Tangled in His Obsession

Chapter 430

Seraphina and Valerio returned to their old home in Summitville, a quaint little town that seemed to have been frozen in time.

Before their arrival, Leandro had already arranged for the house to be cleaned up. By the time Seraphina and Valerio arrived, their neighbors had already showered them with gifts and the Manleys had prepared a hearty pot roast dinner, waiting for them to join.

Despite having been away for a while, Valerio had yet to forget everything here. He was thrilled to see the familiar faces of the Manleys and other neighbors, quickly settling back into the rhythm of the town.

“Are you here for the summer break? Bringing Valerio for a short stay?” Mr. Manley asked Seraphina.

“No.” Seraphina answered truthfully, “We might settle down here for a while.”

Mr. Manley seemed surprised. “And what about Valerio’s father?”

“He has to work, of course.” Seraphina said, “But he will visit us whenever he can.”

Hearing this, Mr. Manley breathed a sigh of relief, “I thought something had happened.”

Seraphina couldn’t help but laugh, “If something did happen, you can give him a piece of your mind when he visits, Mr. Manley.”

“Ha, not a chance.” Mr. Manley said, “You look radiant. It’s clear how good he is to you. It’s not my place to lecture him. I’d be afraid of getting a talking-to myself for not looking after you two well enough.”

“He wouldn’t dare!” Seraphina laughed.

On their first day back in Summitville, Valerio slept soundly while Seraphina suffered from a bout of insomnia.

The next day, she took Valerio on a leisurely tour around town and to visit his soon-to-be school.

Given it was a private international school, Seraphina handpicked the class that had minimum students for Valerio to facilitate his integration and make new friends.

Considering Valerio’s current situation, the school’s teachers drew up a tailored teaching plan for him. After reviewing the proposal, Seraphina felt satisfied. Valerio also seemed to get along well with his new teachers, so they settled on the school.

As it was the summer break, Seraphina and Valerio spent their days at ease, strolling around the town’s small streets and lanes, enjoying the tranquility that Summitville offered. The rest of their time was spent with Valerio’s new playmates.

In just a couple of days, Valerio was already able to utter simple sentences. Although his voice was still a little rough, it was already much better than when he had just started speaking.

Every evening, video calls with Leandro became Valerio’s speaking practice. From simple greetings to recounting his daily activities, Valerio made significant progress.

“When are you coming to see me and mommy?” Valerio asked during a video call.

“In a couple of days, daddy will come and accompany you to your new school, okay?” Leandro replied with a smile.

Valerio nodded eagerly.

Seraphina, sitting next to him, lightly tapped his forehead, “Speak up, don’t just nod.”

Valerio immediately replied with enthusiasm, “Okay!” His voice was so forceful that it sounded distorted. Seraphina couldn’t help but laugh, giving him a peck on the cheek before turning back to Leandro on the screen, “In two days… You’ll really be able to come?”

“Yes.” Leandro answered, “There’s nothing major at work. I can take a day or two off.”

A slight smile crept onto Seraphina’s face, “Alright.”

Seeing her smile, Leandro returned a small one of his own.

Once Leandro made a promise, Valerio couldn’t wait for his arrival. However, before Leandro could make it, an unexpected guest showed up.

Seeing the unexpected visitor, Seraphina nearly dropped her jaw, “What are you doing here?”

Herman, dressed in casual attire and carrying a bunch of bags, seemed slightly uncomfortable in the face of the surprised Seraphina and Valerio. “I was on a business trip to Summitville, thought I’d drop by and visit you and Valerio.”

“Well, that’s… quite a surprise.” Seraphina moved aside to let him in, “Come in.”

Upon entering, Herman briefly scanned the room before asking. “Where’s Valerio?”

“He’s playing with his friends next door,” Seraphina said as she poured him a glass of water.

“Hmm.” Herman nodded, taking the water from Seraphina and glancing around the room again.

Seraphina glanced at him, not asking anything, and began to unpack the things Herman had brought. Among them were some food items, a bunch of books, and toys that were too young for Valerio.

Picking up a toddler’s Whac-A-Mole toy, she said, “Can you put a little more thought into your gifts next time? This is clearly for 2 to 3-year-olds. Do you think my son is 2 or 3?” Herman coughed lightly, “I

didn’t pay attention… I thought all children’s toys were the same…”

“Alright then.” Seraphina shrugged, “Luckily, there are children in the neighborhood who would enjoy these toys. They won’t go to waste.”

Herman nodded in agreement, pausing for a moment before asking. “Has Leandro stopped by to see you guys?”

“Not yet,” Seraphina replied, busying herself with tidying up the room. “He’s been tied up with work. Maybe he’ll swing by when he’s less busy.”

As she spoke, she sneaked a glance at Herman, noticing his distracted expression. She decided to keep the conversation casual, answering his questions without prying.

“You guys settling in okay?” Herman asked, “Must be a bit lonely without familiar faces around.”

“It’s been fine.” Seraphina chuckled, “We’ve met so many neighbors, you wouldn’t believe it. You should see Valerio; he’s practically made friends with everyone.”

“Well, that’s good.” Herman replied, his gaze wandering around the room. “This place is a bit small, though…”

“It’s just the two of us. It’s more than enough.”

“What if you have guests over?”

“Guests?” Seraphina raised an eyebrow, “People know better than to befriend a troublemaker like me. And no one would bother to visit…”

Before she could finish, Herman interrupted her, “Isn’t Andrea your friend?”

Looking at his eager expression, Seraphina had to suppress a giggle. She kept her face serious as she replied, “Andrea was my friend. But we had a falling out a few days ago.

11.361

We’re not on speaking terms anymore.”

“A falling out?” Herman was taken aback, “But she was at the hospital with you when Valerio was admitted!”

“Yeah, that’s when it happened.” Seraphina said, feigning seriousness, “You’ve always been telling me to keep my distance from her. You should be happy.”

Herman looked at her skeptically, “You two seemed to be best friends, and now you’ve fallen out just like that?”

“Easy come, easy go.” Seraphina shrugged, “It’s like relationships. Female friendships are no different.”

Herman frowned slightly, “What exactly happened?”

“Why are you so nosy?” Seraphina shot him a look, “What’s it to you?”

“I…” Herman looked a bit taken aback, “Can’t I be concerned about you?”

“You’re concerned about me?” Seraphina feigned surprise, “You should tell Leandro that. See if he will punch you!”

Herman quickly sat up straight, “Stop thinking nonsense! Leandro won’t misunderstand.”

Seraphina gave him a dismissive glance, about to tease him some more when she heard familiar footsteps approaching.

Soon, Valerio’s small figure appeared in the doorway, holding onto a larger hand. Before even entering, he called out to Seraphina, “Aunt Andrea’s here!”

In the room, Herman stiffened and looked towards the door. Andrea, who was holding Valerio’s hand, seemed surprised to see Herman. She paused before breaking into a smile, “You have a guest?”

“He’s not a guest.” Seraphina dismissed, “Just passing by. What brings you here?”

“I’m attending a product launch.” Andrea replied, “Thought I’d drop by to see you guys.”

“Oh?” Seraphina drew out the word, “So you’re on a business trip too?”

Catching the emphasis on ‘too’, Andrea glanced at Herman, who quickly averted his gaze and shot Seraphina an annoyed look. She had seriously told him that she and Andrea were no longer friends, and he had almost believed her!

Seraphina shrugged, and when they were talking, Valerio had already released Andrea’s hand and had run to Herman, shouting out each syllable with great emphasis, “Her-man!” This was the first time Herman had heard Valerio speak. Caught by surprise, he paused for a moment before hurriedly responding. “I have brought you some gifts…” he said with a soft smile.

Seemingly attached by a string, Valerio’s gaze fixated on the pile of presents. Meanwhile, Andrea’s loving eyes followed Valerio, Herman’s eyes gently rested upon Andrea, and Seraphina she, of course, was watching Herman.

To Seraphina, the situation was truly amusing. She amused herself by stirring the bowl, so she suggested, “It’s rare for you all to visit at the same time! Why don’t we all go out for a nice lunch?”

“No, thanks.” Andrea replied before Herman could answer, “I have an event later. I barely managed to carve out an hour for this visit. Please, proceed without me.”

Herman’s face fell slightly at her response.