After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

A small figure stood in the middle of her living room, his bright eyes lighting up the moment he saw her.

"Mommy!"

Alex's tiny legs moved quickly as he ran up to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

Nora's heart softened. She instinctively knelt down and hugged him back, inhaling the familiar scent of

her son. But as warmth filled her chest, confusion crept in as well.

"Alex, why are you here?" she asked gently, pulling back slightly to look at him.

The little boy pouted. "Daddy's busy. He said I should stay here for a few days." Nora's expression tensed.

Arnold.

He had done it again.

Dropping Alex off without notice, without discussing it with her, as if she was nothing more than an emergency backup plan.

Her fingers twitched, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. She had told Arnold before... this wasn't how co-parenting worked. Yet he never listened.

Just as she was about to sigh, Alex spoke again, his voice a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Mommy, there's a parent-teacher conference at school tomorrow. Can you come?"

She hesitated.

Her schedule was packed. The product launch was a huge deal, something she couldn't afford to be

distracted from.

But then, she looked at Alex's eager face, his small hands clutching the hem of her shirt.

She had been busy a lot lately. Too busy. She knew he missed her. She knew she had let work take priority too many times.

A quiet guilt settled over her.

"What time is it?" she finally asked.

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After I left, Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

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Alex's face lit up. "Tomorrow afternoon!"

Tomorrow afternoon.

Nora pursed her lips. It would be tight, but if she planned everything carefully...

She nodded. "Alright. I'll take you."

Alex grinned, hugging her again.

Nora exhaled softly, stroking his hair.

No matter what happened, she wouldn't let her son feel neglected. She would make it work.

The launch party was scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m.

The timing would be tight, but since the two venues weren't far apart, it wouldn't be an issue.

Alex, however, wasn't concerned about scheduling conflicts at all. He was far more focused on something

much more important... food.

His bright eyes shimmered with anticipation as he tugged at Nora's sleeve. "It's been a while since I've had

Mom's soup," he said, his voice filled with expectation. "Mom, I'd like to have creamy gumbo tomorrow."

Nora let out a soft chuckle, gently stroking his head. He had always been like this... straightforward with his wants, knowing she would never refuse him.

"Alright," she agreed. "I'll make it for you."

Satisfied, Alex beamed, already looking forward to it.

The next morning, Nora woke up early to gather the ingredients she needed for the gumbo.

Even as she chopped vegetables and prepared the broth, her mind remained occupied with her upcoming speech. She rehearsed the key points silently, her lips moving as she committed them to

memory.

Meanwhile, Alex was curled up on the couch, his small fingers tapping away on his iPad. Everything

seemed peaceful... until his screen suddenly lit up with an incoming call.

The name on the screen made Alex's heart jump.

Linda.

His eyes flickered toward the kitchen, where Nora was still busy preparing the meal. Carefully, he slipped off the couch, clutching the iPad close to his chest. He moved toward the balcony, his little feet making no

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After I left, Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

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sound on the floor.

Once outside, he finally picked up the call.

"Aunt Linda, what's wrong?"

Linda's voice was smooth and gentle on the other end. "Alex, you have your parent-teacher conference today, right? Arnold told me about it and asked me to take you."

Alex's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's great, but..."

His excitement wavered. He suddenly remembered... his mom had already promised to go with him.

Linda was silent for a moment, and when she spoke again, there was a distinct note of disappointment in her voice. “Did you already have a appointment with your mom? I understand. But Alex, I haven't seen you in a while and I really miss you....."

At her words, Alex felt a pang of guilt.

He did want to see Aunt Linda. She was stylish, confident, and always knew how to say the right things.

When she walked into a room, people paid attention.

And at a parent-teacher conference, where so many kids would be with their parents, wouldn't it be better if he was with someone as impressive as Aunt Linda?

"I want to see Aunt Linda too!" he blurted out, his mind racing.

Linda's voice warmed. "That makes me so happy, Alex."

A slow smile curved on her lips as she added, "Tell you what, Auntie will teach you

a way..."

By noon, the gumbo was nearly done, the rich aroma of cream and spices filling the air. The slow simmering of the soup gave the apartment a cozy warmth. Nora wiped her hands on a towel and glanced at the clock. Another half hour and

it would be ready, After they ate, they would leave for Alex's school. Everything was going as planned.

Or so she thought.

Meanwhile, Alex sat stiffly on the couch, his small hands gripping the fabric of his shorts. His little legs swung restlessly, betraying his nervousness.