Chapter 65: I Don’t Want to Go to School

However, in contrast to his surprise, everyone else was incredibly excited. They didn’t see any problem with his challenge at all.

Of course. If they didn’t all attack at once, what fun would it be for them to go one by one?

Even the person who had just been pretending to sweep nearby threw down their broom and leaped onto the platform.

Rocco was even more excited than they were. He shot to his feet, craning his neck, terrified of missing a single spectacular moment.

Seeing their reactions, Jean Vance turned to watch as well.

No one needed to shout "start" before someone charged forward. Samuel Ford was completely unfazed, his movements crisp and decisive. Despite being outnumbered, he was perfectly at ease, countering every move they made. It wasn’t long before he identified their weaknesses and launched a series of sharp attacks. The group, which had barely been able to hold its own just moments before, was on the losing end in an instant.

In less than ten minutes, more than half of the people on the platform had been defeated.

Jean Vance’s hand subconsciously gripped the armrest. He watched intently, his breathing shallow. His eyes were wide, fixed on Samuel’s every move without blinking.

’So fast.’

A moment later, as the last man fell, Jean Vance blinked, a little frustrated.

’There were so many moves I couldn’t see clearly.’

’His reactions are astonishingly fast. He can always find the quickest way to defeat an opponent.’

’He wasn’t intimidated in the slightest, even one against many. Those guys were no match for him at all.’

’Were they too weak?’

’No, he’s just too strong.’

For the first time, Jean Vance truly sized up the man who was his father in name only. He realized he didn’t know him well at all.

After the bout, Samuel Ford walked over. "Want to learn?"

"I do," he answered without a moment’s hesitation.

"Come on." Samuel Ford wasted no words, leading him directly to a nearby open space.

"Stand straight." The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed Jean’s perfectly straight back and prepared stance. He paused, then suddenly asked, "Have you practiced Martial Arts before?"

Jean Vance’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained impassive. "I’ve watched them practice," he said nonchalantly.

He was thinking of Rocco.

Still, the Ford Family’s bodyguards often sparred in their free time.

He wasn’t lying.

Samuel Ford’s suspicion gradually faded, and he resumed the lesson.

Jean Vance breathed a small sigh of relief, but he didn’t let his guard down. He feigned inexperience, only gradually allowing his performance to improve after some time.

’He really is amazing,’ Jean thought. ’He points out my mistakes with perfect accuracy every time.’

’He’s probably even stronger than what I just saw.’

At this thought, Jean Vance pursed his lips. ’Just give me a little more time, and I’ll be even better than him.’

「Meanwhile」

Amanda Vance drove home and led Felix Ford inside. She had some work to do, but she soon found that no matter where she went, he followed close behind her like a little shadow.

Amanda Vance stopped and looked back at him, puzzled. ’Didn’t I cheer him up this morning? Why does he seem even more anxious now than he was last night?’

She walked over and caressed his small face. "What’s wrong?" Amanda asked. "Are you feeling sick?"

Felix Ford looked at her, his eyes welling with tears. His small hand clutched the hem of her clothes, and he pouted without saying a word, just shaking his head insistently.

Seeing him like this, Amanda Vance lost any desire to work. She led him to the sofa, pulled him into her lap, and asked softly, "What is it?"

Felix Ford still didn’t speak, just buried his face in her embrace. As he listened to her gentle voice, he remembered what Jean Vance had told him—that she was only like this because she thought he was Jean, that this happiness was something he had stolen.

’But I don’t want to give it back.’

’Those people were right. I’m a truly bad kid.’

Amanda felt something warm and wet on her neck as the small body in her arms began to tremble. She was completely baffled, but since he refused to say anything, all she could do was gently pat his back.

After a long while, when she felt him finally grow still, Amanda Vance glanced down at him.

She found that he had fallen asleep.

His small face was covered in tear tracks, but he hadn’t made a sound. He had been crying so silently, it made her heart clench.

’He’s been acting strange ever since he got out of school. Did something happen? Did someone bully him?’

At that thought, Amanda Vance’s expression darkened. She carried him to the bathroom and, holding him with one arm, wrung out a washcloth with the other to gently wipe his face clean.

The moment she laid him down on the bed, he began to whimper, the sorrow on his face heart-wrenching to behold.

With a sigh, Amanda Vance had no choice but to lie down beside him and pull him into her arms. She reached out and gently smoothed the worried furrow between his eyebrows.

It took over an hour for him to finally settle down.

However, in the middle of the night, Amanda Vance felt as if she were hugging a small furnace. Realizing what was happening, she snapped her eyes open. The child in her arms had bright red cheeks, and when she touched his forehead, it was scalding hot.

Her heart sank. Amanda quickly applied pressure to acupoints on his hand and foot, then wiped him down with a cool washcloth and coaxed him to drink some water. After doing this several times, his fever finally began to subside a little.

With no desire to sleep, Amanda Vance kept watch over him.

His high fever was brought on by fright. ’But who could have scared him?’ she wondered. ’And what could he possibly be so afraid of?’

Amanda Vance just couldn’t figure it out.

Even though his fever had subsided, the little boy on the bed was still murmuring in his sleep, calling out "Mommy" over and over. The sound tugged at Amanda’s heart. She took his hand and said softly, "Mommy’s here. Don’t be afraid."

His fever spiked twice more during the night, but they finally made it to dawn.

Felix Ford slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Amanda Vance. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he suddenly burst into tears.

He’d had a terrible nightmare. In it, Mommy discovered he wasn’t the real Jean and abandoned him without a second thought. And Jean had been there too, saying, ’See? Things you steal will always be taken away in the end.’

He could still feel the sorrow from the dream as if it were real.

"You’re awake. Are you still feeling sick?" Amanda, who had noticed the instant he woke up, saw his tears and gently wiped them away as she asked in a low voice.

Felix Ford looked at her and called out, "Mommy." The single word was enough for him to realize how hoarse and dry his throat was.

"Yes, Mommy’s right here." Amanda Vance reached for the glass of water on the nightstand. It had cooled to the perfect lukewarm temperature.

She helped him sit up, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed so he could lean against her. "Here, drink some water before you try to talk."

Felix Ford drank obediently, but the water was tasteless, and he turned his head away after finishing about half of it.

Seeing this, Amanda Vance didn’t press him.

She reached up and felt his forehead. The fever was gone, but he didn’t look much better.

’The root cause hasn’t been dealt with.’

"What is it? You can tell me anything, you know. I’ve told you before, you’re only five. You don’t have to carry everything all by yourself. If someone bullied you, I’ll go beat them up for you. Have you forgotten? Your mommy is very strong."

"No!" Felix Ford cut her off frantically.

’She can’t go to school! Jean Vance is there!’

’If she goes, I’ll lose her for good!’

The memory of her cold stare in his nightmare made Felix Ford’s face turn pale.

"Don’t go! Don’t go!"

"Okay, okay, I won’t go." Amanda Vance hugged him, her brow furrowing again.

’So, it’s school that’s scaring him.’

Felix Ford realized he was overreacting and hurriedly explained, "I... I... Mommy, can I not go to school?"

The mere mention of school brought an unconscious look of terror to his eyes. How could Amanda Vance possibly have the heart to force him?

She hugged him, kissed his forehead, and said, "Alright, we won’t go. If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to."

Hearing her words, Felix Ford could finally relax.

’As long as I don’t go to school, I won’t run into Jean Vance, and Mommy won’t be taken away from me, right?’

’That’s how it works, right?’