Chapter 63 I Want to Bond with Liam
Liam was completely mesmerized.
Max couldn't help but tease from the sidelines, "You keep staring at my mommy. You little charmer."
He meant it as a joke, but Liam took it seriously, immediately blushing and waving his hands frantically, desperately trying to clear his name of being a "little charmer."
Grace found him absolutely adorable!
Max asked, "Mommy, are you going to the family carnival on Friday?"
"Of course, Mommy took the day off." Grace gently touched Liam's head. "Mommy promised Liam!"
Both Liam and Max really wanted her to attend, so to get the day off, she had rearranged Friday's work to today, which was why she'd gotten home so late.
Max crossed his arms, looking a bit sulky. "But Mommy is going as my parent representative."
It seemed he was getting a little jealous of Liam!
She was going for Liam's sake—what about him?
Liam raised his hand, his eyes seeming to say, as long as he could see Grace, he'd be perfectly content!
That evening.
After Grace had tucked both Max and Liam into bed, Alexander was about to head into his study when Emily called.
"Alexander, I heard that this Friday is Liam's school carnival with a family event. I happen to be free—let me come with you and Liam!"
Alexander was somewhat surprised. "One parent representative is enough."
Emily said, "For such an important event like the family carnival, it's better when both parents are present, right? Liam has never had a mother, so he must really hope to have both mom and dad there together! I could be his mom for the day—he'd be happy about that!"
Alexander remained silent for a moment. "He..."
"Alexander, please give me a chance to spend time with Liam," Emily pleaded earnestly. "I want to bond with Liam too, but I've never had the opportunity. This is such a rare activity—please let me go with Liam!"
Alexander said, "Alright. Should I send a car to pick you up?"
Emily replied, "No need, I'll drive myself. We can meet at the school entrance."
Alexander hummed in agreement.
After hanging up, Alexander sat down at his desk, his emotions complex.
He could sense that Emily desperately wanted to get close to Liam.
She hoped Liam would like her, and she was doing everything possible to approach him and win his affection.
All of this was for him.
Emily loved him.
He loved Emily too.
Once upon a time.
Once, he thought Emily was the light that would save him.
In his youth, after his mother died early and his father remarried, he was naturally withdrawn and quiet. Throughout his long adolescence, he had private tutors, and Emily's brother, Brice Blake, was his study companion.
Until one day, Emily burst into his world.
Brice and Emily were the only two people who could get close to him.
The three of them grew up together, and he and Brice served together in a special forces unit.
However, during a field training exercise, he was ambushed by unknown forces, and Brice was shot in the back while protecting him, collapsing in his arms.
Due to respiratory failure, every word Brice spoke was extremely difficult, but he gripped Alexander's hand tightly and said only one thing, "Protect Emily."
Emily was the most important person to Brice.
Alexander had always kept that promise close to his heart.
Emily loved him, so he forced himself to love Emily—to love her more, and then more still.
So ten years ago, in that car accident, he would have used his life to protect Emily.
That was why Mary hated Emily to her very core, sending Emily abroad under the pretense of graduate studies.
Originally, he thought Emily would be an important part of his future life, until Liam came along.
Three years ago, when Jeremy brought Liam back from the orphanage, his mindset gradually began to change.
He never expected he could love someone so much. He loved Liam so deeply that when Liam liked Grace, he could stop disliking Grace, too.
One night, he even had the crazy thought that if Liam really liked Grace, he could remarry Grace, let Grace be Liam's mother, and grow up with Liam together.
Thinking back on it, he must have been insane.
Friday morning.
Grace slept well and woke up refreshed and energetic.
After washing up and brushing her teeth, she put on the Givenchy gown that Liam had chosen.
The housekeeper brought in the Himalaya diamond-studded bag. "Mr. Hayes said that since you're attending the carnival today, this bag would complement your dress."
Grace examined the bag for a moment, frowning slightly. Wasn't this the bag Alexander had given her as an apology gift before?
Max said, "This bag really does match the dress Mommy's wearing."
Grace replied, "But this bag is too expensive."
Max covered his mouth and giggled. "He gave it to you—it's not like Mommy asked for it!"
Grace nodded solemnly. "Good point!"
Taking Max's hand, Grace stepped outside and saw that Alexander and Liam had also changed clothes. Liam especially, after two days of recovery, looked energetic and handsome in his Windsor Academy uniform blazer.
She couldn't help but approach and pinch Liam's cheek. "Liam is so cute!"
Max stood on his tiptoes and asked, "What about me?"
"Max is cute too!" Grace bent down and kissed Max's cheek.
Seeing this, Liam's eyes widened slightly. He walked over to Grace expectantly and poked his own cheek, looking at Grace with hopeful eyes.
"Alright, Liam gets a kiss too." Grace gave Liam the same treatment.
Liam then poked his right cheek, the little guy seemingly having OCD and requiring symmetry.
Grace stifled a laugh and planted another kiss on his right cheek.
Now Liam was satisfied.
"Let's go!" Max raised his hand, clearly thrilled to be attending the carnival with his mommy.
The car arrived at Windsor Academy and stopped at the school entrance.
Grace had just gotten out of the car with Max when she spotted a familiar figure—Emily.
She had arrived early and was waiting at the school entrance. After recognizing Alexander's car, she walked toward him.
When Emily got closer, she was startled to discover that Grace and Alexander had arrived together in the same car, especially when she noticed Grace's dress and the Himalaya diamond-studded bag she was carrying.
That bag—Alexander had given it to her, hadn't he?
Emily remembered liking that bag very much too, but she had never mentioned it to Alexander. She thought Alexander simply didn't understand the kind of romance women wanted.
Turned out he wasn't clueless after all.
Emily's heart sank with bitter disappointment.
Grace was also somewhat stunned, surprised by Emily's appearance.
But Emily treated her like a stranger, acting as if Grace were invisible. She walked past Grace and Max, approaching Alexander and Liam instead, saying to Liam, "Liam, can I give you a hug?"