Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 426

Chapter 426 Play the Videos

Tess placed her hand on Wendy’s back, her voice calm but firm.

“Copy the important clips from the playback for me.”

Wendy hesitated, his fingers pausing in the air. He lifted his gaze toward the dean, searching for an answer in his expression.

The dean gave a single nod. Only then did Wendy begin to work, his hands moving swiftly across the keyboard.

A few moments later, he placed the flash drive into Tess’s hand. The long and heavy investigation inside the hospital was finally over.

Tess and Lyra walked out together.

Tess turned her head, her voice carrying a spark of curiosity.

“What was that badge you showed them earlier?”

Lyra smiled, her eyes warm. “Oh, that? I borrowed it from my boss. It doesn’t just prove authority. It also gives special rights to investigate.”

Tess nodded, though she did not fully understand. Still, her eyes lingered on Lyra, heavy with emotion.

Lyra had gone out of her way to borrow such a thing for her. That was no small effort.

Heat spread through Tess’s chest. Her fingers curled into a fist.

She made a silent promise to herself. She would clear her name soon. She would not let Lyra’s loyalty and effort go to waste.

Her eyes grew firm as she lifted her face toward the golden sun.

Later, they stopped at a small restaurant for lunch.

Students on their break flooded the place, filling it with noise and laughter.

Tables were packed with teenagers chatting and eating.

Lyra suddenly nudged Tess’s arm.

Tess stiffened but followed her gaze across the crowded room. Her pupils tightened when she spotted the boy.

He sat alone at a corner table. Her chest sank with recognition.

That was Nicholas’s son.

His face was pale, his lips faintly blue. He looked frail, sickly.

While others laughed in groups, he sat hunched over in silence. His fingers tapped against each other, restless, as he waited for his food.

“Hi there. Are you eating all by yourself?”

Ken raised his head, and his eyes landed on a stunning face.

He sucked in a breath. He had never seen a girl so beautiful.

“I … I … “.

His words broke apart. His eyes darted everywhere, unable to meet hers.

Lyra reached out and brushed her hand gently over his hair. Her smile was like light breaking through clouds. “Do you mind if we sit with you? You’re local, right? My friend and I are visiting. We’d love to ask you about some things.”

Her touch made his heart twist. His throat burned with sudden heat, and his nose stung. He had always feared strangers, but now he found himself nodding.

Lyra and Tess sat down at his table.

“What did you order?” Tess asked.

“Spaghetti bolognese.”

His fork trembled in his hand.

“Hi, we’d like two spaghetti bolognese, please,” Tess called out. “And bring a plate of ribs too.”

Her eyes scanned his thin frame. “Pasta’s fine, but you’re still growing. You need something more filling.”

Ken blinked in surprise. The ribs were for him.

He shook his head quickly, waving his hands.

Lyra stroked his hair again, her voice soft. “Think of it as payment for letting us sit with you.”

The touch set his pale cheeks on fire. His skin glowed crimson as though flames licked across it.

When the food arrived, Tess leaned back in her chair, her tone casual but steady. “Why are you cating out here alone? Do you live far away? Or are your parents too busy?”

The moment Tess brought up his parents, Ken flinched. His eyes shifted, and the color drained from his face.

His lips pressed together hard.

Tess did not look away. Her gaze stayed sharp on him.

“They moved away,” he muttered at last, his head bowed.

“Moved away?” Lyra’s face darkened. Her palm slammed against the table, the sound sharp and heavy.

“What kind of parents do that? You’re still just a kid! How could they leave without taking you?”

“No!”

Ken shot up from his chair. His chest rose and fell in ragged bursts. His fists clenched tight at his sides until the nails bit into his palms, anchoring him in the storm.

Ever since they left, his classmates mocked him. They called him an orphan, abandoned. But they were mistaken. He knew the truth.

The sudden outburst drew stares from the nearby tables. His face burned red with shame, and he quickly dropped back into his seat. But his eyes locked on Lyra, sharp and unyielding. “My parents are not irresponsible. They had no choice!”

“Choice?” Tess gave a short, harsh laugh. “What reason could ever be enough to justify leaving their child behind?”

Her mocking eyes cut into him like blades. His lips quivered. His whole body trembled. He thought he was being humiliated.

Lyra rubbed his back in slow circles, as if to comfort him, but her words stabbed deep.

“You’re too young. You see the world too kindly. Your parents don’t deserve the title. It’s pitiful for you-”

3

“I am not pitiful!”

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Ken erupted like fire snapping loose from its cage. The weight of every taunt and sneer he had carried broke free in that moment.

His shoulders hunched like a wild animal ready to strike. His eyes burned as he glared at Tess and Lyra. “My mom and dad are the best parents in the world! They left Krigan without me to protect me. You don’t know anything! I won’t let you insult them!”