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Chapter_261
Sammy’s mind raced as Ludwik’s words echoed in the quiet room. His little heart pounded, but he didn’t let it show. Instead, he studied the imposing man before him, looking for any crack in the façade—any flicker of doubt or weakness in the cold, unreadable mask Ludwik wore like armor.
Ludwik’s gaze was sharp, his scrutiny intense. The silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken questions. Sammy could feel the weight of it pressing down on his shoulders. There was so much he didn’t understand—so many pieces missing. Why had Mommy suffered? Why had he been dragged into the middle of a world filled with lies and shadows?
Still, he forced a smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He had to keep up the act. It was the only way he’d survive in this twisted household. The truth was hidden somewhere, and until he found it, he needed to stay sharp.
“Peculiar women?” Sammy echoed, tilting his head innocently. His voice was sweet, but a quiet edge laced the words. “I didn’t see anyone strange, Daddy. Just… a woman. She looked like Mommy, but she wasn’t her.”
Ludwik’s brows knit together. “What do you mean? Another woman who looked like your mother?”
Sammy nodded thoughtfully, placing a hand on his chin the way he’d seen adults do—like he was deep in consideration. “She wasn’t nice. She was angry. And the way she looked at me… it felt like she didn’t want me around.”
Ludwik’s stern expression softened—barely. A flicker of concern passed through his eyes. “Did she hurt you?”
“No,” Sammy replied quickly, shaking his head. “But I don’t trust her.”
Ludwik’s jaw clenched. Something was wrong—Sammy could feel it. Whatever Ludwik had suspected, it seemed like those suspicions were hardening into certainty. And the fact that his son—this version of him—could see the difference made it more real.
Before Ludwik could speak again, a familiar voice chimed in from the doorway.
“What’s going on in here, darling?” Elaine’s syrupy voice slithered into the room. She stood poised and smiling, eyes flicking between father and son with calculated grace. “Is everything alright?”
Ludwik glanced her way, his expression unreadable. He didn’t trust her. Not anymore. Not after the secrets, the manipulation, the damage she had caused. And though he hadn’t yet pieced together the entire puzzle, he could feel the edges taking shape.
But it was Sammy’s reaction that gave him pause.
The little boy turned slowly toward Elaine, and the tension in his body shifted. His polite mask slipped, revealing something colder—sharper. He stared at her, unblinking, as if seeing her for the first time.
“Mommy,” he said softly. But his voice had lost all warmth. “You didn’t tell me the truth, did you?”
Elaine’s smile faltered—just for a second—before she crouched down to his level, her voice sticky-sweet. “What do you mean, sweetheart? Mommy always tells you the truth.”
“No, you don’t,” Sammy said flatly, the childlike softness gone. “You lied. You told me Daddy was dead. But he’s standing right here.”
Elaine’s eyes flickered with something—panic, maybe—but she quickly masked it with a laugh. “Oh, honey. You must have misunderstood. Things were… complicated. Daddy and I were just—”
“Lying,” Sammy cut in, backing away from her reach. “You lied. And I don’t want to be with you. I want to see Mommy. The real Mommy.”
For a beat, the room held its breath.
Ludwik stared at his son—not Danny, but Sammy—and for the first time, a sliver of shame pierced his chest. This boy wasn’t fooled. He saw through everything. And Ludwik, for all his power, had no answer.
Elaine stood up, her patience cracking. “Danny, don’t be difficult,” she snapped, the sweetness melting from her voice. “You’re going to stay here and be a good boy for Mommy. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
Sammy didn’t flinch.
He straightened his shoulders, chin held high. “You’re not my mommy,” he said. “And I’m not going anywhere with you.”
The words hit like a blow. Elaine blinked, her composure fracturing. Ludwik turned toward her slowly, something unreadable simmering in his eyes.
Sammy’s fists clenched at his sides. He didn’t know everything—not yet—but he knew this much: the truth mattered. And he would fight for it, even if he had to stand alone.
