Chapter 1627

Chandler exchanged a subtle glance with Helen before following Maddie out of the classroom, leaving her alone with the three children. Sienna felt a bit down after embarrassing herself in front of Chandler. She took Helen's hand and said, "Mommy, Cholonese is really hard, and math is so different from what I learned before—" "It's okay, Nana. You're still young; I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon," Helen said gently. Turning to Lincoln, she asked, "Were you struggling because you're still adjusting to being back home?" "No, not at all," Lincoln replied earnestly. "I just thought Nana wouldn't score very high, so I didn't answer many questions. I wanted to stay in the same class with her. If we got separated, I wouldn't be able to take care of her." "That's not true!" Sienna protested. "Just because I don't understand doesn't mean I'm dumb!" "Alright, alright, I'm the dumb one, okay?" Lincoln said with a grin, his eyes filled with affection. Sienna stuck out her tongue and made a goofy face. Helen couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, let's wait for them to finish; then it'll be our turn." By the time they completed the paperwork, it was already 3:00 pm. Once Helen settled the children into the car, she instructed the driver to take them home. As they neared the school gates, several buses arrived, indicating that an event was underway. The crowd disembarking from the buses blocked the exits, forcing them to pull over to the side and wait. Bored during the delay, the children found ways to entertain themselves while Helen scrolled through her Twitter feed. Amid the usual entertainment gossip, one trending topic caught her eye. A new variety show was taking an innovative approach by featuring not the popular influencers or established stars but their managers instead. The show aimed to gather these managers for a series of auditions, ultimately forming a new five-member group. As a highly sought-after talent manager, Mia was prominently featured in the official announcement. When Helen clicked on Mia's personal Twitter account, she found herself captivated by her stunning promotional photos. Mia exuded confidence and looked like a rising star—a far cry from the bespectacled girl next door she used to be. It was hard to believe they were the same person. As Helen marveled at Mia's transformation, Ivy suddenly burst into tears beside her. "What's wrong, Ivy? Please don't cry!" "Ivy, it's okay, don't cry…" The sudden outburst startled both Lincoln and Sienna. Helen quickly set her phone aside and rushed to pick Ivy up. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm here; there's nothing to be afraid of. Please don't cry!" "Waa, waa—Daddy, Mommy, bad person, waa waa…" Ivy slowly lifted her hand, pointing out the window, her cries growing louder as she focused on something outside. Following Ivy's gaze, Helen noticed a skinny man in a suit standing by the school bus door, posing for photos amid a gathering crowd. Having done her research, Helen immediately recognized the man as Rodney Brooke, the acting president of the Brooke family's business. His niece had gone missing, yet no photographs had been released to the public. At first, Helen felt uncertain, but Ivy's reaction convinced her that she was indeed connected to the Brooke family. But if that were the case, why was Ivy so terrified of her uncle? As the group finished their photo session and began walking toward the school, Helen's anxiety spiked. "Close the windows!" she urged the driver, quickly raising her hand to cover Ivy's mouth. "Yes, ma'am."