Sweet Subterfuge novel by Trina Duo
Chapter 399

As someone had lived in the apartment before Larissa, it came fully furnished, although the furnishings were slightly dated.

Larissa didn't mind. With her busy schedule, she would only return home to sleep. Everything else was of no use.

She made the beds in the two bedrooms and hung up their clothes in the closet one by one. Aster ran around happily and helped Larissa out by handing the clothes to her. After she finished unpacking, the takeout she ordered arrived.

Larissa set her laptop on the table and made a video call to Wendy, who was on the other side of the world.

After a moment, Wendy's face appeared on the computer screen.

Aster greeted her cheerfully, "Godma!"

Tears welled up in Wendy's eyes as soon as she saw him. "Aster, my dear! I missed you so much too!"

"Don't cry, Godma!" Aster turned to Larissa helplessly, slightly panicked at Wendy's tears.

Larissa threatened her nonchalantly, "If you're going to cry, I'll hang up immediately!"

Through her tears, Wendy gave Larissa a pointed glare. "You took my godson away! How could you refuse to let me talk to him?"

Larissa stared back, equally stubbornly. "It was your fault that you went on a business trip this month and couldn't take care of Aster! Who was it that forced me to bring him along?"

If it weren't for Wendy's trip, Larissa wouldn't have brought Aster with her to Bartham.

Apart from having a close group of friends, Aster had gotten used to life over there.

Although Larissa wasn't happy to be working alone in another country, she couldn't bear seeing her son abandon his life overseas and start all over in Caldor.

Wendy's indignant expression disappeared, and she turned to Aster, apologizing, "Aster, I'm so sorry for leaving you ..."

Aster caressed Wendy's face on the screen and comforted her, "It's okay, Godma!"

Wendy cupped her mouth, ready to burst into tears again.

"Alright, that's enough," Larissa relented and said, "After your business trip, I'll replace time to send him back."

Aster looked at Larissa in surprise. "What about you, Mommy?"

"I have to stay back here for work." Larissa patted his head regretfully. "However, when you start elementary school in a few years, I will return."

Her company had sent her to serve as general manager for the first Winston Hotel in Caldor.

When her superior first approached her to helm this position, she had turned down the opportunity.

After all, Larissa had worked so hard to escape from Bartham. Naturally, she had no thoughts of returning.

Nonetheless, her superior advised her to take up the position earnestly time and time again.

Furthermore, it was revealed that this work opportunity at Bartham was a performance assessment conducted by the headquarters.

If Larissa passed the test, she could return to the headquarters after a few years and be promoted to a higher position.

However, the exact period of how long she would have to work in Bartham was still up in the air, depending on the upper management's decision.

At this juncture, Larissa had no reason to refuse.

She was no longer young and did not have time to waste on a dead-end job. In addition, the cost of living in Westonia was one of the highest in the world.

If she wanted to provide the best for Aster, Larissa had to continuously challenge herself and earn more money in her career.

"Mommy!" Aster hugged her tightly and refused to let go. "I'm not going! I want to stay with you!"

His voice was trembling as he tried to stifle a sob.

When she saw this, Wendy pouted, tears streaming down her cheeks as she said, "You ungrateful brat! Are you abandoning me for Mommy?"

Larissa cuddled Aster tightly and hissed before hanging up the call, "We'll talk about it next time."

She gently patted Aster's back to calm him down and tried to hold back her own tears that were threatening to spill over.

"Aster, don't you want to go back to school? Your friends are still waiting for you! Didn't you all agree to go to Disnieland together next month?" However, Aster shook his head and hugged her tighter. "I don't want to go to school! I don't want to go to Disnieland! I just want you, Mommy!"