The bright and determined look in the child’s eyes left Lily stunned, speechless for a moment. All she could do was smile as she watched her son. Just as Lily went into the bathroom, Zelda Bennett quickly approached and stood in front of Liam. She calmly sat down, pretending to grab a skewer of grilled meat, and smiled at the child.
"Where’s your mother?" she asked.
"She just went to the bathroom," Liam replied without much thought.
At this moment, Maxwell was probably discussing work matters with Lucas Greek, so he didn’t have the time to pay attention to what was happening elsewhere.
Zelda smiled gently and asked, "What’s your name, little one?"
Without hesitation, the boy answered, "Liam Bennett."
The name made Zelda pause for two seconds. Then she asked again, "So, is it true your father is dead?"
Liam was beginning to sense something off about this unfamiliar woman. His dark eyes stared straight into hers, as if trying to decipher her thoughts through her beautiful face. Perhaps it was the child's innocent and pure gaze that made Zelda feel uneasy.
Liam seriously pointed toward Maxwell, who was standing nearby. "My dad isn’t dead. That’s him right there."
After saying this, the boy’s lips curled into a bright smile. Seeing the innocent smile on his face, Zelda felt even more frustrated. She forced a kind smile, then pointed to her flat belly and said, “Soon, my son will be his real child. Your mom didn’t want to upset you, so she lied. Your father never wanted to see you from the moment you were born, and even your mother doesn’t know who he is."
Zelda thought the boy would burst into tears after hearing her cruel words. Seeing others in pain always brought her joy.
However, Liam calmly took a bite of his skewer, glanced at her belly, and pointed at it. “Ma’am, I don’t see any baby in there.”
Finishing his food, Liam wiped his mouth, clapped his hands together, then ran toward Maxwell with his short little legs. He tugged on his sleeve and shook it. Maxwell bent down and whispered something to him. From a distance, Zelda frowned as she noticed Maxwell casting a displeased glance her way. She forced a smile and shook her head, ready to step forward and explain when the boy came happily running back to her.
He looked at her seriously and said, “Dad told me he didn’t even notice a baby in your belly. Are you lying to tease me?”
"You..."
Zelda stood up angrily, glaring at Liam. The boy looked at her with innocent eyes, as if the situation had nothing to do with him, then shrugged. He looked just like a little devil disguised as an angel, Zelda thought to herself.
When Lily came out of the bathroom, she saw Zelda standing near her son and hurried over to him. Seeing this, Zelda walked toward Maxwell.
Lily gently patted her son’s head and asked, "What happened? Did she bully you?"
Liam shook his head. "I just asked Uncle Maxwell if he knew her. He shook his head and said no. He also said he’ll stay with us tonight."
Lily hugged her son and laughed. “How was your swimming lesson today?”
At this moment, Zelda stood in front of Maxwell. She smiled and said, “Sorry to interrupt, I have something I’d like to say to Chairman Thornton.”
Since the collaboration had already been discussed, Lucas Greek smiled and nodded at Maxwell before walking toward Lily and her son.
Holding a glass of wine in his hand, Maxwell glanced at Zelda. “What do you want to say now?”
"Max, I was just joking with the little boy earlier. Don’t take it seriously," Zelda said with a somewhat awkward smile. There was no baby, of course. She and Maxwell had no relationship, so how could there be? She only wanted to scare the boy, but who could’ve guessed the child would be so clever as to run to Maxwell for confirmation?
Maxwell glanced at Zelda, his tone stern. "What did you say to him?"
Zelda was stunned for a moment by Maxwell’s question. Didn’t the boy tell him anything? She suddenly realized she had been tricked by the child. Frowning, she asked, “What did he say to you? Why did you look so upset when you glanced at me?”
Maxwell shifted his gaze toward Liam, who was standing nearby. The woman holding him was laughing and chatting happily with Lucas, looking quite close.
Placing his wine glass down, Maxwell walked toward the three, leaving Zelda behind once again. She clenched her fists tightly. No one had ever dared to fool her like that, but that boy did. He had the audacity to use his words and gaze to trick her into making Maxwell misunderstand.
Sensing someone watching him, Liam turned and raised an eyebrow, winking at Zelda.
The entire evening, Zelda found herself haunted by the boy’s gaze, making it impossible to enjoy her meal. Finally, she realized that some things were more complicated than she had anticipated. She would have to reconsider her plans for the future.
Early the next morning, Zelda drove back to her home.