"Master Lu," she managed, quickly wiping her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I just needed a moment....."
"Take the time you need," he said quietly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
"What's happening out there isn't easy."
Chen Wan let out a shaky laugh that was more a sob than a laugh.
"Easy? I just gave away my son. My baby. Like he was... like he was property to be traded."
"You made an impossible choice in an impossible situation," Lu Yuze said, moving to stand beside the desk.
"That doesn't make you a bad mother. It makes you a survivor doing whatever it takes to save your children. You are strong..."
"I'm only saving two of them," Chen Wan choked out.
"Xiao is...."
"Xiao will be safe with my wife," Lu Yuze interrupted, his voice carrying certainty.
"She's unpredictable, yes. But she's not cruel to children. My daughter adores her. Your son will be protected, educated, and given opportunities you couldn't provide even with the entire Chen fortune."
