Chapter 50 We're Divorced, Ex-Husband
Max asked Grace, "Mommy, why aren't you taking the same car as Alexander?"
Grace replied, "Max, how about we take the subway together?"
Max was perceptive. Seeing the unnatural expression on Grace's face, he immediately knew she and Alexander had another disagreement.
He smiled, his face lighting up with a brilliant, radiant grin. "Sounds great!" He took Grace's hand.
When the other children heard that Max was taking the subway home, they were utterly shocked. "Max's family doesn't even have a chauffeur or nanny?"
"My mom says only poor people take the subway. Is Max's family really poor?"
"Taking the subway sounds so... shabby!"
Max turned around with an elegant smile. "Have any of you ever ridden the subway?"
The children all looked puzzled and confused.
Max said, "The subway I ride costs tens of millions of dollars per train car! You've never even been on a subway—riding the subway is actually really fun!"
With that, he took Grace's hand. "Mommy, let's go!"
There was something resilient about him, an elegant indifference to others' stares, an fearlessness in the face of any contempt.
Max actually knew that at Windsor Academy, where the average family car cost millions, taking the subway was indeed considered quite shabby.
But he never cared about others' strange looks.
He only knew that as long as he was with Mommy, even riding the subway was a joyful experience.
Grace smiled and ruffled his hair, leading him toward the subway station.
The other children looked surprised.
A subway car costs tens of millions of dollars?
Max was so impressive!
Since none of them had ever ridden the subway, they could hardly imagine what it was like. Filled with curiosity, some children even began to think their families' million-dollar luxury cars seemed shabby in comparison.
"Mommy, I want to ride the subway!"
"Daddy, I want to ride the subway too!"
Sitting in the car, Liam watched Grace and Max walk toward the subway station. His eyes widened with hurt and grievance.
He had thought Grace was waiting in the car for him, but instead she picked up Max and left.
Liam suddenly glared at Alexander with sad resentment.
Alexander must have made Grace angry again, which was why Grace wasn't coming home with them.
The chauffeur said to Alexander, "Mr. Hayes, Ms. Foster has left."
Alexander's expression darkened.
He had originally thought that for Max's sake, Grace would get in the car. He hadn't expected her to be so stubborn.
Alexander said coldly, "Drive!"
Hearing they were about to leave, Liam tried to open the car door to get out. Alexander pulled him back into his arms. "Where do you think you're going?"
Liam pushed against him.
Alexander said, "No!" He knew Liam wanted to chase after Grace again. "Daddy came to pick up Liam from school. Isn't Liam happy?"
Liam crossed his arms and glared at him.
Alexander said helplessly, "Grace and Max are taking the subway home."
But Liam wouldn't listen, his expression seeming to say he wanted to take the subway home with Grace.
Alexander said, "Liam, behave yourself and don't make Daddy angry!" He settled Liam on his lap and told the chauffeur, "Drive!"
"Yes, sir."
On the subway.
Grace bought subway tickets and waited on the platform for the train.
Max asked, "Mommy, did you have another fight with him?"
Grace replied, "No, sweetheart."
She didn't want to tell Max about Alexander planting a listening device on her. "Max, Mommy's in a great mood today. I passed my interview, and the new company offered me a $500,000 annual salary."
"Wow!" Max's eyes widened with amazement, seeming to sparkle with little stars. "Mommy's so amazing! $500,000 a year! Max wants to eat something delicious!"
Grace said, "Silly boy, even if Mommy hadn't passed the interview, whatever Max wants to eat, Mommy will take you to eat it."
Max said excitedly, "Max wants to go to the food truck district!"
Global Gourmet Street was Grace and Max's secret hideaway, a place that brought together cuisine from around the world. Max especially loved going there.
Grace said, "Alright!"
"Yay!"
Max's favorite treats at the food market were grilled meat skewers and lemon sparkling water. Even though he could make the exact same things taste even better, he especially enjoyed holding Mommy's hand and savoring down-to-earth food among the crowds at the night market.
They browsed around Global Gourmet Street for a while when Grace's phone suddenly rang.
Grace pulled out her phone and saw it was Alexander calling. Without thinking, she hung up.
The ringtone persistently started again.
Grace couldn't stand it anymore and answered. "Hello?"
Alexander said, "Grace, how dare you hang up on me?"
He seemed quite agitated.
Grace replied with exasperation, "What do you want?"
Alexander demanded, "When are you coming home?"
His tone was like a husband questioning a wife who wouldn't come home.
Grace found it ridiculous. "Why? Mr. Hayes, why are you so angry? Do I have any obligation to come home on time?"
Alexander said, "You promised you would take good care of Liam. It's so late and you're not home yet. Liam thinks something happened to you, or that you ran away from home. He's refusing to eat."
Grace replied, "He's your son. Can't you comfort him yourself?"
Alexander said, "You..."
Grace said, "Mr. Hayes, weren't you worried about me, afraid I'd mistreat Liam, so you planted a listening device on me?"
The man was left speechless by her words. "You're still holding a grudge over that?"
Grace said mockingly, "Shouldn't I be angry? Today you installed a listening device, tomorrow what if you hire private investigators to follow me? I'm not even your wife, and even if I were your wife, you'd have no right to monitor my private life! Besides, we're already divorced, ex-husband!"
With that, Grace hung up.
Max heard Grace arguing with Alexander on the phone but pretended not to notice.
It seemed like Grace wasn't the one being wronged this time.
He took a bite of his large meat skewer and chewed elegantly and slowly.
Grace asked gently, "Max, did you get along well with your classmates at school today?"
Max nodded. "They all really like me."
Grace said proudly, "That's my son for you!"
Max said, "Mommy, I want to bring a grilled skewer for Liam."
Liam didn't have a big appetite, so one skewer would be enough for him.
This delicious meat skewer was something Max wanted to share with Liam.
"Of course." Grace went to stand in line.
Max looked thoughtfully at Grace's back as he took another bite of his skewer. He could sense that after that phone call, Mommy was somewhat unhappy and forcing herself to smile.
He needed to properly teach that man a lesson!
Max pulled out his phone, logged into the hacker network, retrieved his latest developed virus, and sent it to Alexander's IP terminal.
At the restaurant.
Alexander was painstakingly trying to coax Liam into eating when the housekeeper suddenly hurried over. "Mr. Hayes, I was just tidying your study when I noticed your computer seems to have malfunctioned."