The next day, Ethan woke up with a pounding headache, a classic hangover feeling like his head was about to explode. Leaning against the bedpost, he closed his eyes and wearily pinched the bridge of his nose.
At that moment, the door creaked open, and in popped Alexander's little head, sweetly smiling at Ethan, "Daddy, are you awake?"
Ethan opened his eyes, spotted Alexander, and his gaze softened unconsciously. He couldn't help but wave to him.
Alexander strolled in with a cup of tea, "Daddy, I heard from the butler that you got drunk last night. So, I specially made this tea for you. Drink it quickly, and your head won't hurt anymore."
Whenever Mommy came back from a night out, he would prepare peppermint tea in advance at home.
Surprised, Ethan looked at him, "Since when did you know how to make tea?"
Alexander pursed his lips and smiled, his eyes bright, "For Daddy, I learned it on purpose."
Ethan's heart suddenly warmed, softening like never before. He took the tea, regardless of its taste, and drank it all in one gulp.
After the empty glass was placed on the bedside table, Alexander hopped onto the bed and considerately massaged Ethan's temples.
In the past, he used to do this for Mommy. For the first time being served by his son, Ethan enjoyed it and closed his eyes. Surprisingly, it felt quite comfortable, just the right amount of pressure.
After a while, Ethan felt much better. Alexander then prepared a bath for him. When he came out of the bathroom, Alexander was no longer in the room. Ethan, still drying his hair with a towel, picked up his phone to check. There were only a few WhatsApp messages from Samantha.
Feeling a bit hesitant, he clicked on the chat. [Are you in a bad mood today? ... I like you.]
Reading these messages, Ethan's heart, which had just frozen, cracked again, sending ripples through his deepest emotions.
Samantha said she missed him... And even confessed that she liked him... Faced with her deep confession, he not only didn't feel repulsed but also felt a trace of joy deep within. How did it come to this?
Ethan changed into fresh clothes and went downstairs. Alexander was already seated at the dining table, eagerly waiting for him to join for breakfast. Ethan scanned the room for the person he wanted to see, then sat at the table with a stern expression. He asked the butler, "Where is Samantha? Why didn't she come today?"
Taking a bite of his toast, Alexander, with a beaming smile, said, "Today is the weekend, and Miss Samantha is taking a break."
Hearing this, Ethan's expression didn't improve; it became even colder. He took a bite of the toast. Dry! He couldn't swallow it. The taste was nothing compared to what Samantha cooked. After struggling through two bites, he put it down with disdain.
Alexander looked at him puzzled, "Daddy, why aren't you eating? Is it not good?"
Ethan replied coldly, "Not hungry!"
Alexander didn't press the matter. While he did enjoy Mommy's cooking, he wasn't at the point where he couldn't eat anything else. When hungry, anything could be consumed.
After finishing breakfast, Alexander wiped his mouth clean, then asked with anticipation, "Daddy, today is the weekend, and you don't have to work, right? Can you accompany me to the amusement park? I really want to go."
Being confined at home for several days, he was about to go crazy. Despite his bad mood, Ethan initially wanted to refuse. However, seeing Alexander's eyes shining with excitement, he swallowed the refusal he was about to utter.
"Where do you want to go?"
With his agreement, Alexander jumped off the chair excitedly, took out his phone, and began planning the route. Ethan listened absentmindedly, his mind occasionally flashing images of Samantha.
Just as Alexander finished planning the route, they heard a commotion from outside the door. Soon, four people walked in. Two men and two women. An elderly man and woman in their sixties, well-preserved with only slight wrinkles on their faces. The woman wore a plain dress, still graceful, while the man wore a black suit, eyes sharp and imposing.
And there were two more people, a young man and a woman. Ellena was one of them, and Alexander immediately recognized her. The other person, around twenty years old, had a striking resemblance to both Ethan and Ellena. Alexander figured this had to be Kilian, the somewhat unreliable playboy uncle Noah had mentioned.
As the four of them came into view, Alexander took a guess at the elderly couple's identities. He tentatively called out, "Grandpa, Grandma..."
Upon hearing Alexander's voice, Anna's heart melted. She bent down, gently touched Alexander's little cheek, and asked with a soft tone, "Noah, it's been so long since you've seen Grandma. Do you miss Grandma?" Even though she knew she wouldn't get a response, she couldn't help but ask whenever she saw Noah. After all, he was her only grandson, and despite speaking less, he was incredibly clever and intelligent.
Alexander looked at Anna and Liam with curiosity, sensing a strange feeling in his heart. These were his grandparents—his real ones. Alongside Mommy and Charlotte, he now had brothers, Daddy, Aunt, and even grandparents and an uncle. It was a newfound familial warmth that he had never experienced before, creating a unique sensation in his heart.
As they observed him, he silently staring at them without speaking, they assumed he wouldn't bother with them.
Out of nowhere, Alexander wrapped her arms around Anna's neck and planted a lively kiss on her face, exclaiming with excitement, "Grandma, I missed you so much! I really like you..."
Anna was left completely dumbfounded, her body frozen in surprise, and her expression filled with disbelief. For a moment, she even wondered if the child in her arms had been swapped with someone else. After all, Noah never answered her questions, let alone gave her a kiss.
Liam, too, was taken aback but approached with a softened expression, smiling warmly. In a pleasing tone, he asked, "Noah, do you miss me? How about giving Grandpa a kiss too?"
Alexander, ever obedient, promptly planted a kiss on Liam's face.
Continuing the theatrics, Liam pulled out a black card from his pocket and handed it to Alexander, saying, "This is a gift from Grandpa, with no spending limit. Buy whatever you want, swipe Grandpa's card."
Alexander, never one to refuse such a generous offer, casually accepted the card, stuffing it into her pocket. Being the child of a wealthy person did have its perks – money that seemed endless.
Seeing the black card in her hands, Liam's smile added a few more wrinkles to the corners of his eyes. Kilian, witnessing both his parents getting kisses, eagerly joined in, "I want too, I want too..."
However, Alexander pushed him away with a disgusted look, saying, "I don't want it. You've kissed so many women; who knows if you've caught something. I don't want to be infected."
Kilian, looking hurt, said with grievance, "You've changed, become sharp and sarcastic, more and more like your dad."
Alexander, proudly tilting his chin, declared, "Of course, I am Daddy's son, naturally like Daddy."
Kilian, feigning a wounded heart, felt as if a thousand arrows had pierced him.
As they geared up for a joyful time, Ethan sat on the side like an outsider, lost in silence. Ellena noticed his preoccupied state, walked over, and hugged his arm, asking with concern, "What's wrong? Do you have something on your mind?" She sensed that the anniversary of Jessica's death was approaching, understanding that her brother must be in a somber mood because of this.
Ethan shook his head, maintaining his silence. Ellena, sensing her brother's distress, wanted to console him, but she understood that when it came to matters concerning Jessica, words were often unnecessary. Only her brother could find his way through the emotions.
Anna, not losing sight of the main reason for her visit, glanced around the room. Not finding the woman from the photo, she approached Ethan and said, "Ethan, your dad and I need to talk to you. Come to the study with us."
***