy is upset?"
She sighed softly. "No, Mommy isn't upset. Mommy's just worried. I don't want Kaden to get hurt so you need to be more careful, okay?"
He gave a small smile and nodded. Then he turned his attention back to the racing game and started playing.
Raising a child meant Roseanne had become familiar with most of the things he loved. Over time, she became familiar with them even if they had never interested her before. Whenever Kaden started rambling about his obsession with car racing, she became his number one supporter, listening to him no matter how long he went on.
Just like right now.
Kaden looked completely focused on winning the race on the screen, his hands tight on the steering wheel. Yet his cute tiny mouth never stopped moving as he talked about the car cartoon he watched every single day.
"Ah~ so you like car racing. Uncle likes it too, Kaden."
The condescending voice crept up behind her. The man stepped into view and stopped at the other side of the cabinet as if he had every right to be there.
Roseanne turned so quickly she almost twisted her neck. The moment she saw the familiar face, her expression tightened. Kaden tilted his head up as well, his small face filled with open confusion as he looked at the tall stranger.
"Mr. Mancini," she greeted in a tight voice.
What is Matteo Mancini doing here?
The man smiled, but there was nothing friendly about it. He wore a low-slung hat and a jacket zipped up high, the brim and collar hiding half of his face.
"Why so formal?" he asked lightly. "Just call my name, Rose. We used to be family, after all." His gaze slowly shifted to the boy sitting in confusion, studying him with quiet interest. "Or maybe we still are?"
She slowly rested her hand on Kaden's shoulder. The touch was protective enough to keep him close, yet careful and subtle so it wouldn't draw Matteo's attention.
"What are you doing here?" Roseanne asked carefully.
Matteo only smiled. "Why don't we talk?"
They moved to a table near the indoor playground and sat across from each other. Not far away, Kaden was already busy playing and making friends, completely absorbed in the colorful space.
He had no idea that his mother sat nearby with her lips pressed into a thin line facing the man who could very well be her enemy.
How much did this man know about her and Kaden? The question kept circling in Roseanne's mind.
Did he know that Kaden was Czar's son?
Or did he think the boy belonged to Galen?
And what about Galen, Brielle, and her family?
Did any of them know that Matteo had found her here?
"How did you manage to stay hidden all these years from Galen and your family?" Matteo murmured, his eyes locked on hers, more like he was talking to himself. "Do they even know you've got a little devil with you here?"
Roseanne felt her throat tighten. "It's been a long time since Galen and I divorced, and I moved out of my family's house. I'm on my own now."
"You're not married," Matteo said, a grin playing on his lips. "We both know whose child that is, Rose. You're still part of the Mancinis."
Ah. So he assumed Kaden was Galen's child.
"What is it that you want from me, Mr. Mancini?"
Matteo leaned back in his chair, still grinning like he was savoring a private joke. "Well, today I just wanted to say hello. After all, I'd be a terrible uncle if I didn't greet my own nephew, wouldn't I?" His gaze lingered on Kaden for a moment.
Roseanne's mind immediately flashed back to his words at the charity gala. "If you're in the enemy's territory, at the very least be useful to us."
From that alone, she could guess his intentions. She didn't know the full extent of his conflict with Czar, but it was clear he expected her to be "useful" and it had everything to do with Czar.
"Let's see each other again soon," Matteo said, rising from the chair with deliberate ease. His eyes held a quiet menace. "Don't run, Rose. Avoiding me only makes it more… exciting to hunt you down."
She watched him walk away, Matteo's presence leaving the air thick with an unsettling tension. Roseanne's gaze drifted back to Kaden. Deep down, she knew this confrontation was inevitable.
She couldn't keep Kaden hidden from his family forever. It was only a matter of time before they discovered him.
With a steadying breath, she pulled out her phone and dialed the number at the top of her emergency contacts.
"Lucian, I need a crash course."
· · ·
Not far from where Roseanne sat, the man who had saved Kaden earlier stood quietly while watching the scene in front of him.
He kept himself hidden, both of his hands were tucked into the pockets of his jacket as he observed everything from a distance.
"Interesting," he hummed.