Chapter 975

The little boy stood timidly beside the table, tiny hands clutching the hem of his shirt. His wide eyes remained fixed on the paper rabbit in Victor Laurent's grasp.

Victor smiled knowingly, placing the origami bunny gently into the boy's palm. "If you like something, you should say it. How else will people know what you want?"

The boy's mother nudged him forward with a gentle push. "What do we say?"

"Thank you, sir..." The child's voice was barely louder than a whisper as he cradled the paper treasure against his chest.

Victor ruffled the boy's soft hair. Before the mother could express her gratitude, her gaze darted between him and Vivian Dempsey. Her eyes widened in sudden recognition. "Victor Laurent? Vivian Dempsey? You two... finally together?"

Her exclamation carried layers of emotion—surprise, delight, nostalgia—as if witnessing a long-awaited resolution.

Victor looked utterly bewildered. Years abroad had severed old connections, leaving him unable to recognize former classmates. Vivian, however, slapped the table in realization. "Class president!"

Their once top-ranking academic leader now wore gold-rimmed glasses as a product director at a tech giant. She adjusted her frames with playful accusation. "Victor, you transferred schools without leaving contact info. Missed every reunion."

"Making up for it now." Victor flashed his QR code. "Next gathering, I'll be there."

The class president's eyes lit up. "Perfect timing—we're meeting next weekend." She turned to Vivian. "You're responsible for delivering him."

Vivian laughed, hugging the toddler in her arms. "If he dares bail, I'm kidnapping Evelyn's little darling here."

Studying the baby's chubby cheeks, their former leader had an epiphany. "Mrs. Hamilton's daughter?" At Vivian's nod, she sighed. "Evelyn moves in silence. When she posted wedding photos, our class chat exploded."

Victor concentrated fiercely on his soup dumplings, though his ears perked up. The class president studied them meaningfully. "So you two are..."

"Just co-parenting buddies," Vivian interjected, stomping Victor's foot under the table.

He choked on his broth. "I just returned to Hudson City. Working at Hamilton Group when I ran into Vivian..."

The class president wore an "I-know-better" smirk. "The whole class shipped you back then..."

"President!" Vivian lunged to cover her mouth as the baby giggled.

All three tactfully avoided mentioning a certain name. Departing, their former leader winked at Victor. "Don't skip the reunion. Someone's waited years for you."

As she walked away with her son, Victor stared at the new contact in his phone. "Never imagined our class president having kids. She swore she'd stay single forever in school."

Vivian lifted the baby toward sunlight filtering through her fingers. "People change." Golden flecks danced across the child's face like scattered stars.