Ethan dodged in a panic: “Uncle, my leg is fine now.”
Geoffrey just looked at him.
Maureen noticed the tension between the two and hurried over: “Sorry, Ethan didn’t mean it. Do you want to change your clothes first?”
Geoffrey couldn’t really bring himself to argue with a little kid.
“Hmm.”
As soon as he left, Maureen immediately asked Ethan.
“Is it bone pain again?”
One of the symptoms of leukemia is bone pain.
Ethan shook his head: “No, it was just a cramp.”
After saying that, he reached out and hugged Maureen.
“Mommy, I haven’t seen you for so long, I miss you so much.”
“Mommy misses you too, I’m sorry it took so long to come see you.”
Maureen felt especially upset.
Ethan looked around and, seeing no one, pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket: “Mommy, I drew this when I missed you.”
Maureen took it and unfolded it to find a cartoon sketch of the Private Country Estate, complete with her own figure…
She could hardly believe her eyes. Though crudely drawn, every corner of the estate was meticulously depicted.
Ethan leaned against her: “Mommy, when I got bored, the nanny would take me walking. I drew all my favorite spots to show you.”
0.00%
15:16
Chapter153
288 ¡Vouchers
“You’ve helped Mommy tremendously, sweetheart.
With this sketch–more accurately, this map–her confidence to secretly whisk Ethan away grew another ten percent.
Ethan pointed at the drawing, telling Maureen: “Mommy, look! Kitty here… and here…”
Kitty… meaning surveillance cameras.
Maureen stared in disbelief at the child in her arms: “Ethan, how did you know to mark these?”
Ethan blinked his big watery eyes, answering innocently:
“My teacher taught me before. I learned it all, see? I’m clever!”
Maureen’s doubts dissolved. After all, Ethan was just a four–year–old–how could he comprehend map–making?
Jacob might’ve grasped such concepts, but Ethan was just an ordinary kid like her. Perhaps he’d stumbled upon it.
“Mhm. my Ethan’s the smartest.”
Maureen secretly hid Ethan’s drawings.
The Private Country Estate was vast–exploring it thoroughly would take at least two days, and hidden cameras might still go unnoticed.
Geoffrey descended in fresh casual wear, his tall frame casting a shadow. His dark eyes reflected the scene of mother and son playing on the carpet.
A picture of serenity, yet it left a bitter aftertaste.
Ethan spotted him and waved eagerly. “Uncle! Wanna join us?”
Just kicking that deadbeat dad earlier hadn’t felt satisfying enough.
Maureen wanted to stop Ethan, fearing more contact between him and Geoffrey might reveal
their blood ties.
After all, biology doesn’t lie.
Too late. Geoffrey was already striding toward them. “What’re we playing?”
24.32%
15:16
Chapter153
1288 Vouchers
Ethan’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Let’s play house!
You be Dad, Mommy’s Mom, and I’m your kid?”
Maureen’s face instantly paled.
Geoffrey froze.
Since when did boys play house?
Wasn’t that for girls?
“Uncle, you’re not thinking I’m getting the better deal, right?
My daddy’s loaded. You’re scoring big here.”
Ethan pouted, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
“Ethan, don’t make things hard for uncle…”
Maureen hadn’t finished speaking when Geoffrey cut her off: “Fine, I’ll be your daddy.”
Seeing him agree, Ethan instantly wrapped around his leg, snot and tears smearing on his freshly changed pants: “Waaah! Daddy, Ethan missed you so much! Missed you so much it hurts!”
Geoffrey instinctively wanted to push him away, but that single word “daddy” inexplicably dissolved his anger.
Watching Ethan cling to Geoffrey while calling him daddy, Maureen felt her throat tighten.
She knew her children never voiced their longing for a father, yet secretly craved one desperately.
If only Ethan knew the man he hugged was his real father…
But she didn’t dare–dared not tell Geoffrey….
Maureen clenched her palm, fingernails digging deep into her flesh.
After crying awhile, Ethan blinked his big teary eyes at Geoffrey: “Daddy, why did Mommy and me out?
you
kick
54.88%
15:16
Chapter153
1288 iVouchers
Do you know how hard our life’s been?”
Before Geoffrey could answer, he whimpered pitifully:
“Is that vixen really so wonderful?
Worth abandoning your wife and children?”
If not for knowing Ethan was playing house, Maureen might’ve thought he’d uncovered the truth.
Geoffrey really didn’t know where this little guy learned these things. Could it be from TV dramas?
He could only reply perfunctorily: “Silly, how could Daddy abandon you and Mommy?
It’s all a misunderstanding.”
Facing Ethan, Geoffrey was exceptionally gentle and patient, really playing house with him.
Ethan instantly brightened up: “Great! I knew Daddy wouldn’t abandon your good son and your good wife.”
After saying that, he hugged Geoffrey’s thigh again.
“Daddy, since Mom and I have come home now, shouldn’t you do something to show it?”
Geoffrey was a bit confused.
Maureen was also confused. She asked: “Ethan, what kind of gesture do you want?”