Chapter 22 He's My Ex-Husband
Alexander said, "If you're willing, I'll pay you according to the highest standard hourly rate."
Grace replied, "I'm not willing."
It wasn't that she didn't want to care for Liam, but she still needed to work and earn money to support Max. That wasn't her goal.
Besides, Liam was too precious. If she became Liam's nanny and anything went wrong, the Hayes family would never forgive her.
She couldn't bear such heavy responsibility.
Alexander said, "I heard you want to send Max to Windsor Academy."
Grace froze, then her face changed dramatically in realization. "You investigated me?"
Alexander replied, "How could I allow a woman of unknown background to stay at Hayes Manor? I just did routine due diligence on you. When you married me originally, it was also following your father's wishes. After our divorce, the Foster family cast you out. For seven years, you've raised Max alone. I understand Max has been constantly ill since childhood, and you spent over a million dollars treating him, only finishing paying off the debt this year. You're currently unemployed. With your situation, getting your son into Windsor Academy is impossible."
Grace frowned slightly.
Alexander continued, "Grace, accepting my conditions won't be a loss for you."
Grace said, "I don't want your money, but I have several conditions."
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."
Grace said, "First, I want Max to attend Windsor Academy. You certainly have the ability to arrange his enrollment."
Alexander held up one finger. "What else?"
Grace: "Second, I can treat Liam as my own child, but in return, you must treat Max exactly as well as I treat Liam."
Since Max and Alexander couldn't acknowledge their father-son relationship, perhaps this would compensate Max to some degree.
Alexander held up a second finger. "What else?"
Grace: "Also, I don't want to live at Hayes Manor. I don't like living in such a large house. You must arrange separate accommodation."
Alexander held up a third finger.
"And one more thing..." Grace said, "You cannot interfere with my private life."
Alexander said, "Four conditions."
Grace replied, "That's all. If you accept, I'll agree to care for Liam."
Alexander said, "Fine, I accept."
He sat down on the sofa and said, "First, give me a week and I'll arrange Max's enrollment; second, I'll treat Max the same as Liam - with equal kindness and equal strictness; third, I'll arrange separate accommodation within a week as well; fourth, I have no interest in your private life, let alone interfering with it."
Grace said, "Good then."
In the living room.
Grace slowly descended the stairs.
She walked to Liam and said, "Liam, I'll stay to keep you company and take care of you, okay?"
Hearing this, Liam's eyes immediately lit up with joy, and he nodded vigorously.
Max looked somewhat surprised and suspicious. "Why did Mommy suddenly agree to stay?"
Had she reached some agreement with Alexander?
Grace said, "Max, from now on, you and Liam should get along well, okay?"
Max exchanged glances with Liam and said, "I guess that's not impossible, but will Mommy share the love you give me with Liam?"
Grace replied, "Mommy loves you, but I'll also share half that love with Liam."
Hearing this, Max's expression dimmed somewhat.
He could share everything with Liam, but when it came to Grace's love, he had an extremely strong possessive streak and wasn't entirely willing.
...
Alexander's efficiency was remarkable. Within three days, Grace received Windsor Academy's enrollment notification.
Along with the acceptance letter came a custom Windsor Academy backpack and two school administrators.
They had come for two purposes: first, to collect Max's identity information, and second, to measure his height and weight to custom-tailor two school uniforms for him.
However, in stark contrast, Grace's job applications kept hitting walls.
Her educational background was truly a weakness. Although she had self-studied for many certification courses over the past seven years, many companies, especially the excellent ones she interviewed with, placed more emphasis on formal education.
Max had just finished being measured and returned to the room when he saw Grace had just finished a phone call, looking somewhat dejected.
"Mommy?"
He came over to her. "Mommy, what's wrong? Why aren't you happy?"
Grace touched his little head and said, "Mommy wants to give Max the best life and work hard to support you, but all the resumes I've submitted have been rejected."
Max said, "They have no vision; they don't know how capable Mommy is."
Someone knocked on the door.
Grace said, "Come in."
A servant pushed open the door and entered, saying to Grace, "Ms. Foster, Mr. Hayes requests that you come downstairs."
Grace asked, "What for?"
The servant shook her head. "I don't know. Mr. Hayes only asked me to notify you to come down."
Grace and Max had just reached the bottom of the stairs when they saw Jeremy waiting in the living room. Seeing Grace come down, he immediately walked toward her.
Grace recognized Jeremy as Alexander's executive assistant.
"Ms. Foster!" Jeremy approached her and said, "Mr. Hayes and Liam are already in the car waiting for you."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll know once you get in the car."
Grace took Max's hand and walked outside, where a luxury business vehicle was parked at the entrance with its door open.
Alexander sat in the back row with a laptop on his knees, staring at the screen and lightly scrolling with his finger on the touchpad. Liam sat beside him, wearing a beautiful outfit and sporting the same serious expression as Alexander.
But seeing Grace, Liam's eyes came alive.
Grace got in the car holding Max and asked, "Where are we going?"
Alexander turned the laptop screen toward her.
Grace looked closely and saw it was a property sales center's official website.
Radiant Pinnacle.
Radiant Pinnacle Sales Center.
The property consultant spread several floor plan layouts before Alexander and Grace.
"These are our three most popular floor plans currently available: 4,000 square feet, 3,600 square feet, and 2,800 square feet. They're all single-level luxury units in prime locations with panoramic views." She introduced them while studying Alexander carefully.
She didn't know exactly what this man's background was, but his natural aristocratic bearing made her realize he must be extraordinarily wealthy.
Grace was somewhat stunned.
The property consultant seemed to notice the confusion and amazement in her eyes and quickly said, "The 4,000 square-foot unit has a living and dining area alone that spans 1,000 square feet. It's a five-bedroom, three-living-room design, and each bedroom is a suite with its own private bathroom and walk-in closet."
At $5,000 per square foot, a 4,000 square-foot property would cost $20 million.
Just then, a phone rang.
Alexander stood up to take the call, saying to Grace, "You look around first."
Grace was speechless.
Why had he brought her here?
She couldn't afford any of this.
Seeing Alexander step away, the property consultant tentatively asked, "Ma'am, is he your husband?"
Grace shook her head. "No."
The consultant was taken aback. "Then what's your relationship?"
Grace replied, "He's my ex-husband."