Chapter 101: What’s the Rush?

"Let’s go." Hayden Grant had been managing to keep his cool, but the moment he thought of Samuel Ford, his mind flooded with uncertainties.

He couldn’t take any risks; he had to go. "Jean, you go get changed too. We’re going to find your mom together."

Jean Vance hadn’t expected him to come along. Seeing Hayden’s determined expression, he knew he couldn’t be talked out of it. Jean frowned, and since he couldn’t stop him, he feigned nonchalance and nodded. "I’m going to the restroom."

"Okay, go ahead." Hayden didn’t think much of it and gave him a casual wave.

Jean took his phone into the bathroom and made a call. "Hello, it’s me..."

Hayden Grant, with the child in tow, stormed all the way to Amanda Vance’s apartment. His face was grim the entire journey, and his expression didn’t soften in the slightest, even as he knocked on the door.

Amanda Vance had been waiting on the sofa ever since she knew they were coming. Hearing the noise, she immediately went to open the door. When she saw his shifty eyes darting around the room, she kicked him lightly on the leg in annoyance. "What are you looking at?"

"Where is he?" Hayden looked around for a while but couldn’t find any trace of Samuel Ford. Puzzled, he turned back to Amanda and asked.

"He left," Amanda replied simply. She looked down at Jean and stroked his little cheek. Autumn had already begun, and it was a bit chilly at night. "Are you cold?"

Jean shook his head.

She squeezed his hand. "Come on in."

"Okay." As Jean changed his shoes in the entryway, his eyes flickered when he saw a pair of men’s slippers placed neatly to the side.

’It seems that man really did leave.’

Hayden saw them too. He picked them up and tossed them into a cabinet, then turned to Amanda. "Megan, you don’t have a place to live? You should have said so earlier. I would’ve just bought you a condo."

"It’s not like I don’t have my own money." Amanda brought over two glasses of water. Hearing his comment, she gave him a light glare. "What are you doing here?"

"Tsk tsk." Hayden clutched his chest, a look of despair and hurt on his face. "Megan, have you fallen out of love with me? Just listen to your tone. It’s so hurtful."

As he spoke, he dramatically pretended to wipe away a tear and started to lean toward Amanda.

Halfway down, his head was suddenly stopped by a small hand.

Jean slowly pushed his head back upright and said flatly, "Uncle, sit properly."

Hayden froze, staring into the child’s calm eyes, and was taken aback again. It took him a long moment to snap out of it. He muttered, ’What the hell,’ wondering why he suddenly felt the boy looked so much like that Samuel Ford guy.

’Probably because I can’t stop thinking about him.’

Shaking his head, Hayden cast aside those messy thoughts. He crossed his legs and reached out to pinch Jean’s cheek. "You little brat, I haven’t even asked you yet. How come you seem to have a whole new personality this time I’m seeing you?"

Jean shot him a glance but didn’t answer. He sat snugly next to Amanda, holding his water glass with both hands. His eyelids were lowered, and from the side, you could clearly see his long, straight eyelashes. He looked incredibly well-behaved.

Hayden stared for a good while before clicking his tongue again. ’This kid really knows how to act differently for different people,’ he thought. ’He’s such a good little boy in front of Megan, but I’ve never seen him act like this with me.’

"Why did Samuel Ford suddenly leave? Where did he go?"

"Home. I heard his son wanted to see him."

Hearing this, Hayden let out a scoff. "He and his son are like oil and water. The kid wants to see him? I bet he’s just trying to cause trouble for him."

He felt a hint of schadenfreude at the thought.

Amanda guessed it was probably something like that, but she felt that besides just being a prank, there was likely some genuine feeling behind it too.

Jean listened to their conversation and put down his glass. "Mom, I’m finished."

"Want some more?"

"No, thank you."

Since they were already here, Amanda wasn’t going to send them away so late at night. She would sleep with Jean, and Hayden would take the room the boy had been using.

Being in someone else’s home was, after all, a bit inconvenient. Amanda felt that she really should buy her own place.

Hayden had come here in the first place to keep an eye on Samuel Ford and prevent him and Amanda from getting too close. Now that he was gone, nothing could be better. So he had no objections to her arrangements.

Seeing him like this, Amanda shook her head helplessly. ’He’ll never grow up.’

Jean didn’t say much throughout the whole ordeal, sticking obediently by her side. His phone buzzed, and he picked it up, glanced at it, then silenced it without paying it any more attention.

Meanwhile, Felix Ford stared at the "read" receipt on the message he’d sent, to which he’d received no reply. He puffed out his cheeks in a huff. ’That Jean Vance,’ he fumed silently, ’he always uses me and then ignores me. He’s the worst!’

"What’s wrong?" Samuel Ford had rushed back as fast as he could. He was still catching his breath when he opened the door and saw Felix Ford sitting cross-legged on the bed, completely unharmed. His eyes darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Didn’t you say your stomach hurt?"

Seeing him return, Felix hurriedly hid his phone behind his back, lifting his little bottom to tuck it underneath him. His eyes darted away for a second before he said defiantly, "Yeah, it did. But then I went to the bathroom and now it doesn’t hurt anymore. Is that not allowed?"

Samuel glanced at him, breathing an internal sigh of relief. Seeing his son’s guilty expression, his gaze drifted downward. "Who were you just messaging?"

At this question, Felix immediately became defensive. "None of your business."

Narrowing his eyes, Samuel’s voice dropped even lower. "Felix Ford, say that again."

Seeing that he was genuinely angry, Felix swallowed hard. He opened his mouth, but ultimately didn’t dare to repeat himself. He shuffled backward, shielding the phone more securely, and mumbled, "I was just playing a game. I wasn’t messaging anyone."

"Then what are you hiding?"

"Who’s hiding anything?" Felix muttered under his breath. "Dad, why are you back? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming back?"

"Are you asking me?"

’Oh, right. I was the one who called him back.’

’No, that’s not right. To be precise, Jean was the one who told me to call Dad back.’ At this thought, he pouted again. ’If Dad hadn’t suddenly run off to the hospital today, I’d be listening to Mom read a story right now.’

Thinking this, he shot his father a resentful look.

’Dad is such a dead weight, getting in the way of me and Mom being together.’

’So annoying.’

Samuel Ford frowned, stepped forward, and touched his forehead. "Are you an idiot?"

"You’re the idiot," Felix retorted instinctively, glaring at him. He impatiently swatted his father’s hand away and urged, "Dad, just go back to work. Are you done with all your work? What are you doing hanging around my room all the time?"

With that, he jumped off the bed and started pushing him out with his small hands.

"What’s the rush?" Samuel suddenly sidestepped him. "I’m just grabbing something."

"Then be quick about it."

’Is he really that eager for me to leave?’

Samuel’s expression darkened. He casually picked something up from the desk and was about to turn and leave when he suddenly heard a phone ringing.

He paused, looked down at the phone by his feet, and bent over to pick it up.

Felix’s eyes narrowed. Seeing the "1" notification pop up on the screen, his own eyelid twitched. "Don’t pick it up!" he cried out in panic.