Chapter 14: Avenge Me

Shawn Ford was rather surprised to receive his call. "Colt? What made you think to call me? Are you calling to apologize for sassing me earlier today?"

’Apologize? Why the hell should I apologize to him?’

Seeing him try to turn the tables, Felix Ford got a little angry. "Shouldn’t you be the one apologizing to me, Uncle?" ’He and Grandma are always pestering Dad to get me a stepmom. They say they like me, but really, they just look down on me for not having a mother.’

’Hmph. Well, I have one now.’

’I’m done with them.’

’No wonder he was so cold to me today. I knew he was still mad.’ Feeling guilty, Shawn Ford decided not to argue back. "Fine, my mistake, your highness. So, why did you call?"

Felix Ford didn’t dwell on it, remembering he had business to discuss. "Uncle, aren’t you participating in a car race next week?"

"Yeah. I told your dad about it today, didn’t I? Weren’t you there?"

’I was not,’ Felix Ford thought. His uncle was acting weird today. Hearing a faint noise outside, he worried his mom might come looking for him. He couldn’t afford to waste time. "Uncle," he said quickly, "if you help me teach someone a lesson, I’ll forgive you."

At that, Shawn Ford sat up straight, his gaze turning cold. "Did someone bully you?"

’Who has a death wish, daring to bully my nephew? Do they think I don’t exist?’

’Bullying my mom is the same as bullying me,’ Felix Ford thought with a grunt. "I don’t know his full name, only that it has ’Yu’ in it. Oh, and he might be with a bad woman named Shirley Vance. If she’s there, deal with her, too."

’Another Vance? Seems like that name is just bad luck for me and my nephew.’ Shawn Ford agreed without hesitation. "Done. Don’t worry, I know what to do."

"Okay." Hearing footsteps approaching outside, Felix Ford quickly hung up.

Shawn Ford had wanted to say a couple more things, but he was met with the BEEP of a dial tone. He tsked. ’So heartless. Hangs up the second he gets what he wants.’

Amanda Vance walked to the door and knocked gently twice. "Jean, do you need Mommy to help you with your bath?"

"No, thanks, Mom! I can do it myself," Felix Ford called out, quickly shedding his clothes.

"Okay. I left your pajamas by the door for you. You forgot to grab them."

"Okay, thanks, Mom!"

Outside the door, Amanda Vance listened to the noises from within. Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, she turned and left.

She noticed a dress missing from the wardrobe and her lips curled into a smile.

In a room at the Vance family’s home, Shirley Vance stood before the mirror, holding the hem of her skirt. She gazed in satisfaction at her reflection. ’This dress is practically tailor-made for me. It fits my figure perfectly in every way.’

Sarah Sullivan watched from the side, full of praise. "So beautiful. This dress looks even better on my daughter, just as I thought. Wear this to the event, and you’ll definitely catch President Ford’s eye."

"Of course." Shirley Vance lifted her chin proudly. Then, a thought made her ask uneasily, "Mom, are you sure you can get invitations from the Ford family?"

"Don’t worry. I’ve been getting along wonderfully with Mrs. Young lately. She’s a relative of Madam Ford’s and promised me two invitations. She even let it slip that Madam Ford is hosting this banquet specifically to choose a daughter-in-law. You absolutely must be on your best behavior. If you can marry into the Ford family, what will Amanda Vance amount to? She won’t even be worthy of carrying your shoes."

Amanda Vance’s very existence was a thorn in their side, a constant reminder of how they had gotten into the Vance family in the first place.

The thought made Sarah Sullivan grind her teeth in anger. ’I knew Holly first. But just because Vivian Sullivan took a fancy to him, she used her status as the eldest daughter of the Sullivan family to force Holly to marry her. Hah! And what happened in the end? She still died a miserable death. Serves her right.’

Shirley also recalled the bitter days of her childhood, living on the outside with Sarah Sullivan. Back then, whenever Holly Vance came to see her, he had to do so in secret. She was sick of it. She was determined to stand openly before everyone. ’There has only ever been one true young lady of the Vance family—me!’

"However, that little heir of the Ford family is supposedly a real handful," Sarah Sullivan added. "He’s managed to drive away every woman Madam Ford has introduced so far." Her efforts to flatter Mrs. Young hadn’t been for nothing; at least she had gathered some intel on the Ford family. ’Know your enemy, know yourself.’ It would make it that much easier to appeal to President Ford’s tastes.

"It’s fine. He’s just a little brat." Shirley Vance wasn’t concerned. "I’ll just buy him some toys. Kids are easy to buy off."

Sarah Sullivan agreed. As long as her daughter could win over President Ford, what could one little child possibly do?

’It’s just like when I first joined the Vance family. Amanda Vance threw a fit, but what good did it do?’

The mother-daughter pair exchanged a look and broke into laughter, their eyes filled with the certainty of success.

After his bath, Felix Ford clumsily dried himself off with a towel that was bigger than he was. He cracked the door open, his small hand reaching out to grab the pajamas. Once changed, he finally walked out.

Amanda Vance was sitting on the bed, her fingers tapping away at her laptop. She looked up at the sound of his approach and smiled. "Go get a towel."

"Okay." Felix Ford didn’t know what she needed a towel for, but he didn’t ask. ’Whatever Mom tells me to do, I’ll do.’

With a bit of a huff and a puff, he retrieved a clean towel. He trotted over to the bed and presented it to her as if it were a treasure. "Mom."

Amanda Vance’s heart melted under her son’s soft gaze. She set her laptop aside, grabbed the remote to turn up the temperature a bit, and took the towel. But instead of using it on herself, she began to gently dry his hair.

He had run out without drying his hair, and it was still dripping wet.

Felix Ford froze for a second. Feeling the gentle touch on his head, he couldn’t help but break into a wide grin, his eyes squinting shut in comfort.

’Mom is so gentle. I like her so, so much.’

Once his hair was dry, he climbed onto the bed and snuggled into her arms. He glanced at the laptop and asked, "Are you busy with work, Mom?"

"Mhm. The new July collection is launching soon, and the proposal still needs a few adjustments."

"Oh." Felix Ford didn’t understand any of that, so he just leaned against her obediently. Even this felt like a treat.

It wasn’t long before Amanda Vance finished her work. She closed the laptop and saw that his eyelids were drooping shut, though he was fighting to stay awake. She stroked his head and had an idea. "How about Mommy reads you a story?"

"Okay!" Felix Ford immediately looked up at her, his eyes sparkling as if he had been waiting for her to say just that.

Amanda Vance chuckled, amused. She leaned down to kiss his forehead, then reached for a newly purchased book of fairy tales and opened it.

Her voice was gentle and warm, just like her kiss had felt on his forehead. A grin stretched across Felix Ford’s face. He found a comfortable spot in her arms and slowly closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, at the Ford family’s residence, Jean Vance came out of the shower and saw the familiar person already in bed. Feeling utterly despondent, he silently walked around to the other side, lay down on his side, and turned his back to the man.

He had no desire to hear any bedtime stories.

Really.