Seeing him remain silent, Samantha felt embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry, I was just concerned about you and wanted to ask about your situation. If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay."
Elliot lowered his head and whispered, "I have never seen my mother, nor do I know who she is! I heard from my dad that she abandoned me after giving birth, and I was raised solely by my father."
Although his father treated him poorly, his father at least raised him.
If it weren't for his father, he wouldn't have encountered Charlotte now, nor would he have felt warmth from her.
So, deep down, he was still grateful to his father.
As for his mother...
She seemed to be called Suzy Miller. He heard his father call her that last time.
Not sure if it's correct.
But if his mother didn't acknowledge him as her son, then he wouldn't force her.
He didn't like to impose.
Hearing his words, Samantha suddenly felt guilty.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! I told the kindergarten teacher that you'll be staying at my house for a while. If your father comes looking for you, I'll ask her to tell your father about this. Charlotte really likes you, and you'll have a companion! Of course, if you don't want to, I won't force you."
Upon hearing this, Elliot suddenly raised his head, and a glimmer of light shone in his usually dull eyes.
"I want to stay."
He wished he could stay by Charlotte's side every day.
He liked Charlotte.
Liked her a lot.
With his answer, Samantha smiled happily, "Then it's settled! It's getting late, so get some rest! You both have to go to kindergarten tomorrow!"
Elliot nodded vigorously.
Charlotte was also extremely happy, wrapping her arms around Elliot and hugging him like a teddy bear.
"Great, I can see you every day from now on! Ever since Alex returned to his dad, I've been so lonely, but now I finally have a companion."
Elliot lay still on the bed, stiff all over, letting Charlotte hold him.
Samantha lay on the floor, but she couldn't sleep, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
It seemed she had to go see Suzy tomorrow.
See if she could get anything out of Suzy.
If she could find Elliot's biological mother, that would be great. If she couldn't find her, then he would be pitiful. Suddenly turned into an orphan with no father or mother.
...
Bar.
VIP private room.
Ethan sat on the leather sofa, downing a glass of red wine.
Oliver sat beside him, looking at him with amusement, half-smiling, and said, "You rarely show yourself, and when you finally do, you're planning to keep drinking like this?"
Ethan remained silent and took another gulp of red wine.
Nick also drank silently, looking heavy-hearted.
Seeing both of them behaving in a similar manner, Oliver lazily leaned back on the sofa, swaying the red wine in his glass, and said with a smirk, "Why is there no movement on Jessica's death anniversary this year?"
In previous years, it was celebrated grandly.
The three brothers would go to the cemetery together to visit her, spending the whole day there.
But this year, there was no activity at all.
Not to mention Ethan's side, even Nick's side showed no activity.
His words made both Ethan and Nick pause in their drinking.
A sense of bewilderment flashed through Ethan's eyes.
Jessica's death anniversary?
He had completely forgotten about it.
Lately, all he could think about was Samantha.
He had been racking his brains on how to win her over, how to make her willingly stay by his side, completely forgetting about the anniversary that marked an important date for him.
Nick's expression turned sour, resembling someone suffering from constipation.
Jessica's death anniversary?
How could he forget?
On that day, he spent the whole day at the cemetery with Jessica.
The reason he didn't go with Ethan and Oliver as usual was that Ethan had already lost his love for Jessica, and he felt he had no right to visit Jessica anymore.
And as for Oliver!
His feelings for Jessica were never as deep as Ethan's and Nick's.
To him, Jessica was just a friend.
For a mere friend, there was indeed no need to visit every year.
Observing their expressions and actions, Oliver's eyes flickered with a hint of darkness.
He lightly patted Ethan's shoulder and chuckled, "As your bro, I'm happy for you that you're finally moving on from Jessica's death. But, I also feel sorry for you. With so many women in the world, all you have to do is wave your hand, and they'll come flocking to you. Why did you have to fall for Samantha and mess yourself up like this?"
Ethan gave him a glare.
Although he resented Samantha's cold-heartedness, his heart was also filled with guilt towards Jessica.
"Shall we go visit Jessica tomorrow?"
Nick sneered, "Do you still have the right to visit Jessica?"
A man who had changed his heart, what right did he have to visit Jessica?
If he went, it would only make Jessica sad.
Ethan's face darkened suddenly, showing displeasure.
Oliver shot him a glance, reproaching, "Nick, you're going too far! Jessica has been dead for five years. You should all start new lives. You can't keep trapping yourselves in her death. Are you planning to live as lonely widowers for the rest of your lives just for a dead person?"
Nick drank silently, not saying anything more.
...
At night, Ethan stumbled back home, clearly drunk.
As he returned to his room, Alex and Noah, who had been awake, heard the commotion and quietly made their way to his room.
Upon entering, a strong smell of alcohol hit them.
Both of them frowned and tiptoed closer.
Alexander tentatively called out, "Daddy?"
Ethan remained unresponsive.
Alex called out two more times, but Ethan still didn't move.
Noah sighed, "Father seems to be drunk!"
Then, he skillfully fetched a wet towel from the bathroom and carefully wiped Ethan's cheeks. As he wiped, he said, "I rarely see Father drunk..."
Alex stood silently beside them, not saying anything.
Noah continued, "I know Father is drowning his sorrows because of Aunt Samantha. I can see how Father feels about her."
Still, Alex remained silent.
Noah sighed helplessly, "Since everything is settled, let's not force it anymore! Father is also feeling uncomfortable. After all, Aunt Samantha is not our biological mother!"
Tears quietly slid down his cheeks.
Alex tacitly agreed with Noah's words, silently climbed onto the bed, and snuggled into Ethan's embrace, tightly wrapping his little arms around his waist.
"Daddy, I'm sorry for being so stubborn before! I promise you, I won't throw tantrums anymore, and I won't make you angry anymore..."
The drunken Ethan seemed to hear his words, gently murmuring a 'yes' and tightening his arms around Alex.
Noah returned the towel to the bathroom and climbed onto the bed, hugging Ethan from behind.
The father and sons lay together for the first time.
***