Carlos was fuming.
He was sure Sidney was Angela's kid. Seeing her care for Eddie but not Sidney made him think even less of her.
He stormed out.
Angela chased after him to the door.
"Carlos, when will you let me go?"
"Not until we know who Sidney really is," Carlos snapped, slamming the door behind him.
Angela sat on the bed, holding Eddie, letting out a sigh, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Eddie could see she had been distressed moments ago.
"Mom, what's wrong?" he gently rubbed her face with his small hand.
"Don't be afraid, Eddie will protect you!"
Angela asked, "Eddie, did uncle Carlos scare you?"
Eddie shook his head. "No, I'm not scared of Uncle Carlos."
"Really?" Angela asked again.
Eddie smiled, his eyes crescent-shaped. "Mom, why be scared of Uncle Carlos? Did he hurt you?"
Mom
Feeling guilty, Angela said, "Mom has something important, and I'm scared Uncle Carlos will take it."Mom
After hearing this, Eddie gently rubbed Angela's hair and said tenderly.
"Mom, don't be afraid, Eddie is here!"
For some reason, a smile from Eddie gave a sense of security.
Angela tenderly caressed Eddie's face, finally letting go of her lingering worries.
She had stayed up all night, worrying about Eddie. Now seeing him safe and sound, she finally relaxed, lying down with Eddie and falling asleep.
She slept until evening.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Ms. Parker, are you awake?"
Startled, Angela sat up.
Looking around, she saw Eddie sitting at the end of the bed, as if watching over her.
Feeling reassured, Angela replied, "I'm awake."
"Are you hungry? Dinner is ready in the kitchen, let's go downstairs and eat together."
Angela touched her stomach and asked Eddie, "Are you hungry, Eddie?"
Eddie nodded.
Smiling, Angela said, "Then let's go eat something, okay?"
Eddie nodded again.
Angela held Eddie's hand and walked to the door, opening it.
The Murphy family had four dining rooms.
There was a banquet hall, a grand dining room, a small dining room, and a servant's small dining room.
Angela and Eddie had their meal in the small dining room.
Eddie grumbled, "Who cooked these dishes? They're not as delicious as the ones I make." He seemed quite disdainful.
Angela explained, "The dishes prepared by The Murphy family's head chef should be good, but what we ate was meant for the servants, so the taste may not be up to par. Eddie, tomorrow I'll be able to take you home."
Carlos wouldn't treat her well as a guest. In his eyes now, she was probably just a "suspect" who had given birth to his child and abandoned it!
Eddie obediently nodded.
After dinner, Angela carried Eddie upstairs, but a servant approached them, sneering, "Do you really think you're a guest here? Wash your own dishes!"
Angela was taken aback.
The Murphy family had servants responsible for washing dishes, and even a dishwasher.
This servant was clearly trying to make things difficult for her.
The servant said, "Are you a lady? Do you still need someone to serve you? Quickly take the dirty dishes to wash."
Eddie frowned, feeling annoyed by the servant's attitude.
However, Angela believed in doing her own tasks, so she took the dishes they had used to the kitchen.
What's the big deal about washing a few dishes?
As soon as she entered the kitchen, the servant followed closely, pointing to a pile of dirty dishes.
"While you're at it, wash these too."
Angela couldn't bear it, even with her good temper.
"Why should I?"
The servant impatiently replied, "Why so many 'whys'?"
Angela angrily threw the dishes into the sink.
"I'm not washing them!"
Even if Carlos himself ordered her, she wouldn't do it.
"You!"
The servant rushed over, seeing the dishes shatter, and angrily exclaimed, "How dare you break these dishes! Do you know how expensive they are?"
"So what? If you have the guts, have Carlos come and claim compensation from me." Angela said angrily.
The servant said, "No wonder The Murphy family kicked you out in the first place! Could Mr. Murphy really fancy a woman like you?"
Ignoring the servant, Angela carried Eddie upstairs. She just wanted the paternity test to be done quickly, the truth to come out, so she could leave The Murphy Mansion and avoid being mistreated there!
At the staircase, Madison passed by with Sidney in her arms.
The two children, as if telepathic, turned their heads simultaneously and locked eyes for a moment.
Eddie furrowed his brows slightly, feeling a slight fluctuation in his heart for this child.
Sidney also stared at him, suddenly pointing with his finger, as if asking, who is this child?
Angela walked up to Sidney with Eddie in her arms, smiling as she said, "Sidney, hello! This is Eddie."
Both Sidney and Eddie were the same age, and despite the conflicts between the adults, she hoped Sidney and Eddie could become good friends.
Sidney looked at Eddie.
But Eddie suddenly said, "Why do you keep staring at me? It's very rude!"
Sidney pouted slightly, feeling wronged.
Madison, now furious, said, "This is the young master of The Murphy family. How dare you speak so rudely! Ms. Parker, how do you usually teach your son? He's so disrespectful!"
Angela retorted, "Where is my son disrespectful? He just wants to make friends with Sidney!"
Madison remarked, "I think your son is bullying our young master, who is seven and can't speak. Is he intellectually disabled?"
Angela also got angry.
"This adorable child is not intellectually disabled. He may not like to speak, but he is definitely not intellectually disabled!"
After all, Sidney was Carlos's son.
Carlos, a prodigy, would surely pass on his talent and intelligence to his son.
Sidney looked at Angela.
She said he just didn't like to speak, but he was definitely not intellectually disabled.
This beautiful woman was so gentle!
Suddenly, Sidney remembered a dream he had once had.
In the dream, he saw the gentle outline of a woman sitting by his bedside. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he somehow believed that this woman must be his Mom.
In a daze, Sidney looked at Angela and felt that this woman was so similar to the gentle woman in his dream.
Seeing Sidney staring at her, Angela smiled gently and approached Madison, saying to Sidney, "Your name is 'Sidney,' right?"
Sidney opened his eyes, neither speaking nor nodding, resembling a delicate doll.
Angela tentatively asked, "Sidney, may I hug you?"
Sidney instinctively shrank back, showing some wariness and reluctance in his eyes. There was a sense of unease in his eyes, a kind of loneliness that only a child could have, but Angela could also see a hidden sense of longing in his eyes.
Angela said, "Sidney, don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person."
Madison disdainfully pushed away Angela's hand, saying, "Don't touch Sidney with your dirty hands! Sidney doesn't like being touched by strangers!"
Just as Madison finished speaking, the child in her arms, under Angela's gentle approach, cautiously extended a hand.
Angela remained still.
Until that cute little hand gently touched her face.
Such a small child, using touch to perceive the world, to perceive unfamiliar things.
Touch can convey love and tenderness.
Slowly, Sidney's wariness towards Angela faded away, and he tentatively reached out a small hand towards her.
Oh my goodness! He was willing to be hugged by her!
Angela was touched, while Madison was shocked!