Chapter 101 Alexander, save me...
For a moment, Emily suddenly felt that everything that had always belonged exclusively to her was gradually slipping out of control, gradually becoming impossible to grasp.
Emily even wondered—if she had been the one to fall from such a height, slip into a coma, would he stay by her side like this, the way he was doing for Grace?
Would he?
She had no answer.
While Emily was feeling unsettled, Liam emerged from the family room behind her, rubbing his eyes. The moment he saw her, alarm bells went off in his mind.
"If you don't behave, I'll throw you down from there and kill you!"
Emily's threat still echoed in his ears.
Liam glared at Emily with fierce vigilance, then suddenly lunged forward, pushing her away forcefully.
Caught off guard, Emily nearly fell to the ground.
She turned around to see Liam blocking the doorway, arms spread wide, staring at her with complete wariness. Emily slowly stood up and asked tentatively, "Liam? Why did you push me?"
Alexander looked toward Liam, surprised to see him awake. "Liam?"
Without turning around, Liam kept his eyes fixed on Emily, as if afraid she might get even a step closer to Grace.
Emily said awkwardly, "Liam, why are you glaring at me so fiercely? It's scary."
Liam remained silent, just narrowing his eyes, refusing to let her approach.
Emily tried to take a few steps closer, and Liam pushed her back again.
Emily was furious inside, but her voice sounded aggrieved. "Alexander, what's gotten into Liam? Why does he keep pushing me?"
After a pause, she added with feigned worry, "He didn't push Grace off the platform, did he?" She was trying to shift suspicion onto Liam.
After all, this little boy was both simple and speechless—he wouldn't be able to explain himself.
Alexander started to get up, but Grace's hand was still gripping his fingers tightly.
Unable to free his hand, he looked up at Liam. "Liam, stop pushing people." He assumed Liam simply didn't like Emily and didn't want her near.
He had no idea that Liam suspected Emily.
He suspected that Emily had pushed Grace!
But lacking eloquence, not knowing how to tell Alexander, he could only use his childish but clumsy way to protect Grace.
Max, hearing the commotion, woke up with a start.
Worried about Grace, he hadn't been sleeping deeply.
Earlier, with Alexander watching over him and Liam, he could sleep peacefully. But with Alexander gone, the slightest disturbance woke him immediately.
Max stepped out of the family room and was startled to see Liam in a standoff with Emily, watching her with intense wariness.
Max looked at Emily, then at Liam, walked over to Liam's side, and gently touched his hair to comfort him. "Liam, what's wrong?"
Liam pointed at Emily and suddenly spoke, "Go away!"
Emily said innocently, "Liam, please don't hate me. What did I do to make you dislike me so much?"
Liam didn't want to hear her voice or see her face. Through gritted teeth, like a little lion defending his territory, he repeated, "Go away!"
Though Max didn't understand why Liam was so wary of Emily, Liam had always been sweet and gentle. For him to dislike Emily this much, it must be Emily's fault.
Perhaps through some telepathic connection between the two children, Max naturally supported Liam unconditionally. "Liam doesn't want to see you. Leave!"
Emily said, "I came here with good intentions..."
Max interrupted her, "We don't need your good intentions."
Liam suddenly turned around, walked to Alexander's side, grabbed his sleeve, and tugged gently. "You won't marry her, will you?"
It was rare for him to speak such a complete sentence.
Liam said anxiously, "I hate her. Don't... don't be with... this woman." He struggled to express himself.
Alexander looked at him with some surprise.
Emily, hearing this, clenched her fists in anger.
What was this damned little boy saying?
Was he forcing Alexander not to marry her?
Alexander asked, "Liam, why do you hate her?"
"Promise me." Liam insisted that Alexander take a stand in front of Emily, to make this woman give up and stop pestering his daddy.
Alexander's gaze was intense.
Liam rarely made demands of him, so naturally, he wouldn't refuse.
"Okay." Alexander touched his little head and promised, "Daddy promises you."
Hearing this, Liam turned to look at Emily, his round, clear eyes seeming to declare, his daddy wouldn't marry her, so she might as well give up.
Emily's face fell dramatically. "Alexander."
Alexander cut her off. "Emily, I'm sorry. I'll compensate for what I owe you in other ways."
Emily said, "Liam is only seven years old—what does he understand? If I had the chance to be part of his upbringing, he wouldn't reject me like this. Alexander, can't you give me a little more time?"
Liam shook his head vigorously.
When you hate someone, no matter how much they scheme to maintain the relationship, hate remains hate—it never turns to love.
He had liked Grace from the very first moment he saw her, and liked her just as much the second time.
As for hating Emily—no matter how hard she tried, hate was hate.
If his daddy ever did marry this woman, he would run away from home. He'd rather not have this daddy at all.
But his daddy wouldn't abandon him for this woman.
Knowing this gave Liam confidence to act boldly, using Alexander's love for him to exclude Emily.
Emily refused to give up, but she realized that fighting with this child would only make things worse.
Leave first.
Then figure out another way.
Emily said sadly, "Alexander, you once promised you'd take good care of me. I don't want titles or expect anything from you—don't I even have the right to stay by your side anymore?" With that, she gently wiped tears from the corner of her eyes and turned to leave.
Max narrowed his eyes.
Did she think he couldn't see through her guilt-trip tactics?
Even after Emily had walked away, Liam maintained his defensive posture. Max walked over and said, "She's gone. You don't need to be afraid anymore."
He thought Liam was frightened of Emily.
Only then did Liam's tense body gradually relax.
Just as Emily left, a nurse came in pushing a cart. "I'll give Ms. Foster a pain injection and see how it works."
She then gave Grace an injection for pain relief.
Liam felt heartbroken. He was most afraid of needles, so seeing that sharp needle pierce Grace's skin made him even more distressed.
He walked over and gently touched Grace's forehead. Seeing that she was covered in cold sweat, he immediately pulled out a clean handkerchief and carefully wiped away her perspiration.
Max watched, moved by the sight. Who would have thought this little guy knew how to take care of people so well?
After the injection, Grace's body trembled inexplicably, and she instinctively called out, "Alexander... Alexander..."
Her breathing became slightly more rapid, as if she were having a nightmare. "Save... save Liam... save Max..."