Ch. 496: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life Chapter 496

Chapter 496

Kevin wasn’t wearing a mask this time. Now that he was officially recognized as the third son of Country S, walking around without a mask would mean resurrecting the Kevin who was supposed to be dead.

The former high-ranking leader of Craggaville was now a citizen of Country S—how much criticism and backlash would he face?

But Kevin didn’t care.

He had already made his choice—he had chosen Norah.

"I don’t care what you promised Norah or what plans you have," the president said coldly. "But now that you’re the third son of Country S, you will follow my orders. Otherwise, I’ll make every one of your worst fears come true."

With that, the president turned and boarded the helicopter.

He had come here to personally remind Kevin of where he stood.

The message was clear. Kevin understood it perfectly.

But he didn’t respond. He didn’t take a step. He simply gripped his phone tightly as a deep weight settled in his chest.

The moment Norah returned to Country S, she released the photos and videos she had taken.

One video showed a little girl digging through rubble, searching for something.

Norah crouched beside her, holding up a microphone. "Are you collecting this meat to take home and eat?"

The little girl’s brown eyes flickered with unshed tears, but she remained startlingly calm. "No. This is my mom and dad."

She was only seven or eight years old, but she didn’t cry or scream.

The video and photos spread like wildfire, sparking an international outcry. Calvin and his allies faced severe condemnation.

The world’s demand for peace intensified.

In response, the president of Country S issued a statement:

"More than any other nation, Country S longs for peace. But a weak country has no diplomacy. Our people suffer deeply in this war. I have refrained from taking action because I hope for peace. But if this war continues, I will not hesitate to return this land to nature."

Speculation erupted online. People suspected the president held devastating weapons.

As pressure mounted, discussions of an international peace conference began.

Then, something shocking happened—the leader of the Confederate forces was assassinated.

Within an hour, the war came to a halt.

It was a victory.

For Norah, this should have been the moment to step away. But she had something even more urgent to handle—Cooper.

Norah took Cooper to the embassy.

Clutching her hand, his eyes filled with tears, he silently begged her not to leave him.

"What do I need to do to adopt him?" she asked the embassy official, holding Cooper close.

The official remained calm. "We investigated and found no surviving relatives. For now, he will be placed in a welfare home. If his family ever comes forward, it will make reunification easier."

Norah instinctively looked at Cooper.

He was fragile. A welfare home wouldn’t be able to care for him properly.

Besides, Cooper had grown attached to her. How could she just let him go?

She took a deep breath. "Can you issue me a temporary guardianship certificate? If his family ever comes forward, I’ll return him. But I won’t let him suffer in the meantime."

She felt Cooper squeeze her hand gently.

He wanted to stay with her.

The official nodded. "In that case, we’ll issue you the paperwork. If no relatives claim him, you can take him back to Craggaville and enroll him in school."

"Alright."

A few minutes later, the documents were in her hands.

As she stepped out of the embassy with Cooper, the sun cast their shadows long across the pavement.

For a brief moment, Norah felt disoriented.

If her own child were with her, she’d be holding his hand just like this.

Her child would be Cooper’s age.

The thought hit her like a wave. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. Kevin still hadn’t told her where her child was.

She couldn’t take it anymore. She called Kevin.

The phone rang for a long time. Just when she thought he wouldn’t answer, his voice finally came through.

"Norah."

That was it. No explanation. No apology.

His phone had been reachable all along, yet he hadn’t contacted her since that day.

Norah swallowed hard. "I don’t know what your plan is, and honestly, I don’t care anymore. You have your mission, your responsibilities. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. But Kevin, you need to tell me where my child is. I’m his mother. I have the right to know."

She had only seen her baby for a fleeting moment before he was taken away.

Now, holding Cooper’s hand, she realized why she had taken him in.

Because she was a mother.

Because she couldn’t bear to see another child lost.

Kevin’s voice was low. "I know, Norah. I just... I want you to be okay. About the child—"

"Are you about to tell me he’s dead?" Norah’s breath hitched.

Silence.

Then, the call disconnected.

The dull beep of a dead line echoed in her ears.

Norah clenched her jaw. Every time she got close to the truth, Kevin shut her out.

Fine.

She wouldn’t wait for him anymore. She would find the truth herself.

Baimo was still in Country S.

When he learned that Norah was adopting Cooper and investigating Kevin and her child’s whereabouts, he confronted her.

"You don’t have to do this alone," he said seriously. "I’m here. You can come to me. If you’re worried about owing me a favor, well—don’t we already owe each other plenty?"

Baimo had been by her side all along.

Norah knew what he meant, but she couldn’t rely on anyone else.

People left. That was the reality.

The only person she could always count on was herself.

"You have your own responsibilities, Baimo. I can handle this," she said firmly.

Baimo sighed. "Norah, doesn’t it strike you as strange? If your child is still alive, why won’t Kevin tell you where he is? If he had a good reason to stay silent, why wouldn’t he tell you now?"

Norah understood what Baimo was saying.

But she didn’t want theories.

She wanted the truth.

She needed the truth.

However, before she could uncover it—something happened to her.