Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 489

All at once, someone wrapped their arms around him from behind.

Selene pulled him gently into her embrace.

She let Altair lean against her, her warm palm cradling the back of his head.

“You haven’t done anything wrong. This isn’t your fault,” she murmured. “Having dinner with you at The Ember Grill—with Daph, Mr. Shaw, and me—it meant a lot to all of us. It was special, Altair.”

Altair trembled uncontrollably, but as Selene’s warmth enveloped him, his breath slowly evened out.

His small hands clutched at the fabric of Selene’s shirt, and he buried his face against her, sobbing quietly, desperately trying not to make a sound.

He felt so pathetic.

Selene just held him tighter, her hand still resting gently on the back of his head, offering whatever comfort and sense of safety she could.

Before long, the police arrived. Selene stepped forward and said, “This woman tried to take the child, and just now she attempted to hit my daughter—but my daughter stopped her.”

Quentin couldn’t help but interject, “Selene, aren’t you making a bit too much of this?”

The officer turned to Annalise Johnston. “Ma’am, what is your relationship to this child?”

“I…” Annalise’s voice faltered, catching in her throat.

Selene pressed, “Didn’t you just claim you were Altair’s relative? You can show the police your proof now, if you have any.”

Annalise’s face paled. She had no way of proving any relation to Altair, and by making such a claim, she’d already crossed Leo’s most unforgiving line.

“So, what exactly is your relationship with Altair? Can you show the police you have legal custody over him?” Annalise’s gaze at Selene grew colder by the second.

The officer turned to Selene. “And you, ma’am, what is your relationship to the boy?”

“He’s a friend of my daughter’s,” Selene replied calmly.

“And his legal guardian? Can you contact them?” the officer pressed.

Selene nodded. “Of course.”

Leo answered, “There’s no relationship whatsoever.”

Annalise’s breath caught; her shoulders trembled.

“And this lady?” the officer gestured to Selene.

Leo’s voice softened. “Miss Thompson is here at my request, to bring my child out for dinner.”

The police nodded, then turned to Annalise. “Ma’am, please don’t cause any more trouble in public.”

“I wasn’t!” Annalise protested reflexively.

Quentin reached for her arm. “Come on, Annalise, let’s just go eat.”

He offered Leo a formal apology. “Dr. Vaughn, I’m very sorry for all this.”

But Leo ignored him, calling again, “Altair.”