In the living room, Samantha and Logan sat on the main sofa. Chloe and Gregory sat properly beside them.
"Brother, it seems like Uncle Lance's parents don't really like us," Chloe blinked her eyes and silently communicated with Gregory. Gregory glanced at her and signaled her to behave.
Samantha and Logan stared at the two children, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. However, they were certain they had never seen these kids before. The atmosphere in the living room became awkward and eerie.
Sam watched from the side, silently praying for Mr. Mercer to return soon. At that moment, Samantha suddenly asked, "How old are you?"
"Grandma, we are five and a half," Chloe replied in a soft, childish voice, extending her chubby little hand.
Samantha immediately frowned with displeasure, "I am not your grandma. Just call me Mrs. Mercer."
The cold tone hurt Chloe's young heart. She pouted and moved closer to her brother. Gregory also noticed that these adults didn't like him and his sister. He pursed his lips, unsure of what to say. He wanted to take his sister back to their own home but felt it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye to Uncle Lance.
When Lance returned, he saw this scene: his parents sitting on the sofa, reading newspapers or looking at their phones, and the two children sitting beside them, very restrained and making him feel heartbroken. Sam noticed him and spoke excitedly, "Mr. Lance, you're back."
Hearing this, Samantha and Logan put down their newspapers and phones and looked over. The two children also looked up excitedly, their eyes shining as they gazed at Lance. Lance's heart softened at the sight of their bright eyes. He walked over and gently ruffled their heads.
"Have you eaten yet?" he asked.
"Not yet, we were waiting for you to come back," Chloe replied softly, rubbing her head against Lance's hand affectionately. Gregory didn't speak, but his face showed trust and a slight smile, revealing his fondness for Lance.
Seeing the three of them so close, Samantha and Logan's expressions darkened. Logan cleared his throat, reminding Lance of their presence. Lance turned his head and asked calmly, "Why are you here today?"
His indifferent attitude infuriated Samantha instantly. "How dare you ask why we're here? If we didn't come, were you planning to wait until everything was settled before telling us?" she scolded angrily.
Chloe and Gregory were frightened by the sudden tension and instinctively hid behind Lance. Feeling their fear, Lance frowned tightly and looked at his mother with dissatisfaction. "You're scaring the children."
Samantha was momentarily speechless. She glanced at Chloe and Gregory and saw their timid expressions. Finally, she suppressed some of her anger and instructed Sam, "Didn't you say they haven't eaten yet? Take them to eat."
Sam looked at Lance for confirmation. Lance nodded slightly and gently told the children, "Go with Sam to eat first; I'll join you soon."
The two children nodded obediently and followed Sam out of the living room. As soon as they left, Samantha started scolding again.
"Lance, what are you thinking? We found you a well-bred lady, but you chose a woman with a questionable private life. Do you want everyone in Cloudmere to laugh at the Mercer family?"
"Your mother is right," Logan added disapprovingly. "With your status, you can marry any woman you want. Why are you entangled with a woman who already has children?"
Lance's face darkened after hearing their words. Before he could respond, Samantha spoke firmly again, "It seems your health has improved, so now you have all these wild thoughts. From now on, Old Hughes will treat your illness. As for Dr. Deanna, you are not allowed to have any contact with her anymore. If you're not ashamed, your father and I are!"
"That's impossible. Only she can treat my illness," Lance retorted without hesitation.
Unbeknownst to him, his words further infuriated Samantha. "What can she treat? If she were a good doctor, she wouldn't have caused a medical accident that nearly killed someone!"
Talking about this incident made her worry about her son's health since Deanna had been treating him for some time now.
Thinking of this, she spoke again, "I'll make an appointment with Old Hughes tomorrow for a check-up to see if there's any problem with your health."
Lance understood his mother's implication: she was doubting Deanna's medical skills.