Chapter 79: An Illusion?

Felix Ford didn’t open the door.

Samuel Ford waited outside for a moment before going downstairs. He got a glass of water and the spare key from the housekeeper. This time, he didn’t bother knocking; he just unlocked the door and went inside.

The floor was a complete mess, littered with things the boy had thrown. Samuel Ford was still trying to figure out where to step when an object came flying at him. He neither flinched nor dodged, simply watching as a throw pillow landed a few feet away.

When he saw it hadn’t hit its mark, Felix Ford froze for a second. The next moment, he stomped his foot in a huff and plopped down on the floor, bursting into tears.

He cried until he was gasping for air, his voice already hoarse, but he kept on screaming at the top of his lungs. After a few wails, he abruptly stopped and began to dry-heave.

Samuel Ford strode over and placed a hand on his son’s back. "Stop crying," he said in a low voice.

"I-I’ll cry if I want to!" Felix glared at him. His eyes stung, and he blinked a few times, only to find he couldn’t produce any more tears. Still, he craned his neck, staring at his father defiantly.

The small body under his hand was still shuddering with sobs. The boy had clearly cried himself to exhaustion, yet he was determined to use every last ounce of strength to defy him.

The boy’s resentful glare had no real effect on him. He was simply confused. ’What’s gotten into him?’

He thought back over the last two days. He had been at the hospital constantly, with no time to even talk to the boy. Today was the first chance he’d had to catch his breath and pick him up. They had barely seen each other, so it was impossible that he had done something to provoke him.

’So what is he angry about? That I haven’t been with him these past two days?’

After a moment of consideration, Samuel Ford explained, "Your grandpa is sick. I’ve been at the hospital these past two days taking care of him, so I haven’t had time to spend with you. I’m sorry."

Felix Ford let out a choked sob. Hearing that his grandpa was sick, he forgot all about his anger and asked, "How’s Grandpa?"

"He’s doing much better. The doctor you recommended is excellent."

’The doctor he recommended?’ Felix thought for a second before it clicked. Instantly, his lip quivered, and he was overcome with a fresh wave of sorrow. Tears, which had only just dried, began to stream down his face again. He shoved at his father angrily. "Get out! I don’t want to see you!"

’If only Dad wasn’t so useless, she would be my mommy now.’

’Mommy is so nice, and she’s such a good doctor. She’s the perfect mommy.’

’But she’s not my mommy.’

At this thought, he began to cry even harder. When he found he couldn’t push his father away, he simply rolled onto the floor and started kicking his legs at him. "WAAAH! I want my mommy! I want my mommy!"

He chanted the phrase over and over until, before long, he was crying so hard he began to dry-heave again.

Helpless, Samuel Ford picked him up and placed him on the bed. But the moment the boy touched the mattress, he rolled as far away from him as he could get.

Samuel’s hand paused in mid-air. He placed the glass of water on the nightstand. "Drink some water when you’re done crying."

The boy gave no reaction. Samuel watched him for a moment longer, then turned and left the room.

Hearing the door click shut, Felix Ford blinked after a long moment. He rolled over and stared blankly at the familiar room. Everything in it was the most expensive, the very best money could buy, yet it all felt so cold it made him want to run away.

His gaze shifted and suddenly landed on his backpack.

After a moment, he crawled out of bed. Running barefoot across the floor, he detached a small charm hanging from his backpack and climbed back into bed. He held the charm to his nose, inhaling deeply. Felix Ford rubbed it against his cheek, whispered a soft "Mommy," and drifted into a heavy sleep.

A short while later, the door creaked open again. Samuel Ford tiptoed over to the bed and sat on the edge. Looking at the tear stains covering his son’s face, he let out a low sigh and gently began to wipe them away.

Once the tears were gone, he was about to tuck the boy’s hand under the blanket when he noticed him clutching a small doll. It was a cute, stylized "chibi" version of Felix, exquisitely detailed and very charming.

He was puzzled. ’Where did this come from? I don’t remember him having this.’

He couldn’t figure it out for the life of him. He tried to take it for a closer look, but the moment he tugged gently, Felix’s grip tightened instantly, and his brow furrowed in his sleep.

Even in sleep, he refused to let go.

’Is it really that important to him?’

Samuel didn’t try again. Sure enough, the boy’s brow smoothed out after a moment. His lips moved, and a mumble escaped, just loud enough to be understood.

"Mommy."

Samuel Ford’s lips thinned into a line. Colt had always been a mischievous handful, but their biggest point of contention had always been his desire for a mother.

He could give his son anything—no matter how expensive or rare, he could buy it for him. The only thing he couldn’t give him was a mother.

"Do you want a mommy that badly?" Samuel murmured, gazing at his son’s small face.

He’d thought that if he just gave him enough things, it would make up for the lack of a mother. But he hadn’t even fulfilled his duties as a father. He was, by all accounts, an unfit parent.

A complex expression flickered in Samuel Ford’s eyes, a rare look of helplessness.

He truly didn’t know how to handle him anymore.

Samuel Ford sat by the bed until just before dawn, then finally left.

Meanwhile, Amanda Vance had brought Jean Vance to their new residence near the hospital. Jean looked around at the furnishings and frowned slightly.

’This isn’t Mom’s style.’

He knew his mom had bought a house; she had even shown him the blueprints. But this wasn’t the layout, and it certainly wasn’t the address.

’Why did Mom suddenly move here?’

Jean could access surveillance feeds, but he wouldn’t watch Amanda around the clock. That felt too much like spying, and he refused to do it. He only ever checked in on her when he felt he needed to see if she was alright.

He’d been so preoccupied with Felix Ford’s situation the past few days that he hadn’t been paying attention to his mom. ’What in the world happened while I was away?’

He frowned, and the uncertainty made his heart sink.

"Go on, have a seat." Seeing him standing there, motionless, Amanda placed a hand on his shoulder. "I have to be at the hospital early tomorrow," she explained, "so it’s more convenient to stay here for now. We’ll just be here for a couple of days until we can find a suitable house to buy nearby."

Amanda didn’t like the idea of living in someone else’s house for long, either. But a quick search showed that no one in the immediate area was planning to sell. She would have to look in other residential communities, which would take more time.

And with the time needed for renovations after a purchase, they would inevitably have to stay here for a while. It couldn’t be helped.

’So Mom is going to the hospital.’

Jean inferred this from her words. This apartment was the closest one to Central Hospital. ’Did Mom accept the invitation from the director of Central Hospital?’

’But didn’t she say she didn’t want to come before?’

’Just what happened while I was away?’

Jean’s brow furrowed even deeper.

Seeing his expression, Amanda found it a little amusing. She reached out and gently pinched his cheek. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Jean said, his expression smoothing out as he gave her a small smile.

Since he didn’t seem to want to talk about it, Amanda didn’t press him. "What would you like to eat?"

"Anything you make, Mom."

"Alright, then I’ll just whip something up."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom."

"It’s no trouble." The groceries she’d just bought hadn’t been put away yet. As Amanda was transferring them to the refrigerator, she happened to glance back and saw him with a hand on his chin, a pensive and serious expression on his little face.

He looked completely different from the lively boy he’d been just a short time ago.

For a moment, Amanda almost thought he was a different child entirely.

’Otherwise, how could he change so drastically?’