He had investigated Eliza Sutton’s past. He knew everything about her from childhood to the present, including the five years she spent in prison. A girl like that, who had experienced the full spectrum of human kindness and cruelty, would naturally have a complex inner world.
More importantly, he could sense that Eliza Sutton was even more complicated than his investigation suggested. The fact that Emtt Lockwood had grown so close to her after just eting her put Shane Lockwood on high alert. He didn’t want his son to have too much contact with such a woman.
He had originally thought his son’s closeness to Eliza Sutton was just a fleeting childish whim. He’d figured sending him to Valdoran for a while would sort it out. He never expected the child to be so stubborn, starving himself for three whole days. If he didn’t compromise now, he was afraid the little guy would actually starve himself to death.
Shane Lockwood sighed deeply. No matter how powerful he was, capable of moving heaven and earth, he still had to yield to his own son.
Hearing Shane Lockwood’s words, Emtt Lockwood shot up, but his vision went black and he fell back down.
Sue quickly steadied Emtt, her voice full of concern. "Young Master, let’s eat sothing first, okay?"
"No, I want to see Mom right now." Emtt was resolute, looking as if he was afraid Shane Lockwood would go back on his word.
Shane Lockwood...
’I, Shane Lockwood, am a man of my word. Would I really deceive a child?’
Seeing Shane Lockwood’s silence, Emtt thought he really was regretting it and imdiately said, "Dad, if you try to separate and Mom again, I’ll keep up my hunger strike! The kind where I starve myself to death!"
The little guy tilted his head up, his pale face showing a determination that ten bulls couldn’t pull back.
Furious, Shane Lockwood turned his wheelchair around. His voice, filled with anger, followed. "Well? Aren’t you coming?"
Overjoyed, Emtt fought back the dizziness in his head, climbed out of bed, and staggered after Shane Lockwood.
「The Lockwood Estate.」
Eliza Sutton had just stepped out of the bathroom after a shower, wrapped in a towel, when the bedroom door opened and Shane Lockwood ca in.
Eliza was very surprised. "What are you doing back?"
Before Shane Lockwood could speak, a small figure brushed past him and ran toward Eliza.
Shane Lockwood couldn’t help but snort. ’Eliza Sutton must have spent ti in the Vexlands,’ he thought. ’How else could she have bewitched my unfortunate son into this state of obsession?’
"Mom."
Emtt cried out as he threw himself at Eliza.
Eliza was surprised. She hadn’t expected Shane Lockwood to bring Emtt with him.
"Emtt, what are you doing here?"
Emtt clung to Eliza without letting go. Hearing her question, his eyes imdiately reddened, and he didn’t hesitate to tattle.
"My dad is so an! To stop from seeing you, he locked in a dark room, wouldn’t let see you, and he even hit and abused . Mom, if you run away from ho again, take with you."
Eliza was speechless.
She looked at Shane Lockwood skeptically.
’Shane Lockwood has a bad temper, sure, but I’ve never heard that he had a habit of abusing people. Especially not when he’s already... "incapable"... and only has this one heir.’
"Mom, I missed you so much."
Hearing the little one’s words, the expression on Eliza’s face softened instantly.
’I haven’t said it out loud,’ she thought, ’but I’ve missed Emtt a lot, too.’ Suddenly, she sensed sothing was wrong.
She cupped Emtt’s small face and studied his complexion, her own expression changing drastically.
She imdiately picked Emtt up, placed him on the sofa, and poured a glass of water for him to drink. Only after seeing the pained look on his face ease slightly did she turn to Shane Lockwood.
"Mr. Lockwood, what on earth is going on? How could Emtt be severely dehydrated and this starved? Are you sure there’s nothing wrong with the people you have looking after him?"
Eliza recalled what Mrs. Lockwood had told her when Emtt fell into the water. Her heart sank as she began to suspect soone was abusing Emtt right under Shane Lockwood’s nose, trying to kill him.
"There’s nothing wrong with them. The one with the problem is Emtt," Shane Lockwood said irritably. "This little brat starved himself for three days just to see you."
"What?"
Eliza was in disbelief. She never would have thought Emtt would do such a thing.
"You..."
Seeing the grim look on Eliza’s face, Emtt grew anxious. He tugged on her sleeve. "Mom, don’t be angry. I just wanted to see you."
As Emtt spoke, his eyes reddened again, and big tears stread down his face. His small, thin body trembled, like a little puppy afraid of being abandoned.
Even if Eliza’s heart was as hard as iron, she couldn’t bring herself to be stern with this child.
She patted his little head. "Don’t cry."
But Emtt kept crying. The thought that Eliza was angry and might abandon him made his tears flow like the waters of the Yangtze River, endless and unstoppable.
He was crying so hard that he started hiccuping uncontrollably. His face flushed beet red, and his lips began to turn purple.
Eliza quickly pulled him into her arms. She held him as if to soothe him, but in reality, she had already pinched a Silver Needle from her person between her fingers. As her hand stroked Emtt’s back, the needle pierced an acupuncture point.
Emtt gradually cald down, and his color returned to normal. Tear tracks stained his pale, soft cheeks.
Eliza gently wiped them away, then laid the exhausted Emtt on the bed.
She had just stood up when her wrist was grabbed. Emtt stared at her with pleading eyes. "Mom, are you angry? Are you going to leave and go away?"
Eliza saw the fear in Emtt’s eyes at a glance. Her own heart ached. She stroked his hair. "What nonsense are you talking about? I’m going downstairs to make you sothing to eat. Aren’t you hungry?"
Emtt imdiately said, "I’ll go with you, Mom."
Eliza didn’t refuse. She walked over and swept Emtt up into her arms.
He was already five years old, but he was so light, he felt bony in her arms.
The thought that this child had gone three days without food just to see her made Eliza feel as if she had swallowed a whole lemon—sour and bitter.
Shane Lockwood, who had been worried about Emtt, was standing in the middle of the room.
Eliza said instinctively, "Excuse , you’re in the way."
With one hand, Eliza pushed on the back of his wheelchair, shoving Shane Lockwood slightly to the side. Then, still holding Emtt, she left the bedroom.
’She just left... ’
Shane Lockwood watched Eliza walk away with the child without a single backward glance, finding it hard to believe.
’Eliza must be doing this on purpose to get my attention.’
’Definitely.’
’But if Eliza thinks I’d be swayed by such a petty trick, she’s far too naive!’
Shane Lockwood took a phone call upstairs.
When he ca downstairs, the dining room was filled with a fragrant aroma.
His unfortunate son was sitting on a dining chair, holding a piece of toasted mantou and eating it with great relish. anwhile, Eliza, wearing an apron, was in the kitchen cooking congee.
When Emtt saw Shane Lockwood staring at the toasted mantou in his hands, his expression imdiately beca guarded. He polished off the slice in just a few bites.
He ate too quickly and started to choke.
Seeing this, Eliza quickly brought a glass of prepared milk to Emtt’s lips.
"Slow down, eat slowly."
The mont Emtt swallowed the piece of mantou, he pointed at Shane Lockwood and declared in a very loud voice, "Mom, Dad is trying to steal my toasted mantou!"
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