Chapter 52: Aren’t You Also Unmarried with a Child?

"It’s just childish pranks." Amanda Vance didn’t seem to care much about it. She changed the subject. "Have you found out who’s targeting the Vance Family?"

Hayden Grant shook his head. "Not yet. They hid their IP address. We might need your help."

"Okay." Amanda didn’t mind. She was just curious who could hit the Vance Family so hard in such a short amount of time.

At the Ford residence, Jean Vance erased all his tracks before shutting down the computer. He hopped off his chair and headed out. The moment he stepped out of the study, he saw Samuel Ford and the others had returned.

The two men saw him as well.

Standing on the second-floor landing, he looked down on them, his short stature no longer a disadvantage. His gaze was so serene that for a moment, Shawn Ford thought he saw a shadow of his older brother in the boy.

’His mom used to say Colt’s mischievous streak was just like his own. But looking at him now, he’s a spitting image of his big brother, just smaller.’

Shaking his head, he waved. "Colt, come here."

Samuel Ford watched him too, his expression unreadable. As father and son’s eyes met, you could almost see sparks fly between them.

Jean Vance slowly averted his gaze and made his way downstairs. He poured himself a glass of water and asked, "Did something happen at the anniversary celebration?"

’He hadn’t thought his mother would attend an event like that, but then he’d overheard Samuel Ford mention it. That other kid had called and asked him to help look after his mom.’

’He didn’t think his mother needed anyone’s protection, but this was a good chance to get some information about her from him.’

Hearing this, Samuel Ford glanced at him impassively, took a sip of water, and sat quietly to one side.

Shawn Ford gulped down his entire glass of water, flopped onto the sofa, and waved a hand dismissively. "You’re asking about Amanda Vance, aren’t you? Don’t worry, she’s doing great. Not only did she not get bullied, she gave them a taste of their own medicine."

The words were barely out of his mouth when two pairs of eyes—one big, one small—shot daggers at him. He flinched and quickly corrected himself. "Ah, no, I mean, she was just defending herself. It was a reasonable counter-attack."

He let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding when they finally looked away.

After recounting the entire incident, he asked curiously, "Colt, do you know Amanda Vance?"

’Since Felix Ford had called to ask him to protect her, saying he didn’t know her would be unbelievable.’ Jean Vance thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, we’ve met. She seems nice."

"What? When did you meet her?"

Jean Vance glanced at the silent man beside him. Even when they mentioned his mother, the man didn’t so much as lift an eyelid, as if he couldn’t care less.

Pressing his lips together, he said, "She looks like my mother."

"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!" Shawn Ford choked on his own spit. He instinctively glanced at his older brother, but Samuel’s expression was unchanged, making it impossible to guess his thoughts. Shawn quietly pulled Jean closer, put a finger to his lips, and shushed him, signaling him not to talk nonsense.

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Colt, are you confused? How could that woman possibly look like your mother?"

Jean Vance shot him a cold glare. "What ’kind’ of woman?"

Although the boy was as expressionless as his older brother, Shawn Ford could clearly see the displeasure in his eyes.

He stared at Jean in confusion, not understanding why he was so defensive of her. "You know, *that* kind of woman. Her reputation is terrible. No one hung out with her in high school. Even though she was the top scorer on the college entrance exams, they took her name off the honor roll. All because she messed around in college and had a baby out of wedlock."

As soon as he finished, he realized his nephew was staring at him with an icy gaze that sent a chill down his spine. It scared him enough to take a step back. "Co-Colt, why are you looking at me like that?"

Jean Vance stared at him, his voice as cold as ice. "They ostracized her, but are they completely blameless? Stripping her of the honor she deserved without knowing the facts just shows how blind they are. And as for having a child out of wedlock..."

He turned his head to look at Samuel Ford. "Aren’t you the same?"

The accusation nearly gave Shawn Ford a heart attack.

Samuel Ford’s head snapped up. His expression was calm, but an intimidating aura radiated from him, making Shawn Ford’s breath catch in his throat. He frantically tried to signal Jean with his eyes. ’Is he crazy? How could he say something like that!’

Without sparing him a glance, Jean Vance stared quietly at Samuel Ford, a hint of stubborn defiance in his eyes.

’He remembered when he’d first started kindergarten overseas. That was the first time he realized he was different from the other kids.’

’He didn’t have a father.’

’He’d been bullied for it. At first, he’d come home and ask his mother why he didn’t have a dad. After a while, he stopped asking.’

’He didn’t need to. He learned a few moves from Mr. Jobs and quickly taught the bullies a lesson they wouldn’t forget.’

’So what if he didn’t have a father? His mother didn’t have a husband, and she was doing just fine. As long as they were strong enough, they didn’t need to rely on anyone.’

’He knew about the rumors. He had looked into his mother’s past and knew about all the vicious gossip, but he believed in her. She wasn’t that kind of person. If she were really the promiscuous woman they claimed she was, he wouldn’t still be fatherless. On top of that, his mother always bluntly rejected any man who tried to hit on her.’

’Shirley Vance and her cronies had slandered his mother’s name and turned the whole school against her. Why was the victim being blamed? His mother had never hurt any of the people who spoke ill of her. They were the ones who blindly followed the crowd, believed the lies, and ganged up on her.’

’And the whole "child out of wedlock" thing was even more ridiculous.’

’Anyone else might have the right to judge her for that, but not him.’

Jean Vance looked at Samuel Ford, and for the first time, naked resentment filled his eyes.

Resentment for the man who had caused him and his mother so much suffering and criticism.

’Even if he hadn’t known his mother, or known of his own existence—even if there were extenuating circumstances—it didn’t mean the man was entirely blameless.’

’It was because of this man that his mother had him.’

’So what right did others have to stand on their moral high ground and condemn her, when he himself was no better?’

Seeing the look in his eyes, Samuel Ford’s expression darkened. In that instant, he felt an immense distance, like mountains and seas, separating him from the child before him.

He realized with absolute clarity: the boy hated him.

His heart sank. Reaching out, he gripped the boy’s shoulder and said in a low voice, "I never believed any of those rumors."

His words helped Jean Vance calm down, but that was all.

The anger in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by his usual calm. He took a step back, shrugging off Samuel’s hand. With a mocking look, he said, "It doesn’t matter."

’Whether he believed them or not had nothing to do with them.’

’From the very beginning, he had been nothing more than a stranger.’

Without another word or a glance at Samuel’s face, he headed straight for the stairs. As he passed Shawn Ford, he paused and turned to look at him. "If you’re not going to use that brain of yours, you should put it up for sale. It’s in mint condition; you could probably get a good price for it."

Shawn Ford’s eyes went wide. He pointed a trembling finger at the boy’s retreating back and looked at Samuel Ford in disbelief. "Big Brother, was Colt just calling me stupid?"

Samuel Ford’s expression was grim. He was still reeling from his son’s sudden accusation. At his brother’s words, he shot him a look and said flatly, "If it’s useless, you might as well donate it."

Shawn Ford’s eyes bulged. He stared at the backs of the father and son as they left, one after the other. It took him a long moment to process what had happened. He lashed out with a foot and kicked the coffee table, only to howl, "OW!" and collapse onto the sofa, clutching his foot in pain.

’What did he do to deserve this? All he did was share a little gossip. Was that so wrong?’