Chapter 204 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
"Don't look into this matter anymore. It's not important," Alexander said. "What matters is that once we remarry, you'll be Liam's mother."
Grace noticed something odd in Alexander's expression, but she didn't press him about it.
She couldn't shake the feeling that he was avoiding this topic. He seemed to be deliberately evading any discussion about Liam's background.
But that hadn't been his stance before. Where he was once determined to uncover Liam's origins, his sudden dismissal of the matter as "not important" felt jarringly abrupt.
Since he clearly had no interest in investigating Liam's background, she had even less of a reason to interfere.
"Regardless," Grace said, "I want to take Lily to see a therapist. You must know some excellent psychologists, right?"
She remembered Alexander had found a therapist for Liam before. Anyone he could arrange would certainly be highly qualified.
"I'll schedule an appointment for tomorrow and call you with the details," Alexander replied.
"Thank you." Grace said as she left the study. Alexander stared at the slip of paper in his hand, his brow furrowing. He crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the wastebasket.
The next day, Grace rose early. After Alexander finished breakfast and scheduled the therapy appointment, he rushed off to the office.
He was clearly swamped with work, as he left for work early and returned at odd hours every day.
Once the three children were up and had eaten breakfast, Grace prepared to take them out. Alexander had booked the appointment for 2 PM, so she planned to spend the morning shopping for clothes for Lily, and perhaps get a few things for Liam and Max as well.
Max, however, had no interest in shopping. He wanted to stay home to monitor the stock market, which had been volatile recently.
Watching how secretive he was about his activities made her uneasy about leaving him alone. But Max assured her, "Mom, don't worry. I'll be perfectly well-behaved at home."
"Alright."
Grace felt reassured. After all, Max was accustomed to staying home alone.
After giving Max a few instructions, she left the house holding both Liam and Lily's hands.
At Emerald Plaza shopping center, Grace bought Lily several beautiful new outfits—cute princess dresses in soft pastels and elegant ensembles for little girls. Lily was naturally beautiful with bright, sparkling eyes. Though thin, she was like a little model who looked good in everything.
This was Lily's first time wearing such nice clothes, and she felt like she was living in a dream.
She was incredibly well-behaved—no crying or fussing. Whatever Grace selected for her to try on, she would quietly take into the dressing room, change, and emerge to show Grace how it looked.
Her docility made Grace wonder what kind of mistreatment Lily had endured at the orphanage. Such perfect behavior suggested she was desperately trying to please Grace, terrified of being sent back.
Sometimes Grace wished Lily could be her biological daughter. It wasn't that she favored one gender over another, she simply longed for a daughter she could dress up like a little princess. She envied those influencer mothers online who styled elaborate hairdos for their daughters each day.
If only she could adopt Lily.
She didn't care about blood relations. Lily's sweetness was heartbreaking, inspiring both pity and affection. Perhaps Grace saw her own childhood reflected in Lily, remembering how she too had been alone and vulnerable, surviving under cold stares. Maybe those childhood wounds were projected onto Lily, making Grace want to heal through the little girl what had been broken in her own past.
But Alexander had promised to find Lily a good adoptive family.
Though Grace felt regret, she knew that if they could truly find a loving home with good conditions, it would be best for Lily.
After shopping, Lily wore her pretty new princess dress as Grace took her and Liam to a restaurant for lunch.
At the steakhouse, Grace ordered a steak for Lily, along with pasta and dessert. The portions weren't large, and she could see Lily had a healthy appetite and could eat quite a bit. Given how thin she was, she needed to eat more nutritious meals.
When the medium-rare steak arrived, Lily stared at it longingly but seemed at a complete loss.
Clearly, this perfectly cooked steak was like a puzzle to her. She'd never eaten or even seen one before.
Understanding that Lily had no experience with steak, Grace cut it for her and demonstrated how to use the fork.
Lily quickly caught on and began devouring the meat.
Liam had just finished tucking his napkin when Lily had already consumed half her steak.
He stared in amazement. "Lily, you can really eat!"
Being called out made the little girl blush with embarrassment.
Grace laughed. "A good appetite is a blessing. Aren't you quite the little foodie yourself, Liam?"
Liam looked at his greasy steak with little enthusiasm. "But this steak isn't half as good as Max's cooking."
Since discovering Max's culinary talents, his palate had become much more discerning.
"Liam, even if you're not hungry, you should eat something or you'll be starving later," Grace advised.
Liam obediently began cutting his steak while Lily watched his technique and mimicked his movements.
She was quite clever and quickly mastered the art of using cutlery.
Looking at Lily, Grace asked gently, "Would it be okay if we visit a doctor this afternoon?"
"I'm not sick," the Lily replied.
"It's just a check-up to make sure you're healthy. You just need to cooperate with the doctor, okay?"
"Will the doctor give me shots?" she asked nervously.
Grace shook her head. "No shots. The doctor is very gentle, she won't give you any injections."
Only then did Lily relax with relief.
At 2 PM, Grace arrived at the psychology clinic with Lily and Liam.
Dr. Susan Parker was a renowned specialist in childhood psychological issues and had been Liam's therapist.
Despite being a celebrated psychologist with a doctorate in child psychology, she'd struggled with Liam's case for years, finding him challenging and unresponsive.
Now, seeing Liam looking brighter and more cheerful than before, and actually willing to speak, Dr. Parker was genuinely surprised.
Liam, however, wasn't particularly fond of Dr. Parker. Though she was gentle and endlessly patient with his issues, he remained resistant to the tedious and boring therapy sessions.
In the consultation room, Susan warmly welcomed Grace. Grace took Lily's hand and introduced her to the doctor: "Dr. Parker, this is Lily."
She deliberately avoided mentioning Lily's specific issues in front of the child. Though not a psychologist herself, Grace knew better than to discuss a child's psychological problems in their presence, as it could lead to harmful self-perception.