Chapter 8 Liam, Can I Give You a Hug?
Alexander was furious.
He was convinced that Liam was Grace's child. Seeing how protective she was of Max while abandoning Liam without a care, he found this woman increasingly despicable.
The man turned to leave.
Grace stood up and chased after him to the doorway. "Alexander, when will you let me go?"
"You're not leaving this place until we get the results about Liam's parentage!" Alexander declared before slamming the door shut.
Grace collapsed onto the bed with Max in her arms, releasing the suffocating tension from her chest, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Max could see her earlier panic and distress.
"Mommy, what's wrong?" He gently rubbed her pale cheek with his small hand. "Mommy, don't be scared. Max will protect you!"
Grace asked, "Max, did that man frighten you?"
Max shook his head. "Max isn't afraid of that man."
"You're not scared?" Grace wondered.
Max smiled, his eyes curving like crescent moons. "Why should Mommy be afraid of that guy? Did he bully you?"
Grace replied evasively, "Because Mommy has something very precious that she's afraid he might take away."
Upon hearing this, Max gently ran his small hand through Grace's hair and said tenderly, "Don't be afraid, Mommy. Max is here!"
Somehow, when Max smiled, it made people feel incredibly secure.
Grace affectionately nuzzled Max's cheek, and her tense emotions calmed considerably.
She had stayed awake all night worrying about Max. Now that she could see Max was safe and sound, she finally felt relieved. Holding Max close, she lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
She slept deeply until evening.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Ms. Foster, Ms. Foster, are you awake?"
Grace woke with a start, sitting up in bed.
She looked around and saw Max sitting at the foot of the bed, apparently keeping watch over her.
Grace felt reassured and immediately responded, "I'm awake."
"Are you hungry? The kitchen has prepared dinner. Would you like to come downstairs to eat?"
Grace touched her empty stomach and asked Max, "Max, are you hungry?"
Max nodded.
Grace smiled. "Then shall Mommy take you to get something to eat?"
Max nodded again.
Grace took Max's hand and walked to the door, which opened.
Hayes Manor had four dining rooms.
One was the formal banquet hall, one was the main family dining room, one was a smaller family dining room, and the last was the servants' quarters dining area.
Grace and Max had their meal in the smaller dining room.
Max looked unhappy. "Who made this food? It doesn't taste nearly as good as mine." He was clearly unimpressed.
Grace said, "The Hayes Manor's head chef made this. It should be decent, but we're eating from the staff menu, so the quality is naturally lacking. Be good, Max. Tomorrow, Mommy should be able to take you home."
Alexander would hardly treat her like an honored guest. In his eyes, she was probably nothing more than a criminal—someone who had secretly borne his child only to abandon the baby!
Max nodded obediently.
After dinner, Grace picked up Max to head upstairs when a maid approached them with a sneer. "Think you're some kind of VIP guest? You used the dishes—you wash them yourself!"
Grace was stunned.
Hayes Manor had staff responsible for dishes, plus dishwashers.
This maid was clearly trying to make things difficult for her on purpose.
The maid continued, "What are you, some kind of socialite? Still expecting to be waited on hand and foot? Go wash those dirty dishes you used."
Max frowned, getting angry at the maid's bossy attitude.
However, Grace, believing in taking care of her own responsibilities, carried the dishes she and Max had used to the kitchen.
What was the big deal about washing a few bowls?
As soon as she reached the kitchen, the maid followed closely behind, pointing to a sink full of dirty dishes. "While you're at it, wash all of these too."
Even with Grace's good temper, she couldn't take this anymore. "Why should I?"
The maid replied impatiently, "Where do you get off asking 'why'?"
Grace suddenly threw the bowls into the sink. "I'm not washing them!"
Even if Alexander himself had ordered her to do it, she wouldn't comply.
"You...!" The maid rushed over, and seeing that the bowls had cracked from the impact, she flew into a rage. "How dare you throw the dishes! Do you have any idea how expensive these are?"
"So what if they're expensive? Tell Alexander to bill me for damages if he's got the nerve," Grace retorted angrily.
The maid shot back, "No wonder the Hayes family threw you out in the first place! You think Mr. Hayes would ever be interested in a woman like you?"
Grace ignored her, picked up Max, and headed upstairs. She was thinking that the paternity test needed to be completed quickly so the truth would come out and she could leave Hayes Manor, rather than staying here and enduring this kind of treatment!
At the staircase landing, a nanny carrying Liam walked by.
The two children seemed to sense each other's presence and simultaneously turned their heads, making eye contact.
Max frowned slightly. For some reason, this child stirred something within him.
Liam also stared at him in a daze, then suddenly pointed with his finger, as if asking who this child was.
Grace carried Max over to Liam and smiled warmly. "Liam, hello there! This is Max." Liam and Max were the same age. Setting aside the adults' conflicts and grudges, she hoped Liam and Max could become good friends.
Liam looked at Max.
But Max suddenly said coldly, "Why do you keep staring at me?"
Liam's mouth turned down in what looked like hurt feelings.
The nanny became indignant. "This is the Hayes family's child, and you dare speak so rudely! Ms. Foster, how exactly do you discipline your son? He has no manners whatsoever!"
Grace replied, "How does my son lack manners? He just wants to be friends with Liam!"
The nanny scoffed, "Hmph! I think your son is just bullying the fact that Mr. Liam is seven years old and can't speak. He's developmentally delayed, isn't he?"
Grace's temper flared. "Such an adorable child couldn't possibly be developmentally delayed! He might simply prefer not to talk, but he's definitely not delayed!" Liam was Alexander's son, after all.
Alexander was a prodigy. Any son he fathered would surely inherit his talent and intelligence.
Liam looked at Grace.
She had said he simply preferred not to talk, but definitely wasn't delayed.
This beautiful woman was so gentle!
Liam suddenly remembered a dream he'd once had.
In the dream, he'd seen the gentle silhouette of a woman sitting by his bedside. He couldn't make out her face, but he instinctively believed that woman must be his mommy.
In a trance, looking at Grace, Liam felt that this woman was so similar to that gentle woman from his dreams.
Seeing Liam staring at her continuously, Grace smiled warmly, gently set Max down, walked over to the nanny, and said to Liam, "Your name is Liam, right?"
Liam looked at her with wide eyes, saying nothing, not even nodding, like an exquisite porcelain doll.
Grace tried again tentatively, "Liam, can I give you a hug?"
Liam instinctively shrank back, his eyes showing wariness and rejection. His gaze held the kind of unease that only lonely children possess, but Grace could see that hidden in his eyes was also a deep longing.
Grace said gently, "Liam, don't be afraid. I'm not a bad person."
The nanny slapped Grace's hand away with disgust, snapping, "Don't you dare touch Mr. Liam Hayes with your filthy hands! Mr. Liam Hayes never likes strangers touching him!"