Reborn Heiress Is Remarrying
Chapter 89: Playground

Chapter 89: Playground

Chapter 89: Playground

The sound of children laughing echoed across the schoolyard as Arthur was sitting alone beneath the shade of a tall oak tree.

The other kids ran around him, chasing each other, climbing the jungle gym, but he stayed where he always did.

Quiet. Invisible.

He didn’t mind.

It was easier this way.

No one expected him to speak. No one asked questions he couldn’t answer.

Arthur pulled out his sketchbook, flipping to a blank page.

His fingers moved quickly, pencil scratched across paper as he lost himself in the familiar comfort of drawing.

The lines formed effortlessly—shadows and faces blending together in a world only he understood.

A shadow fell across the page.

"Arthur."

The voice was soft—too soft.

Sweet, but with an edge beneath it. He froze. He knew that voice.

Slowly, Arthur lifted his head.

She was in front of him, dressed perfectly as always like she belonged on a magazine cover instead of a schoolyard.

Her blonde hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and her smile was gentle. Kind.

But something about it made his stomach turn around.

"I’ve missed you," Rachel said softly, crouching down to his level. "Have you missed me?"

Arthur clutched his sketchbook tighter, unsure how to respond.

He hadn’t seen her since... since... Since everything.

Diane said she wasn’t allowed to. So did father.

And Gabriel—Gabriel didn’t trust her at all.

But here she was.

"You don’t have to be afraid of me, sweetheart." Her voice dropped into a softer, sadder tone. "I’m still your mom."

Arthur’s throat tightened. He wanted to look away, to walk back inside where it was safe, but his legs wouldn’t move.

"I know they don’t let you see me," Rachel continued, her tone sounded like it was full of hurt. "That’s not fair, is it?"

Arthur lowered his gaze to the ground, his heart pounding in his chest.

"They’ve lied to you, sweetheart," she whispered. "Diane. Your father. They don’t want you to know the truth."

His small hands trembled slightly as her words seeped in.

He didn’t want to believe her.

Diane seemed to love him didn’t she? Father protected him. But... why wouldn’t they let him see his own mother?

Rachel reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

"I’ve tried to see you, you know. But they won’t let me."

Arthur blinked hard, confusion clouded his thoughts.

Rachel sighed, her voice trembled just enough to sound real.

"I didn’t do anything wrong. I only wanted to protect you, and they—" She broke off, shaking her head like she couldn’t finish. "They want to keep us apart."

Arthur’s breath hitched. Why would they do that?

"I love you," Rachel said softly. "No matter what they tell you. I love you more than anything, and I’m not giving up on you."

His chest ached with the weight of her words.

"I’m fixing it," Rachel continued, her voice taking on a soothing, almost melodic quality.

"Tomorrow, we’re going to court. We’re going to make things right. And when it’s over... no one can keep you from me again."

Arthur’s eyes widened, giving way to something deeper like hope.

"Wouldn’t you like that?" Rachel asked, her smile warming. "To be with me again?"

He hesitated.

He didn’t know what to think, what to believe.

Diane had cared for him—but Rachel was still his mother. And deep down, part of him did miss her.

Rachel saw his hesitation and leaned in closer.

"You deserve to know the truth," she whispered.

"They’ve hurt me, Arthur. Your father—he lied about me. And Diane..." She let the words hang in the air before sighing softly.

"She doesn’t want me in your life. But I’ll fight for you. I always will."

Arthur’s heart pounded in his chest...

Diane had always been there when he was scared, he just didn’t know how to approach Diane and apologise to her.

He would get very awkward and push Diane away.

Gabriel had kept him safe. But... what if Rachel was right? What if they were keeping her from him on purpose?

"I’ll come back tomorrow," Rachel promised, standing up.

Her eyes softened as she looked down at him. "Be ready. It’ll all be over soon."

Arthur watched her walk away, his hands clenched tightly around his sketchbook.

His heart felt heavy, torn between everything he thought he knew and the seeds of doubt Rachel had planted.

That night, Arthur sat quietly at the dinner table, barely touching his food.

Diane watched him from across the table, worry creasing her brow.

He’d been distant before—but this was something else.

Gabriel noticed too.

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, tracking every move.

"Something on your mind, kid?" he asked casually, though his tone held a hint of tension.

Arthur shook his head quickly, keeping his gaze down.

Diane exchanged a glance with Gabriel, the worry in her chest twisting tighter. "Arthur," she said softly.

"You know you can tell us anything, right?"

Arthur hesitated, his small fingers tightening around his fork.

Gabriel tilted his head slightly. "Someone bothering you at school?"

For a brief second, Arthur’s hand twitched. Diane’s heart stuttered. He knows something.

But before she could press further, Arthur shook his head again, harder this time, and pushed his plate away.

Without a word, he slipped off his chair and disappeared down the hall toward his room.

Gabriel exhaled slowly. "That’s new."

"He’s shutting us out," Diane murmured.

Gabriel’s expression darkened as he leaned forward. "Something’s wrong. I can feel it."

Diane bit her lip, the sense of unease growing heavier by the second.

"I’ll talk to his teacher tomorrow. Maybe she’s noticed something."

Gabriel nodded, but his jaw stayed tight. "If someone’s messing with him, they’re going to regret it."

Diane wanted to believe this was just another aftershock of everything Arthur had been through.

That he was still healing. But deep down, her gut whispered that something else, someone else was pulling him away from them.

And if Rachel was behind it...

Diane wasn’t sure what she’d do.

In the quiet of his room, Arthur sat on his bed, his sketchbook balanced on his knees.

Rachel’s words repeated in his head.

"They’ve lied to you."

"They’ve hurt me."

"I’m fixing it."

He wanted to believe Diane.

He wanted to believe Gabriel. But Rachel’s voice had cracked with so much pain... how could he ignore that?

Tomorrow, everything would change.