Chapter 152: Jean Knows Too?

The pair played for over an hour. When it grew dark, Amanda Vance worried the boy might catch a cold in the breeze, so she took him back inside.

Felix Ford had his fill of fun and was now nestled lazily in Amanda Vance’s arms, chattering from time to time about the plot of a cartoon. His soft, gentle voice was a constant murmur by her ear.

Amanda patiently answered his every question, her arm wrapped around him. His small body was incredibly soft and had a sweet, milky scent. Just holding him was enough to make her heart melt.

Holding him, Amanda’s heart felt incredibly tender.

"Oh, right." Felix Ford suddenly remembered something. He grabbed the fruit platter from the table, which held several peeled oranges. He presented it to her with both hands and said, "For you, Mom."

Amanda looked at the orange segments on the plate, stunned for a moment. "Did you peel these?"

"Yup."

She took his hand and saw the yellow stains from the orange peels still in the creases of his fingers. Looking at the boy’s fair, tender face, she lifted him back into her arms. "Let’s eat them together."

"Okay, okay!" Felix Ford couldn’t have been happier. He first picked up an orange with his small hand and gave it to her. Only after seeing her take a bite did he begin to eat one himself.

The oranges were small, and the two of them finished quickly.

"Do you want another one, Mom? I can peel it for you," Felix Ford asked expectantly.

"No, thank you. It’s not good for you to eat too many at once. We can have more tomorrow."

"Okay then." Although he hadn’t had his fill, he didn’t make a fuss and was incredibly well-behaved.

A little while later, sleepiness began to wash over him. Felix Ford rubbed his eyes and said, "Mom, I’m sleepy. I’m going to go to bed now, okay?"

"Okay."

He yawned and started walking away. But after just two steps, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned back in surprise, tilting his head at her. "Mom?"

"Yes. Can you sleep with me tonight?"

Hearing this, Felix was overjoyed. "Of course!"

He had always wanted to sleep with his mom, but she’d told him he was a big boy now and had to sleep on his own. Now that she was the one asking, he was more than willing.

"But... how come you want to sleep with me tonight, Mom?"

Amanda stroked his small head, her eyes filled with a warm smile. "The forecast said it’s going to rain tonight, and I’m scared of thunder. Can you protect me?"

’Oh, so that’s why.’

Felix puffed out his little chest. "Of course! No problem! You can count on me!"

He looked every bit the dependable little man.

Amanda smiled and led him upstairs.

As the weather grew colder, the mother and son snuggled together, warm and cozy.

Felix leaned against her, looking up every so often to ask, "Are you scared now, Mom?"

"I’m not scared."

"That’s good. Don’t be scared, Mom. I’m here." As he spoke, he wrapped his small arms around her and patted her back gently. "Go to sleep now, Mom," he said earnestly. "Once you’re asleep, you won’t be scared anymore."

Then he added, "But it’s okay if you are scared. You can hug me. I’m here with you. I’ll protect you."

Amanda’s heart warmed at his soft, sweet words, melting completely. She rested her chin on his forehead and nuzzled him gently. "Mm-hm."

’Mom seems especially clingy today.’

’It must be because she’s scared of the thunder.’ Felix didn’t overthink it. He was just glad that he was brave and wasn’t afraid of thunder. If he were scared too, it would be hard to protect his mom.

’So that’s why boys have to be a little braver.’

’Just like me,’ he thought. ’A real man, afraid of nothing, so I can protect the people I want to protect.’

He thought hazily, and the hand patting her back gradually came to a stop.

Amanda looked down at the peacefully sleeping child in her arms, her gaze fixed on his face, unwilling to look away.

’This child is just as I imagined,’ she thought. ’He looks exactly like Jean.’ But it was only a physical resemblance; their personalities and temperaments were vastly different.

’But they’re both just as adorable, and so caring. They just make your heart melt.’

She leaned down and kissed his forehead, her eyes filled with tenderness. Gently caressing his small hand, she thought of all the questions she wanted to ask him. How had he grown up all these years? Had his life been good? And how did he find her?

’And... whether or not he hates me.’

’I didn’t know he was alive. I didn’t even know he existed. I never raised him for a single day... Does he blame me?’

’I really can’t be called a responsible mother. I didn’t even know my own child had been taken away.’

At this thought, her gaze darkened.

’So, who was it that told me my child had died that day?’

"Mama," the child in her arms murmured in his sleep, nuzzling his head against her. His face was a picture of pure contentment.

Watching him, the dark aura around Amanda suddenly dissipated, and she hugged his small body tighter.

She subconsciously avoided the question of who his father was. ’It’s not important,’ she thought. ’I don’t care.’

’As long as my child is okay, that’s all that matters.’

’Right. If this child is with me, then what about Jean? Where did he go?’

As she carefully recalled the recent events, she realized that once she accepted the child in her arms wasn’t Jean, many things started to make sense.

’So, the two children were switched at the airport?’

’Was it intentional, or an accident?’

Tapping her fingertips together, Amanda took out her phone. She had a tracker installed for Jean’s location. But as she stared at the now-dark screen, her expression soured. A moment later, however, she felt a sense of relief.

’If Jean doesn’t want me to find him, then so be it. At least this proves he’s safe.’

’He seems to have returned a few times in the interim... so, did he know all along?’

Amanda narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.

「The Ford Family.」

"ACHOO—"

The sudden sneeze made the little boy on the bed shiver. He didn’t know why, but he had an ominous premonition.

’Why do I feel like I’m about to get beaten up?’

Jean Vance shook his head and continued typing on his laptop. As the data appeared on the screen, his expression turned dangerous.

’To think this so-called grandfather of mine could be so ruthless,’ he thought. ’And toward his own wife, no less.’

With a cold sneer, Jean clenched his fists, wishing he could storm the Vance residence right this second.

’How is a man like that fit to be a husband or a father?’

’Then again, he never was.’

’As a husband, he cheated time and time again—even while his wife was pregnant. Utterly despicable.’

’As a father, he only doted on Shirley Vance. Did he really not know about all the things she did? No, he was just turning a blind eye. He even tacitly approved of her bullying Mom. And when Mom grew up, he sold her out without a second thought for a bit of profit.’

’He destroyed Mom’s life, piece by piece.’

His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist, his eyes turning frigid. He couldn’t help but recall the file he had seen in Samuel Ford’s study.

’All of those crimes seemed secondary now. At least Mom is still alive.’

’But Grandma... she left this world forever.’

’And it was all thanks to the husband she gave up everything to be with!’

’How dare he!’