Lily Bennett was allergic to seafood, so her considerate son ordered two small non-seafood dishes for her. This was also the first time Maxwell Thornton discovered that Lily couldn’t eat seafood. He and the boy sat together, peeling shrimp in a way that was so identical it was almost uncanny.
Lily hadn’t noticed this before, but seeing the two of them sitting side by side now, she couldn’t help but realize how much Liam resembled Maxwell. The resemblance was striking—especially the thin lips, the proud tilt of the chin when they looked up, the high nose, the shape of the face, and the thick eyebrows. Comparing them like this, it seemed there wasn’t a single feature that wasn’t similar, even down to their eating habits.
Except for their eyes. Maxwell’s eyes were sharp, unreadable, and cold, while Liam’s were warm, reflecting a hint of his mother’s gentleness, making them clear and innocent. His pupils were as dark as night, but perhaps because he was still young, this difference stood out. In every other way, Liam was truly a miniature version of Maxwell.
Seeing that Lily wasn’t eating and just staring blankly, Maxwell waved a hand in front of her face. "What are you daydreaming about?"
Lily blinked and shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. Her thoughts were tangled and confused. It was impossible—Maxwell couldn’t possibly be the man from back then. He was the son of a well-known billionaire family; there was no way he would have been in such a place, let alone involved with an underage girl. The very idea of it was beyond reason. Rape was one of the most destructive crimes in the world.
Whether it happened to a man or a woman, the first thing it destroyed was a person’s dignity, then their purity, and finally, it left their heart twisted and broken. Maxwell couldn't possibly have committed such a crime. His family's reputation and status wouldn’t allow him to become a criminal.
Lily shook off the thoughts and hesitantly scooped two spoonfuls of fish soup into her mouth. But she couldn’t help casting a glance in Maxwell's direction. Then, in a small, uncertain voice, she asked, "Maxwell, was your father a faithful man?"
She realized her question was abrupt and inexplicable. Even if Maxwell didn’t answer, she wouldn’t have been surprised.
But without missing a beat, Maxwell replied, "There’s no such thing as a man who’s completely faithful. But, Lily, I can assure you that marrying me would be the wisest decision of your life."
"I didn’t ask you that!" Lily glared at him. Maxwell raised an eyebrow, elegantly handing a peeled shrimp to Liam, who happily ate it. “Then what exactly are you asking?” he teased.
“Am I mistaken? How could that be?” Lily rested her chin on her hand and sighed, her gaze fixed on Maxwell sitting across from her.
Maxwell playfully flicked her forehead, locking his gaze with hers. "Did water get into your brain earlier? Tell me, how many children have you had? Was giving birth painful?" He smirked. "Or have you already forgotten what it felt like to give birth?"
Lily had been meaning to ask if Maxwell had any half-siblings, hoping that would explain why her son looked so much like him. But the way he answered left no room for doubt.
Lily glanced at Maxwell and then at her son, who was watching the exchange.
Liam, always a smart boy, furrowed his brows and asked Maxwell, "Dad, are you saying that Mom is dumb?"
Without hesitation, Maxwell nodded. “Yes, very dumb.”
“Mom isn’t dumb,” Liam protested, continuing to eat his shrimp. “She just thinks a little too innocently sometimes. You shouldn’t say that about her. Actually, she has a lot of good qualities.”
Maxwell raised an eyebrow at Lily, his tone playful as he asked, “Oh? Such as?”
“When she sleeps, she’s really comfortable to cuddle with.” Liam’s serious expression was as adorable as it was earnest.
Maxwell glanced at Lily, his thoughts momentarily blurred. He ruffled the little boy’s hair and reluctantly nodded. “Of all the things in the world I could have, it seems the one thing I lack right now is someone to cuddle with.”
“Shut up!”
Lily quickly stuffed a spoonful of fish soup into Maxwell's mouth, hoping to silence him. Her sudden hospitality caught the Thornton Chairman off guard. He opened his mouth to drink the soup she offered, but unfortunately, the spoon wasn’t filled with fish—it was loaded with onions. Instantly, Maxwell spat it out, completely abandoning any pretense of dignity as he grabbed Lily’s juice and took a long drink.
He hated onions!
Lily stared at the straw she had just been using, now in Maxwell’s mouth. She pointed at the juice for a moment before blurting out, “That’s my drink!”
Maxwell gave her a side glance and calmly said, "Oh," before taking another sip.
Disgusting man!
Suddenly, Liam put down his shrimp and raised his oily hand toward Maxwell. “Dad, high five.”
Maxwell, confused, turned to look at the boy. “Why are we high-fiving?”
“To celebrate. You hate onions too!” A gleeful smile lit up Liam’s face, revealing two adorable front teeth. Finally, someone who shared his hatred for onions!
Maxwell chuckled and gave Liam a high five. Curious, he asked, “So, why don’t you like onions? Kids shouldn’t be picky eaters.”
With confidence, Liam replied, “I’m not picky. Lily said it’s hereditary!”
“You don’t like onions either?” Maxwell turned to Lily.
Casually, Lily scooped a spoonful of onion-filled porridge into her mouth and chewed, proving with her actions that she could indeed eat onions. Next to her, Liam seemed lost in thought before he piped up, “Actually, I think I got it from my dad.”
Lily fell silent, her heart sinking as her son mentioned the father he had never known. There was a fleeting sadness in his eyes, even though he tried to sound nonchalant about the man who was no longer in their lives.
After a pause, Liam added, "But I’m not sure if it’s hereditary, because I’ve never met my father.”
Though the boy’s expression didn’t show any obvious sadness, there was a trace of regret and sorrow in his words—a quiet ache from never having met his father.
Hearing the child’s somber tone, Maxwell’s heart suddenly ached. After a moment of silence, he quietly asked Lily, “Where is his father?”
How should I know? If I don’t know, there’s only one thing to say. “He’s dead,” Lily replied bluntly. Liam immediately nodded in agreement with his mother’s brief explanation. “That’s right. Mom said he died and turned into a butterfly that flew to the sky.”
Maxwell’s brows furrowed in surprise. “He turned into a butterfly?”
Lily jumped up, trying to stop her son from saying more, but it was too late. Liam earnestly repeated what Lily had once told him, “Mom said Dad died when she was pregnant with me. After he died, he turned into a butterfly and flew to heaven. But I never really believed that.”
Liam’s explanation was so sincere, he even provided his own opinion. Lily’s emotions completely collapsed at that moment. She sank into her chair, covering her face with her hands, but in her flustered state, she accidentally knocked over the bowl of seafood soup in front of Maxwell. The steaming soup spilled perfectly onto him! Maxwell jumped up immediately. Realizing what she had done, Lily grabbed a napkin, rushing to clean the soup off him.
“I swear I didn’t mean to. I swear, I didn’t plan to roast you like a sausage…”
Maxwell: "..."