Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 366

His mouth opened wide, and his wailing rang out, unrestrained, echoing through the empty basketball court.

Clutching the box of clementines Selene had given him, he looked for all the world like a little animal that had been abandoned.

“Young master!” One of the bodyguards rushed to comfort him, but had no idea how to calm Damien’s sobs.

Harrison strode over. “Damien Vaughn, what are you crying for?”

He was clearly displeased by his son’s sudden outburst. “You’re five years old. Why are you crying like this?”

He’d seen Selene hand Damien a box of clementines just moments ago. The moment Selene left, Damien burst into tears. Harrison reached for the plastic box resting on Damien’s knees.

“No!!” Damien shouted, immediately throwing his body over the fruit, shielding it from Harrison as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

It was as though that little box was his greatest treasure.

Harrison’s face went cold. “Stop crying. Right now.”

Comforting children was never his strong suit. What bothered him more was Damien’s sudden meltdown in front of so many people.

Afraid Harrison would take away the gift Selene had given him, Damien hurriedly stuffed a whole clementine into his mouth, peel and all.

The bitter tang of the pith stung his tongue, and he swallowed both the sourness of the fruit and the salt of his tears.

In the past, when Selene didn’t peel the clementines properly, he’d kick up a fuss until she did. Now, he didn’t even dare to ask for that anymore.

Just having Selene peel a clementine for him had become a rare treat. Desperate to keep the memory, Damien shoved all the clementines from the plastic box into his mouth one after the other.

Harrison watched as juice dribbled messily down Damien’s chin. His son's lack of table manners made him frown.

He asked the bodyguard for a napkin, then bent down to help wipe Damien’s mouth.

“Mm!” Damien turned his face away, terrified that Harrison might try to snatch Selene’s gift from him.

Sensing the child’s wariness, Harrison’s voice softened with reluctant resignation. “I’m not going to take them from you.”

*

Adrian made his way toward the elevators, his presence so commanding that people couldn’t help but stop and stare.

Representatives from every division of The Shaw Group, who had accompanied him, filed into the elevator behind him.

When the doors slid shut, the mirrored walls reflected a strikingly handsome man, his features as chiseled as a Greco-Roman statue.

Down in the lobby, the employees left behind buzzed with the energy of a gossiping flock of prairie dogs.

“Mr. Shaw is just too handsome! Even though he’s been coming here a lot lately, every time I see him I forget how to breathe!”

“Do you think the rumors about him and Ms. Thompson are true? There’s talk they’re secretly dating—contract relationship style.”

“Who cares if it’s real or not? They look perfect together—he’s smart, she’s beautiful. Everyone’s obsessed with them!”

When the elevator doors opened again, Adrian stepped into the venue set up for the signing ceremony.

Both companies had invited the media to cover the event, hoping to build connections and goodwill. A host of business elites from Capital Circle had gathered for the champagne reception, eager to witness the union of the Shaw and Thompson families.