Chapter 170: Who’s Your Daddy?

Perhaps her voice was too gentle, for it instantly shattered Felix Ford’s brave facade. His lips trembled and he bit down hard on his lower lip. In the end, he couldn’t hold it in any longer and threw himself into her arms, bursting into a loud wail.

His cries were so loud it seemed they might bring the house down. He wept his heart out, as if he had lost his entire world.

The sorrow and reluctance in his sobs were heart-wrenching.

Amanda Vance’s heart tightened. She held him closer, pressing her cheek gently against his. Her hand stroked down his back, silently soothing his sudden emotional collapse.

After crying for a long time, Felix Ford’s voice grew hoarse. He finally quieted down, leaning against her and sobbing uncontrollably. For a fleeting moment, he even wanted to ask her outright if she wanted to keep him, but he didn’t dare, afraid he wouldn’t get the answer he longed for.

He had clearly agreed with Jean Vance that just spending a little time with their mother would be enough. But now that their separation was imminent, he realized just how greedy he was. He couldn’t bear to leave his mom. A few months together was nowhere near enough; he wanted to be with her forever.

"Mom," he called out, his voice terribly hoarse.

"Yes, I’m here," Amanda Vance said softly.

Hearing her voice, Felix Ford felt his anxiety begin to subside. He didn’t say anything more, just kept calling out "Mom" over and over. And each time he did, Amanda Vance would answer with immense patience.

Felix Ford kept calling for her, as if trying to say "Mom" enough times to last a lifetime, until Amanda Vance’s own voice started to choke with emotion.

"Yes, I’m here." After responding, she loosened her embrace slightly, cupping his small face in one hand and gently wiping away his tears with the other. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked suddenly.

At her words, Felix Ford looked stunned. His eyes flew wide as he stared at her in disbelief.

Amanda Vance gazed at him intently and repeated in a gentle voice, "Can you tell me your name? I still don’t know what you’re called."

’Mom is asking for my name?’ Felix Ford was too stunned to process it. After a long moment, he finally blinked, looked at her hesitantly, and asked in a daze, "Mom?"

Seeing him like this, Amanda Vance’s heart ached even more. "I’m sorry. It was me who lost you. I’m so sorry."

Her face was filled with guilt and self-blame, just like the look she had in her eyes every night she had watched him recently. This, however, was the first time she had shown these emotions in front of him.

Felix Ford looked at her and finally believed what Jean Vance had told him. It was true—his mother really did love him. She had remembered him all this time.

Pressing his lips together, he looked up at her and, instead of answering, asked a question of his own. "Did you give me a name, Mom?"

"Of course." After finding out she was pregnant with twins, she had prepared two of everything, including names.

"What was the name you chose for me?"

"Lance Vance."

"Lance Vance..." Felix Ford repeated the name. After a moment, he looked up at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "I like this name. From now on, can you call me Lance, Mom?"

The main reason was that he could finally share his mother’s surname. Heaven knew how envious he felt every time he thought about Jean having the Vance name. He wanted that, too.

"Okay." Amanda Vance let out a soft chuckle, not pressing him about his old name. "Then, Lance, can you tell me why you were crying?"

Hearing this question, Felix Ford tensed up, and his eyes welled with tears again. "Mom, after you find the Jade Pendant, are you going to leave? And... will I never see you again?"

’So that’s what this is about.’

After a moment of reflection, Amanda Vance figured out why he would say such a thing. The two boys were in contact, so he must have heard it from Jean.

"That was my plan before I returned to the country," Amanda Vance admitted. Seeing the light in his eyes instantly dim, she quickly changed her tune. "However, I also promised you that I would consider staying."

The light in Felix Ford’s eyes flared back to life. His little face was full of delighted surprise, and his voice danced with excitement as he pressed, "Really?"

"Mhm." Seeing him so happy, Amanda Vance couldn’t help but smile too. "Alternatively, if I do have to leave, would you be willing to come with me?"

"Yes! Of course!" Felix Ford joyfully threw his arms around her. "As long as I can be with you, Mom, I’ll go anywhere."

His words instantly melted Amanda Vance’s heart. Then, another thought occurred to her, and she frowned. "That family... they don’t treat you well?"

Otherwise, why would he show no hesitation at the thought of leaving them? At this thought, the air around Amanda Vance grew cold again.

Sensing her anger wasn’t directed at him, Felix Ford snuggled obediently into her embrace. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "They’re not bad to me, I guess. Grandpa and Grandma are very good to me, and Dad isn’t so bad either. He’s just always busy with work and never has time to play with me. Grandma says as long as he has his work, he’s fine, so it doesn’t matter if I’m there or not. I’d rather be with you, Mom."

’Jean said that Dad was the cause of most of Mom’s suffering. If Mom found out who Dad was, she would be furious and would never want to be with him.’

’So if I have to choose between them, I choose Mom.’

’Dad’s fine as long as he has his work, and he doesn’t play with me even when he’s not busy. So, Mom is definitely better.’

He had abandoned Samuel Ford without a second thought. His attitude caused Amanda Vance’s mind to paint a picture of his past life: a poor, pitiful child, neglected and bullied, with no one to protect him.

’If that weren’t the case, why would he be so willing to leave without any hesitation?’

’They must have treated him horribly.’

At this thought, her aura became even more frigid. She suddenly recalled his choice of words and frowned. "You mean you live with your father?"

"Yep." Knowing now that she wouldn’t abandon him, Felix Ford felt a wave of relief and leaned contentedly in her arms as he answered her questions.

"Your biological father?"

Hearing this, Felix Ford’s eyes darted about before he gave a vague reply. "I guess so."

’Good thing I didn’t tell her my old name,’ he thought. ’Mom’s so smart, she would have immediately figured out who Dad is.’

Amanda Vance didn’t guess who his father was, but she did sense that something was very wrong. ’That night, we were both wearing masks, and the room was pitch-black. I left in a hurry as soon as the drug wore off, so I have no idea who that man was. I assumed he didn’t know who I was, either. So why would my child, after being abducted, end up at his biological father’s home?’

’Even if it was supposedly an adoption, the coincidence is just too great.’

’Unfortunately, he was taken right after birth, before he could even open his eyes, let alone form any memories. He definitely doesn’t know who took him.’

’In all likelihood, the person who took him from the hospital is the same person who delivered him to that family.’

’And to be able to find that family with such precision... that means this person knows what happened that night.’

’But who could it possibly be? And what was their motive?’

She couldn’t make sense of it, but she had a strong feeling that this was far from simple. The person who abducted her child and faked his death could not have had good intentions.

’So, who were they trying to get revenge on?’

’Me? Or that man?’

Her eyes darkened. "Lance," Amanda Vance asked, "who is your father?"