Chapter 3
Victoria shot to her feet.
“What did you say?”
She rose too quickly and nearly stumbled.
Julian quickly steadied her, looking disappointed. “Victoria, he’s lied to you before. How can you still believe him?”
“This afternoon, I distinctly saw the child wandering around the kitchen with a bag of peanuts, and then Grandma Eleanor picked him up.”
Victoria immediately sighed in relief. She pulled out her phone and video-called Grandma Eleanor.
“Grandma, is Leo with you?”
Leo was dead. She would soon realize how terrible her actions had been.
On the other end of the line, Grandma Eleanor smiled. “He’s with me.”
“Leo, do you want to talk to Mommy?”
I rushed forward.
Through the camera, I saw Leo squatting among a pile of toys, shaking his head, and burying himself in his play.
Grandma Eleanor scowled and reprimanded Victoria. “It’s all your fault for being so harsh on Leo. Now he doesn’t even want to talk to you.”
My face turned ashen.
I’d almost forgotten. Victoria’s grandma had the most prestigious high-tech team in the world.
Back when AI wasn’t even popular, she had used it to make me appear with Noah’s face in a video call for Victoria to say her final goodbyes.
Now, she was using someone else’s child to impersonate Leo, just to put Victoria at ease.
In this family, my son and I were nothing but tools that no one cared about.
It’s okay, Leo. Even if everyone in the world doesn’t love you, Daddy will always love you.
I caressed the urn, speechless.
Victoria’s face darkened. She hung up the phone and angrily said,
“Alex, you dared to lie to me!”
“Fine. Your son is with Grandma Eleanor, so I can’t punish him. Then I’ll punish you.”
“Julian, smash that broken thing in his hands.”
I struggled desperately, but I couldn’t fight off the several bodyguards who restrained me.
Seeing Julian raise the urn high, I fell to my knees, pleading:
“Victoria, I beg you, give Leo back to me!”
“I’ll do anything you want, please!”
Victoria’s heart also twisted.
Just at the crucial moment, she suddenly called out, stopping Julian. She waved her hand.
“Forget it. It’s just a broken box. Smashing it is pointless. Give it back to him.”
Julian disappointedly threw the urn back to me.
I lunged forward, catching the box securely. Relieved to have it back, I hugged Leo’s ashes tightly to my chest.
Julian sighed. “Victoria, you’re too kind.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep a closer eye on things from now on. After all, protecting you and the baby is my job.”
Victoria placed a hand on her abdomen and suddenly called out to me as I was about to leave.
“Wait. I said I wouldn’t punish Leo, not that I wouldn’t punish you.”
“Since you love taking the blame for your son so much, then you can experience what an allergic reaction feels like.”
“Order him ten thousand lobsters. He’s not allowed to leave until he’s peeled every single one.”
She knew I was severely allergic to lobster. Just touching it would make me break out in hives.
Even when our relationship was at its worst, she never allowed a single lobster on the table.
Now, she must be completely furious.
I tightly clutched the urn.
Looking at the huge basin of lobsters in front of me, my eyes stung.
As soon as I grabbed one to start peeling, my fingers began to redden from the allergy.
Victoria turned her face away, then stood up with her back to me.
“I’m tired. I’m going to rest. Don’t think about slacking off. I’ll have someone watch you.”
Julian helped her to her room.
Seeing the line of burly bodyguards, I didn’t resist. I numbly continued peeling lobsters.
As time passed, my entire body was covered in red welts, and my breathing became increasingly difficult.
In a haze, a pair of polished leather shoes appeared before me.
Julian grabbed my chin, his voice cold. “Just peeling lobsters is too light a punishment. You’re allergic, right? Then eat them.”
He forced lobster meat into my mouth.
With a single movement, I easily pushed him away.
With his weak physique, he wasn’t even as strong as me. The only reason he was a bodyguard was because Victoria missed Noah so much, she kept him by her side.
Seeing my resistance, Julian grew angry. “If you struggle again, I swear I’ll smash your son’s urn.”
I glared at him.
He knew. He’d been intentional earlier!
Julian saw me compromise and maliciously shoved a handful of lobster meat into my mouth.
For Leo, I didn’t dare to resist.
Just at the crucial moment, Grandma Eleanor appeared behind me, tapping her cane.
She angrily told Julian, “No one gets to bully my family’s son-in-law. Get out.”
Julian looked like he wanted to say more but was ultimately kicked out.
Grandma Eleanor dismissed everyone else. Ignoring the grease on my hands, she helped me up.
“Alex, stop peeling. You’re having a severe allergic reaction. I’ll take you to the hospital first, then help you leave.”
I nodded, wiped the grease off my body, and then picked up the urn.
A flicker of shame crossed Grandma Eleanor’s eyes. She explained, “Victoria is pregnant, and her emotions can’t fluctuate too much. I thought I’d tell her about Leo’s death once she was more stable.”
“You and the child have suffered again. Alex, you must take this money.”
She pushed two more cards toward me.
I shook my head. “No, thank you. You’ve given enough. I just want to leave peacefully with my child.”
Grandma Eleanor pressed the cards into my hand, hinting, “Take them. Back then, Victoria’s first love ran off with her money and abandoned her. I was the one who forced you to switch the IVF sample, making Victoria conceive your child.”
“But I never imagined that my decision, as an old woman, would kill poor Leo.”
“I regret it deeply. I shouldn’t have forced you.”
“The money here isn’t much. It’s my apology. I hope you’ll accept it.”
“And please, don’t blame this old woman. Victoria is my son’s only daughter, she’s my life.”
She seemed to be pleading, but in reality, she was threatening me.
If I didn’t take this hush money, I wouldn’t be leaving with Leo today.
“Then, thank you, Grandma Eleanor.”
I helplessly reached for the cards.
Crash!
A glass shattered.
Victoria, dressed in her pajamas, stood frozen in the doorway.
We turned to the sound, seeing Victoria’s face drained of color.
“Victoria, why are you up?”
Grandma Eleanor’s face was even paler than Victoria’s.
She wanted to slap herself silly right now.