Chapter 329: Mother?

Charlotte’s eyes went wide watching the transformation. "Every time I see that..." She shook her head, her mouth slightly open. "Each time I see that transformation, I realize more and more that you’ll never be a normal man."

"Nope," I said, adjusting to my regular height. "Sorry to disappoint."

She shook her head in wonder. "Not disappointed. Terrified, maybe. But not disappointed."

"You’ll never be normal, will you?"

"Normal’s overrated." I adjusted to my regular height, feeling smaller and somehow more fragile. "Besides, normal people don’t get in private jets with billionaire CEOs."

She laughed, but there was something almost sad in it. "No. They don’t."

Through the terminal windows, I could see Mom pacing like a caged tiger near the entrance. Even from here, the tension radiated off her - shoulders tight, phone in hand, checking the time every thirty seconds. Classic Linda Carter stress response.

Fuck. I’d really put her through hell these past few days, hadn’t I?

"She looks..." Charlotte started.

"Like she’s about to either hug me or strangle me." I watched Mom spot our group through the glass, saw her whole body sag with relief. "Probably both."

But as we walked toward the terminal, the Plea ability hit me again - stronger this time. Margaret’s fantasies were fading with distance, but Soo-Jin’s desperate desires lingered, and now I could feel Mom’s presence getting closer, knowing that her thoughts would be next...

My stomach lurched. No. Absolutely fucking not.

"No," I thought desperately. "Not Mom. Please, not Mom. I can’t handle that."

[DING! New System Feature Available: Plea Ability Toggle Switch!

Cost: 20,000 SP

Description: Control when Plea is active/inactive to prevent unwanted intrusion]

"What are you waiting for, system?" I thought frantically. "Buy it quickly!"

[Purchase Complete!

Plea Ability Toggle: NOW AVAILABLE

Toggle Status: DISABLED]

The invasive fantasies cut off instantly, leaving blessed silence in my head. Worth every fucking SP. Hell, I’d have paid ten times that to keep my mom’s thoughts out of my skull.

Mom practically launched herself at me the moment I stepped into the terminal. The hug was rib-crushing, desperate, and smelled like hospital antiseptic mixed with her favorite vanilla body spray. For a second, I wasn’t some supernatural seducer with a god complex - I was just her kid who’d scared the shit out of her.

"Peter Carter." Her voice was thick, muffled against my shoulder. "Three days!"

That was it. Just "three days." But the way she said it carried everything - the worry, the fear, the relief, the barely restrained urge to lock me in my room until I was thirty.

She pulled back to cup my face, her nurse’s eyes automatically scanning for injuries. Then she kissed both my cheeks like I was five years old again, and I let her because I’d missed this more than I’d realized.

"I know," I said quietly. "I’m sorry."

"You better be." But her smile was watery, and she was already turning to Madison and Charlotte, switching into full maternal mode.

"I know you were worried."

"Worried? I was terrified. Charlotte’s company crisis, you flying off to help, and then radio silence for three days." She turned to Madison with immediate warmth. "Madison, Charlotte honeys, thank you for keeping an eye on my idiotic son."

"Hey!" I protested. "I’m the one who saved her company!"

"And nearly gave me a heart attack in the process," Mom shot back, but she was smiling through her tears. She pulled Madison into a warm hug. "I missed you, sweetheart. The house felt empty without you there."

"How are my girls holding up?"

"They missed you so much."

Madison stepped into Mom’s hug easily, naturally. They’d developed their own relationship over the past two weeks and watching them together gave me this weird warm feeling in my chest. "Missed you too, Mother."

"Course you did. House isn’t the same without you there keeping Peter from being completely insufferable."

"Hey," I protested, but Mom was already zeroing in on Charlotte with that look that meant business.

"And you." She reached out to touch Charlotte’s face gently, her nurse instincts kicking in. "When’s the last time you actually slept? Real sleep, not whatever you’ve been doing."

Charlotte blinked, clearly caught off guard by the direct maternal intervention. "It’s been... complicated."

"Complicated doesn’t answer my question." Mom’s tone shifted into that gentle but non-negotiable voice she used on difficult patients. "Peter, what have you been putting this poor girl through?"

I watched this whole exchange with growing amusement and, if I’m being honest, a little jealousy. Here I was, the guy who’d just saved everyone’s asses and orchestrated the destruction of international criminals, and Mom was showering all her attention on my girlfriend and business partner.

"Actually," I said, "she’s been putting herself through it. Charlotte just saved her entire company and destroyed some very bad people, but she’s been running on adrenaline and spite for about seventy-two hours straight."

"Well, that stops now." Mom was already herding us toward the parking lot with the efficiency of someone who’d spent decades managing chaos. "Charlotte, you’re staying with us until you look less like a ghost."

"Linda, that’s really not—"

"Not negotiable. Peter, you’re riding shotgun. Girls, you’re in the back where I can keep an eye on you."

As we settled into the Mercedes, I caught Madison’s amused smile in the rearview mirror. She was enjoying watching someone else take charge for once.

"So," Mom said as she started the engine, "apart from saving the world, what exactly did you three accomplish in Miami?"

The question was casual, but I could hear the underlying worry. She knew something big had gone down - Charlotte’s company crisis, the private jet, my expensive suit. But she didn’t know about the kidnapping, the criminal networks, the CIA deals.

And she never would if I could help it.

"It’s complicated," I said, which was becoming my standard response to everything.

"Everything’s complicated with you lately." She pulled out of the airport, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. "You gonna tell me why you came back wearing a suit that costs more than my monthly salary?"

Sharp. Mom never missed the details that mattered.

"Miami’s expensive," Madison said smoothly. "Had to look the part for the business meetings."

"What kind of business meetings require private jets and designer suits?"

"The kind that pay really well," I said, which was technically true.

Then she turned to Charlotte with immediate concern. "But, you young lady, look like you haven’t slept in a week. You’re still worrying me?"

"I’m okay, Linda. Better now that it’s all over," Charlotte managed a tired smile.

"Over my ass," Mom said firmly, her nurse instincts kicking into high gear. "You’ve been running on fumes and stubbornness. I can see it in your eyes."