Raven had no idea how long she had been standing in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her reflection.
No matter how hard she tried to settle into this new life, Butler Rupert's words kept echoing in her mind.
"How is the young master supposed to recognize you when you left him after he was born?"
The sentence replayed again and again, refusing to fade.
The more she looked at herself, the more irritated she became.
"What kind of mother does that?" she muttered under her breath, wiping away the fog from the mirror to get a clearer look.
Her reflection stared back at her—unfamiliar, yet now hers.
"Ah…" Raven groaned softly, leaning against the sink as she tried to calm the storm in her mind.
But the more she thought about it, the more conflicted she felt.
Should she pity the girl whose body she now occupied?
Or despise her for making choices she never truly wanted?
Raven had always been decisive. From the moment she stepped into the organization, she knew what she was giving up. Emotions, attachments—she had discarded them all without hesitation.
Until one day, she couldn't anymore.
And that was when she chose to leave everything behind—to seek a peaceful, normal life far from bloodshed.
After standing there for several more minutes, she finally stepped out.
The wardrobe didn't surprise her. Without much thought, she picked the first outfit she found, slipped into it, and settled onto the couch, stretching her legs onto the small table in front of her.
"Now that I've agreed to stay here… does that mean I'm stuck forever?" she muttered. "Or is there still a way out?"
She had already thought it through.
First—Xander Emerson was not a man she could afford to cross. Not yet.
Second—Leo believed she was his mother… and was growing attached to her far too quickly.
And third—
Florine.
Raven's eyes darkened slightly.
From what she had gathered, Ivy had approached Xander without Florine's knowledge. And now that woman had inserted herself back into the situation, tightening the leash with that contract.
Raven crossed her arms, the corner of her lips twitching as she recalled Florine's attempt to intimidate her.
"Ha… did that woman really think I was scared of her?" she scoffed, letting out a quiet chuckle.
But that wasn't the only reason she had stayed.
Her thoughts drifted back to Leo—
To the way he had looked at her.
Those hopeful, innocent eyes… silently pleading for her not to leave.
That was the moment she had made her decision.
Raven didn't remember much of her own childhood. Her life had never allowed her the luxury of attachment.
But with Leo—
Something felt different.
And it reminded her of why she had left the organization in the first place.
To live a peaceful and normal life.
For a brief moment, she allowed herself to admit it—
She had once thought about having a family.
But now…
She simply wanted to live the life she had missed.
Lost in thought, she suddenly caught a glimpse of movement near the door.
Her gaze sharpened instantly.
"Who's there?" she asked, her voice turning alert.
Silence.
Her instincts kicked in.
"One last time," she said coldly, rising to her feet. "Who is it?"
The door creaked open slightly.
A small figure stepped inside.
"Leo?"
Raven blinked, momentarily caught off guard as the boy walked in hesitantly.
"Mommy… why aren't you sleeping?" he asked, his voice soft.
Leo had left earlier thinking she needed rest. But seeing her awake now only made him uneasy.
"Mommy… are you going to leave again?"
His voice dropped, trembling.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Raven froze.
Before she could respond, Leo ran toward her and hugged her tightly.
"Please don't leave, Mommy," he said, his voice shaking. "I'll be a good boy. I'll listen to everyone. I won't cause trouble anymore…"
The small body trembling in her arms did something to her.
Something unfamiliar.
"Who said I'm leaving?" she asked softly, unsure of why her voice had gentled.
Her hand instinctively moved to ruffle his hair.
Leo slowly pulled back, his teary eyes searching her face.
"You're not?" he asked, sniffing.
"No," she said, offering a faint smile.
"But then…" he frowned, looking at her outfit. "Why are you dressed like this?"
Raven blinked.
Only then did she realize—
Jeans. A top. A leather jacket.
Her usual comfort.
"…Great."
"I just wore what I found," she explained. "It doesn't mean I'm going anywhere."
Leo tilted his head, studying her.
"If Mommy says so… then I'll believe you."
He hesitated before asking, "But why aren't you resting? Don't you feel tired after fighting those bad men?"
Raven looked at him for a moment.
"Leo… how old are you?"
"Six."
She smiled faintly.
So young… yet so aware.
She had expected resentment.
But instead—
She found warmth.
You don't deserve him, Ivy.
The thought came uninvited.
Raven pulled him onto her lap, gently ruffling his hair again.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said softly. "You can relax."
Leo's face lit up instantly.
"Really, Mommy? Then… can I sleep with you? Like other kids do? And will you tell me a bedtime story?"
Raven hesitated for a brief second.
Then he nodded.
She didn't want to disappoint him.
As the two continued talking softly—outside the slightly open door Butler Rupert stood watching.
Silent. Observant. And then—Quietly he walked away.
***
Meanwhile, Xander had just wrapped up his meeting when Taylor stepped in and leaned close, whispering something into his ear.
For a brief second, Xander's eyes darkened.
Then, the corner of his lips curled into a slow, sinister smile.
"Keep an eye on their every move," he said coldly. "Especially France."
With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of Globe International without another word.