Chapter 3: Going Home

Of course, Felix Ford didn’t know, but he couldn’t say that, so he just nodded.

Amanda Vance caressed his face. "Don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here. I’ll take you away from the Vance family soon."

If it weren’t for some unfinished business, she never would have brought her son to this disgusting place.

"Okay." Felix Ford looked up at her, seeming to sense her low spirits. After a moment’s thought, he reached out and gently patted the back of her hand. "Don’t be afraid, Mommy."

’I won’t let anyone bully her.’

Amanda Vance froze for a second. A smile slowly bloomed in her eyes, and the hostility that had surged up moments ago at the thought of the past instantly dissipated. "Yes. I’m not afraid."

She turned and, without further hesitation, headed for the door.

Outside, the Vance family’s butler had impatience written all over his face. He wiped his sweat and silently cursed what a pain this was. But when he saw a figure appear, he immediately schooled his features and walked over with a broad smile. "Miss Vance, you’re back."

Amanda Vance swept her gaze over him. "Mm."

Somewhat displeased by her coldness, Butler Morgan’s gaze darkened for a moment before he quickly concealed it. He looked down at the child whose hand she held, his smile deepening. "This must be the young master, I presume? So handsome. He takes after you, Miss Vance."

’Who else could I say he looks like? After all, none of us know who the kid’s father is. She probably doesn’t even know herself.’

At this thought, a flicker of mockery flashed in Butler Morgan’s eyes.

Felix Ford was short enough that the butler’s expression was in his direct line of sight. His small face immediately darkened. ’What a nasty old man!’

Amanda Vance’s gaze slowly fell upon him, so cold it was as if she weren’t looking at a living person. She suddenly spoke. "Butler Morgan, tell me, do you enjoy being Sarah Sullivan’s dog?"

Butler Morgan’s face stiffened. "Miss Vance, what is the meaning of this?"

Amanda Vance watched him with a taunting amusement. "So two-faced. It seems you’ve truly learned from your master."

’And if she’s the master, that makes him nothing but a slave.’

Butler Morgan gritted his teeth, the smile completely wiped from his face.

Amanda Vance shot him a look and pulled Felix Ford along. "Let’s go. We should hurry back. We wouldn’t want to keep *your* master waiting."

Butler Morgan suppressed his fury, glaring at Amanda Vance with a dark expression. ’We’ll see just how long you can keep up this arrogance.’

Amanda Vance stood beside the car and tapped her finger on a suitcase. The driver started to move toward it but stopped short at a single glance from her. Her eyes then shifted to Butler Morgan.

Butler Morgan forced a smile, stepped forward to place her suitcase in the trunk, and then turned back to face Amanda Vance respectfully. When he saw she still wasn’t getting in, he took a shallow, deep breath, opened the car door, and held his hand over the frame. "Miss Vance, Young Master, please get in."

Only then did Amanda Vance get into the car.

After the door closed, Butler Morgan’s expression turned ugly. ’Since becoming the butler for the Vance Family, who has ever dared to treat me this way? Amanda Vance... I’ll remember this.’

Glancing back at him, Amanda Vance scoffed inwardly. ’Is that all he’s got? He’s a far cry from my stepmother.’

Her fingers tapped lightly as she turned to gaze out the window at the familiar, yet foreign, scenery.

’In the blink of an eye, five years have passed since I left.’

’It’s time I took back what’s mine.’

Felix Ford glanced at her, clearly sensing her unhappiness. ’Thinking back on how Butler Morgan acted just now,’ he thought, ’it’s obvious he was deliberately trying to give Mom a hard time.’

’For him to dare treat Mom like that, someone must have put him up to it. And that person... is it one of Mom’s relatives?’

A moment later, his little hands clenched into fists. ’No matter who it is, I won’t let them bully my mom.’

’Anyone who dares to bully my mom will pay for it!’

* * *

「The Vance Estate.」

Sarah Sullivan kept glancing outside, muttering, "Why aren’t they back yet?" Looking somewhat exasperated, Holly Vance put down his book. "Didn’t Butler Morgan go to pick them up? They’ll be back shortly. Just sit down and rest."

"I’m just so eager to see Megan, that’s all. It’s been five years, and she hasn’t called home once. I worry about how she’s been managing all alone out there."

’It’s true,’ he thought. ’In five years, not a single phone call home.’

Holly Vance’s face grew cold. "Forget about her. I said it five years ago: as far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a daughter."

Sarah Sullivan lowered her gaze slightly, concealing the smile in her eyes. She gave him a gentle nudge. "Don’t say that," she chided.

As they were talking, they heard a noise outside. She quickly pulled him toward the entrance. When she saw who it was, her smile deepened. "Megan’s back."

Holly Vance was about to speak, but his face fell the moment he saw who she was holding by the hand. He roared, "Who told you to bring that bastard back here! Haven’t you caused enough disgrace? Won’t you be happy until you’ve driven me to my grave?!"

Amanda Vance’s eyes narrowed. "Did you really not expect this could happen when you sold me off all those years ago?"

Holly Vance choked on his words. He pointed a trembling finger at her, too furious to speak.

Sarah Sullivan quickly tried to smooth things over. "Megan, how can you say that? Your father is just worried about you. He’s afraid people will gossip. You’re a young woman, after all."

"Then you should keep your mouth shut. As long as you don’t say anything, no one else will."

Not expecting such a direct retort that showed her no deference whatsoever, Sarah Sullivan was left speechless. She could only look at Amanda with an aggrieved expression.

The sight of her act made Amanda feel sick. She simply took her son and walked past them into the house.

Her stepmother always put on a complete show. Amanda didn’t know if it was to prove to Holly Vance what a good mother she was, but she had even kept Amanda’s old room, which looked like it had just been cleaned.

’Then again,’ she thought, ’my room was just a small, forgotten corner with poor sunlight. Rose Vance probably wouldn’t have even glanced at it.’

She went to the desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a shattered picture frame. Her gaze darkened. ’So I really did overestimate that mother-daughter duo.’

Felix Ford peered over to get a look, then turned to her. "Mommy, is that Grandma?"

Hearing her son’s question, Amanda Vance’s expression softened. "Mm-hm."

She carefully removed the photo from the broken glass, gazed for a moment at the woman with the gentle smile, and then put it away.

"Jean, we’ll be staying here for a little while. As soon as we find what we’re looking for, we’ll leave. You need to be careful of everyone here, especially that woman from earlier. She’s an expert at sweet-talking people, so don’t be fooled by her fake kindness."

Felix Ford nodded. "I know, Mommy. I figured that out already. She’s a wicked old witch. Don’t worry, I won’t be fooled by her."

"And another thing—no matter what they say, you ignore it. You’re the person Mommy loves most in the world."

Felix Ford’s eyes darted slightly. He knew she was referring to when Holly Vance had called him a bastard. A flash of malice crossed his eyes at the memory of that word, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. "I won’t let it bother me, Mommy. As long as I know you love me most, that’s all that matters."

"Good boy."

Felix Ford’s room was next to Amanda’s. When Sarah Sullivan came by to fawn over them and put on a display of motherly affection, they both ignored her completely, treating her as if she were invisible. So incensed she could no longer maintain her disguise, Sarah finally just left in a huff.

"Mommy, the wicked witch left," Felix Ford whispered, tugging on the corner of Amanda’s sleeve.

"Good. You did very well. You don’t ever have to pay attention to her."

"Okay."

He was tired after the long flight and let out a yawn. Seeing this, Amanda Vance quickly finished unpacking and ran him a bath.

As Felix Ford sat in the bathtub, he sniffed the shampoo and grinned. ’It’s the same kind Mommy uses.’

When he finally snuggled under the covers, he felt like he was wrapped in his mother’s scent. The thought that she was right in the next room filled his heart with joy.

’This is so nice. I wish I could stay with Mommy forever.’

’His lousy dad didn’t want him, anyway.’

He sniffled, burrowing deeper into the light comforter. ’If he doesn’t want me, then fine. I have my wonderful, sweet-smelling mommy now. Who needs that grumpy old man anyway?’