Lily glanced at her son. This little one really couldn’t keep what she had said in front of Maxwell. In truth, everything Lily told her son was honest. She knew her son was very fond of Maxwell, and she also knew the boy couldn’t possibly be his biological child. Besides, her relationship with Maxwell was purely contractual.
If Liam continued to stay by his side, once the contract ended, the one who would suffer the most emotionally would be her son. So, despite how harsh her words might have seemed to Liam, Lily didn’t hesitate to tell him the truth.
Liam’s face looked a bit lonely at that moment. Maxwell knew the boy was intelligent, both in thought and speech. The boy repeated what his mother had said earlier because he wanted to hear Maxwell's confirmation. Although Maxwell hadn’t yet determined if Lily Bennett was the long-lost girlfriend he’d been searching for, he didn’t deny what she had told Liam.
Maxwell squatted down and gently patted the boy’s small head. “You can call me whatever you want.”
“Then I'll call you Uncle, Uncle Thornton,” Liam said, with a cute smile showing his two little front teeth. In truth, he really wanted to call him dad, but he didn’t want to make his mother uncomfortable.
Maxwell, “...”
Dad? Now it’s demoted to Uncle? This little rascal sure changes fast.
Lily was stunned for a moment, but then she couldn’t help but laugh. She leaned down to kiss her son on the cheek and didn’t forget to sprinkle a bit of salt on the emotional wound of the man sitting opposite. With a smirk, she said to her son, “Sweetie, Mommy wants some fries.”
Liam immediately handed the fries he had just received from Maxwell to his mother.
Maxwell, “…” He smiled wryly. This is bloodline! The so-called mother-child bond. Big decisions in life need careful consideration, there’s no rush. Maxwell sighed, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair. Lily, is something bothering you so much that you wouldn’t even let your son call me Dad?
Lily accepted the fries and held her child tightly in her arms, her chin resting on his shoulder, as tears silently fell. Crying was something foreign to Lily. Even when her father threw her out of the house or when she endured the pain of childbirth, she had never shed a tear. Crying only happens when the pain cuts deep into your heart, when love and guilt weigh heavy. And for this unfortunate child, Lily carried both.
“What’s wrong?” Maxwell squatted, not daring to get any closer. He could sense that something was off with Lily; this was the first time he’d ever seen her cry. Maxwell felt a bit lost, not sure what to do. Just moments ago, she was laughing, and now she was crying?
In fact, Maxwell wasn’t entirely sure what he was trying to do. Unlike his naturally aloof personality, indifferent to others, the disappearance of the one he had cared for had left him yearning for connection with the two before him.
When she was younger, Lily was always someone who kept herself pure, choosing to remain isolated rather than engage in the reckless behavior of other girls. Her one experience was that night of drunkenness, though in truth, she had been drugged. And that one night led to a great "disaster," after which she was cast out of her home.
Seeing the vulnerable woman before him shedding tears, Maxwell finally understood what his heart truly wanted.
Lily, I want a child. And I want your love too.
“It’s nothing,” Lily wiped away the last lingering tear, then stood up, holding her son. She smiled at Maxwell, appearing as if nothing had happened.
At that moment, Simon hurried in with the prepared outfits and brought them to Lily's bedroom. After getting changed, mother and son went to the living room. Even though she wasn’t thrilled about it, the contract was still binding. Lily owed Maxwell money, so she had no choice but to comply with his demands, wearing the dress he had prepared and attending the party with him.
Liam looked absolutely adorable in his white shirt with a black bow tie. It was the first time Lily had seen her son in formal wear, and he looked so dashing. She happily crouched beside him, pulling out her phone and switching to selfie mode.
“My handsome boy, let’s take a picture to remember this moment!”
Whether Liam liked it or not, Lily wrapped her arm around him and snapped a few photos. As Maxwell emerged after changing, he saw the woman in the white dress squatting on the floor, forcing her son to take photos. The sweet smile shared between them made for a scene so perfect it was almost like a painting. Maxwell found himself mesmerized by the sight. After a moment’s pause, he suddenly stepped forward, snatching the phone from Lily’s hand. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he clicked the camera button.
Before Lily or Liam could react, they had been captured in the photo. Both were a bit stiff, their expressions caught off guard. Satisfied with the picture, Maxwell sent it straight to his own phone. Lily stood there, still stunned for a moment, staring at him in disbelief. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that she snapped out of it and tried to grab her phone back.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Liam obediently ran over to open it, but the moment he saw a stranger standing there, he frowned.
“Who are you looking for?”