Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 457: Reunited

The woman looked exactly like Simon, though she carried herself with less outward sharpness and a deeper, unfathomable stillness. Her powerful aura was subtle yet commanded an immediate, undeniable respect.

Nancy’s breath hitched.

The woman’s features were exquisite, and the contour of her face, especially that small but high bridge of her nose, was a reflection Nancy had seen countless times in the mirror. It was as if she were a younger version of the woman standing before her.

Dr. Zeno was Tammy.

In high security projects, the rules were absolute. A person’s public identity and their codename had to be completely separated. A codename was a name used within a world of secrets, representing the highest level of authority. In the outside world, such personnel maintained a perfectly legal public persona. They might be a university professor or a simple researcher at an institute. Unless someone was among the select few at the very top, they would never link a seemingly ordinary scholar to the head of a national strategic project.

Tammy’s gaze bypassed the guards standing at the ready, landing precisely on the two siblings. Her eyes were deep, appearing calm and rational on the surface, but beneath lay a hidden current of emotion.

There was pride, tenderness, and heartache. But above all, there was the cautious vulnerability of someone who had recovered a lost treasure, mixed with a profound, lingering attachment. It was the look of a mother who, after years of searching and waiting, finally saw with her own eyes that her children were not only safe, but shining brightly after the storms they had weathered.

Her gaze was heavy and searing.

The person Nancy had pictured so many times in a worn photograph had stepped out of a flickering phantom and into the breathing, warm reality.

Nancy and Simon were frozen, their composure completely shattered. Both faces wore identical expressions of stunned disbelief. Their wide, innocent eyes made them look remarkably like the silly roe deer watching the spectacle beside them.

The siblings unconsciously gripped each other’s arms, trying to confirm if the Tammy before them was real.

Mom is okay, and she is a scientific powerhouse protected by the state?

Tammy stepped forward, walking straight toward Nancy. Her stride was steady and efficient, her coat swaying with the composure of someone long accustomed to being in control.

She stopped in front of Nancy.

Her eyes swept over the younger girl, whose eyes were red and brimming with tears. Then she looked at the brother standing rigidly beside her, struggling to maintain his professional poise while looking just as dazed.

A ripple of warmth appeared in Tammy’s eyes. Her lips curved into a faint smile that instantly dissolved her cold, distant exterior.

She reached out toward Nancy. "Nancy, it is good to finally meet you."

"I am Zeno, the project lead."

Nancy remained paralyzed, her fingertips trembling.

A moment later, a warm and steady hand reached out to clasp hers. The palm was dry and soft, carrying a familiar warmth that only belonged to family.

Nancy looked up into Tammy’s eyes, which were as calm as a lake. Her nose stung as tears surged without warning, shimmering in her eyes.

Beside her, Simon stood at attention. His chest heaved as he suppressed his excitement and longing behind a wall of discipline, finally offering a crisp, formal salute.

"Dr. Zeno."

Tammy turned her attention to Simon.

She nodded slightly and reached out, her fingertips gently brushing the fine snow from the epaulets of his police uniform. As her fingers touched the cold metal and braid, her gaze flickered for a second as if she were traveling through time.

Years ago, on the night before her husband James left for the border, Townsville had been hit by a heavy snowstorm just like this. She had been seeing him off, and one last time, she had reached out to brush the snow from the epaulets of his uniform.

Now, the same snow fell on shoulders just as upright. The hand brushing the snow remained the same, but the person carrying that weight and responsibility had changed from husband to son.

"Officer Simon," she said, her voice clear and steady. "I have heard much about the Twin Stars of the police force."

Tammy stepped to the side.

Another guard behind her stepped forward, carrying a cold, silver metal case with a complex structure and a seamless lock.

"The reverse tracking solution for the repellent is complete."

Tammy’s eyes scanned the siblings, skipping any further pleasantries to get straight to the core of the matter. "The upcoming pursuit will require your full cooperation. New Year is almost here. Let us find the reagents as quickly as possible so that everyone can..."

She paused, her gaze lingering on her children for the briefest of moments.

"Spend the holidays in peace."

Those words snapped Nancy back to attention, helping her suppress the turmoil in her heart.