Chapter 123 He Is Your Son
Mrs. Phillips' expression shifted. Initially, she had been quite favorably impressed with Grace, but learning about her previous marriage caused her opinion to waver somewhat.
Liam struggled free from Alexander's arms and rushed to Grace's side, wrapping his small arms around her protectively.
He lifted his little face with a wounded expression, as if he wanted to speak but held back. Having overheard Henry's marriage proposal from outside the door, he was terrified that this man might steal Grace away, so he clung to her tightly, refusing to let go.
Mrs. Phillips looked somewhat startled. "And this child is...?"
Alexander replied, "He's my son."
Mrs. Phillips glanced between Liam and Grace, momentarily speechless. Seeing that Liam and Max appeared to be roughly the same age, she looked at Grace with suspicion. "Is he your son too?"
Henry clarified, "No. Grace only had one child—Max."
While Mrs. Phillips was still processing the complicated family dynamics, Max suddenly asked Grace, "Mommy, do you like Henry?"
He knew Henry wasn't his biological father.
But what he really wanted to know was his mother's feelings. What mattered most to him was who would treat his mother well for the rest of her life, who would cherish her forever.
In other words, whoever his mother chose, he would accept.
Grace found herself at a loss for words.
She turned to Henry. "Henry, I..."
Henry suddenly cut her off. "Don't refuse me."
Grace was surprised by his unexpected assertiveness.
Henry moved closer to her, gently taking her hand and enclosing it in his palm. "Didn't I promise you I'd give you a home?"
Alexander stepped forward, positioning himself directly in front of Henry, his voice ice-cold. "Why won't you let her finish speaking? Or is it that you already know she'll refuse you, so you're trying to force her?"
Seeing Alexander's show of strength, Liam clenched his little fists excitedly, his eyes lighting up.
'Way to go, Daddy! Win Grace back!'
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Force her? The question is, who's really forcing whom here, Mr. Hayes? You're not planning to pressure Grace into becoming a stepmother to your son, are you?"
Alexander's face tightened, his gaze particularly intimidating as he stepped closer to Henry. "Don't assume everyone uses the same dirty tactics you do."
Henry found this amusing. "Dirty tactics? Mr. Hayes, I'd love to know exactly what you mean by that."
Alexander replied coldly, "Max isn't your biological child at all. He shares not one drop of blood with you."
Grace froze completely.
Henry also looked genuinely surprised.
Mrs. Phillips was utterly shocked, rising to her feet in agitation. "What? Henry, what's going on? Didn't you tell me Max was your flesh and blood?"
Grace looked at Alexander suspiciously.
Alexander's gaze was mocking. "I've been investigating Max's parentage. The trail led straight to you. You may be his legal father on paper, but I've already had a paternity test done. There's no blood relation between you two. All this noble talk about taking responsibility for Max—it's just a scheme to get what you really want."
Grace struggled to understand, forcing herself to stand. "Alexander, when did you have a paternity test done?"
Just how much had he been investigating behind her back?
Alexander replied, "Over a month ago. Grace, how much longer are you going to keep lying to me? Tell me—who is Max's real father?"
Grace remained silent.
She looked at Max, her eyes flickering with an unnamed fear that surrounded her heart.
She didn't dare reveal Max's true parentage. She was terrified that if Alexander discovered Max was his flesh and blood, he would take Max away from her.
She feared losing custody of Max.
She knew what kind of man Alexander was. His devotion to Liam showed how much he valued his bloodline and his children. If he learned she had hidden his son from him for so long, would she be able to keep Max?
Max suddenly spoke up. "I know who my biological father is."
Grace tensed. "Max..."
Max smiled. "Mommy, I know what you're worried about, but don't be afraid. You'll always be my mother, I'll always be your son, and no one can take that away from us."
He turned to face Alexander, elegantly curving his lips into a smile. "You want to know who my father is?"
Alexander nodded. "You know?"
Max crossed his arms. "Of course I know who my father is. But whether I want to acknowledge him is another matter entirely."
Alexander released his grip on Henry and walked over to Max.
He gazed down at Max's adorable face, so remarkably similar to Grace's features—about seventy to eighty percent identical. The suspicion that had been brewing in his heart for so long finally began to surface. "So, who is your father?"
Grace's voice cut through the tension from behind him. "He's your son."
Alexander's spine went rigid.
He turned to face Grace and saw what looked like relief washing over her face, as if storm clouds were finally clearing. Word by word, with firm determination, she said, "He's your son. You're his father."
Alexander slowly unclenched his fists.
The suspicion in his heart had finally been confirmed.
Max really was his son.
He had suspected it more than once, yet had dismissed his own theories just as many times.
He'd had opportunities to run a paternity test, but had been afraid the results would disappoint him.
Alexander said, "So you've been hiding this from me for seven years?"
Grace didn't address Alexander's accusation directly. Instead, she turned to Henry with a gentle tone. "Henry, I need to speak with him privately. Could you and Mrs. Phillips give us some space?"
Henry asked, "So... Max really is Alexander's son?"
Grace's face showed a trace of relief as she no longer denied it. "Yes."
Max had promised he would always be her son and would never be taken away. She had decided to face this bravely.
Even if the man standing before her was Alexander, even if this man might fight her for custody.
She knew this truth would come to light sooner or later anyway.
If he became suspicious enough to order a paternity test, he would immediately discover Max's identity. When that happened, she wouldn't be able to escape, and it would only further enrage this man.
Rather than let things spiral completely out of control later, better to speak the truth now. Since she'd have to face this eventually, better to face it sooner rather than later.
She wouldn't run anymore.
Henry stood up and walked over to Mrs. Phillips. "Mom, let's go home."
He left the hospital room without another word.
Mrs. Phillips looked between Max and Grace, then hurried after her son. "Henry, you still owe me an explanation..."
After they left, the hospital room fell into a prolonged silence.
Liam looked between Grace and Max with a half-understanding expression, feeling a strange ache in his heart. He had grasped enough to understand that Max was Daddy and Grace's biological son.
But what about him?
Where was his mommy?
Liam hung his head with deflated spirits, feeling inexplicably melancholy. Beyond the ache, what he felt most was envy.
He envied that Max had both a daddy and a mommy.
Alexander said, "Now you can give me an explanation."
Grace clenched her fists, responding with some defiance, "I have no obligation to give you any explanation. All I can tell you is that Max is your child. That's all!"
Alexander pressed, "How did this child come to be?" He moved closer to her, demanding, "When Grandmother arranged that surgery for you, you told me you weren't pregnant. So you were lying to me? You actually were pregnant at the time, but you chose to hide it from me."
Grace's throat felt dry and scratchy. "Yes..."
Alexander asked, "What about the other child?"
Grace froze completely.
Alexander continued, "Didn't you say you were carrying twins? What about the other child? Did he really die, or are you hiding him somewhere too?"