Chapter 645 A Surprise

While occupied with her thoughts, Ashley did not notice Richard, who had approached her from the sofa. Smiling with a glint of innocence in his eyes, he eyed the stone on her hands.

Ashley began to realize something, furrowing her brows while staring back at the young boy.

With narrowed eyes, she asked. "What's wrong, baby? Is it because of the green thing in the stone? Please nod if you see it.

If not, shake your head, okay?" Her voice was soft as a pillow while caressing Richard on the head.

Slowly, he nodded while looking at her.

"Yes. Green..." he uttered, pointing at the stone.

Ashley almost dropped the stone, gawking at Richard with her mouth agape. 'H-He can talk?!' she thought.

Ever since she met the little boy, he only communicated non-verbally, and no utterances ever left those cute lips of his.

Without blinking, Ashley stared at him, as if he was some kind of rare treasure she just found.

"You can talk? Oh my god! Richard, you can talk now?" Her hands trembled as she tried to level his gaze.

Richard's voice was sweet and gentle, and although it was a little hoarse––possibly from not speaking for quite a long time. Ashley didn't mind. To her ears, it was as sweet and smooth like a melody.

If truth be told, she even thought of having him checked by a professional, thinking that he was speech impaired.

But hearing that he could actually speak sent Ashley to cloud nine.

And as her stare prolonged, Richard's face turned red out of embarrassment. Lowering his head, he said softly, "Yes."

As his voice rang in Ashley's ears, she immediately forgot about the stone, shifting all her attention to the child.

Like any mother, she was ultimately ecstatic to see, first hand, the development of her baby.

For sure, all mothers would react just the way she did, hearing their child talk for the first time.

Ashley gently stroked his head and said, "Richard, tell me, please. You can speak, right?"

Desperate for answers, she held him by the shoulders and thought, 'Maybe he just didn't want to talk before?'

With his big eyes, Richard slowly nodded at her.

"Yes, I can," he uttered softly, blushing while trying to avoid her gaze.

Suddenly, Ashley's

worst. Lowering his head and fixing his gaze on his toes, he felt that Ashley probably thought of him as some kind of a possessed kid.

Although he had already known that he was different from others since childhood, he still couldn't help feeling upset. Being avoided and ignored was the last thing he needed as an orphan, so Richard did his best to keep it a secret.

But now, with Ashley, who had been nothing but good to him, it was different. He didn't want to disappoint her, to make her think that she adopted a monster child.

Richard zipped his lips and walked towards the door without saying anything.

And as Ashley came back to her senses, she was caught off guard, seeing him walking to the door, obviously in an attempt to leave.

"Richard, where are you going?" Ashley asked in a hurry and went after him.

Blocking his way with her huge belly, Ashley thought, 'Was he trying to leave?'

Taking his soft, little hand, she asked, "Where do you want to go? Did you want to leave just now without telling me? Don't you know that your unborn brother and I will be worried if you leave us without saying anything?"

"I..." Richard uttered, surprised at the reaction of his foster mother. But instead of finishing his words, Richard pressed his lips together again, and kept silent.

With a narrowed pair of eyes, he stared at Ashley and confusingly wondered, 'Shouldn't she be looking at me in horror, calling me a monster, and asking me to leave right now?'