“That’s what you came to me in the wee hours of the morning? No way,” said Esmae decisively. “I’ve promised Arthur.”
“The paperwork isn’t done yet, so what are they gonna do if you go back on your words?” Spencer said, without principle. What he said raised questions about his character.
Walking up to Spencer, Esmae looked him straight in the eye and said seriously,
“Spencer, Teddy was born under my watch. I have loved him since. He is like my biological grandson. I will never let him suffer. Do you understand what I mean?”
Spencer was stunned. Faced with Esmae’s sharp eyes, he couldn’t say anything insincere but,
“But then Lucia won’t be so comfortable around me.”
That was what Spencer really wanted to keep Theodore.
Esmae sneered from the bottom of her heart and said, “I advise you to start with your feelings. Don’t think of using anyone to blackmail Lucia. After all, blackmail can’t last forever. Teddy is slowly recovering from his illness. You don’t have much leverage.”
Spencer frowned and thought.
“Lucia is very much against you, as you might expect. If you can’t overcome that, you can’t win her heart. Young man, so be patient,” Esmae added.
Spencer countered in his heart that he wanted her and her right right away, but on the surface, he was submissive,
“Ms. Wilson, I will.”
“Be good tomorrow.” Esmae nodded contentedly, reminding Spencer.
Spencer smiled and said, “Absolutely!”
The next morning, Theodore woke up to find his mother sleeping next to him. He was so happy that he screamed and hugged Lucia’s neck and kissed her.
Lucia smiled gently and hugged her son, accepting his love.
“Mommy, yesterday, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, and uncle all came to see me. They even promised to bring me home,” said Theodore happily, leaning in his mother’s arms after he had had enough kisses.
“Teddy, do you want to be with Daddy?” Lucia asked with a smile on her face even though she was miserable.
“Yes,” Theodore replied quickly, muttering to himself that he would be happier with his parents, but he knew he couldn’t ask.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. I will listen to Daddy from now on.”
“Teddy I’m sorry.” Knowing her son’s consideration, Lucia’s eyes turned red and she hugged her son tightly to apologize.
“You don’t have to apologize,” said Theodore, holding his beloved mother in his arms,
“I will wait for you to come back for us.”
Lucia looked into her son’s bright eyes and asked, “Teddy, do you think I will ever come back to Daddy?”
“Of course!” Theodore said. “All princesses and princes who love each other can be together. So can you and daddy! I believe that!”
“Okay, I promise you that I would come back to you one day. Until then, you have to stay by your Daddy’s side, but don’t tell him about our conversation today, okay?” Lucia promised her son seriously.
“Okay!” Theodore agreed with a smile, but secretly thinking of something.
He’ll get to know Spencer.
Lucia did not know that her son’s mind was far more incisive than she had imagined.
Just after breakfast, the Edwins visited again, and Arthur saw Lucia again, but with Spencer by her side.
Their eyes met, and there was a hint of ambiguity in them. Arthur and Lucia tacitly did not mention what had happened that night.
With a fake smile on his face, Spencer greeted the two elders politely, only to be met with a faint glance back at him. He was not annoyed but amused. Now that Lucia was by his side, he was already a winner.
Esmae arranged for a lawyer to consult on the transfer of custody, and the family power proved to be superior. The transfer, which would have taken several business days, was completed that afternoon.
Lucia wrote her name on an agreement to relinquish custody and gave Arthur her most precious son.
After the procedure was over, there was some sort of routine. Now Theodore was in recovery. He was taking a lot of medication every day, and he had to be extremely careful with his diet. Esmae didn’t want to talk to Arthur, but she did not trust others to arrange, so she can only patiently and personally remind him.
Arthur took Esmae’s every word seriously for fear of missing something, but Theodore wasn’t worried. He said to his father like an adult,
“Dad, don’t worry. I remember what medicine I take.”
“Look at you,” Arthur said, rubbing Theodore’s head with a smile, “You get your intelligence from me. Don’t you think I won’t remember that?”
Theodore thought and smiled, “Yes, indeed.”
Looking at Arthur and Theodore’s warm interaction, Esmae felt relieved, even though she didn’t want to admit it.
As if accustomed to parting with his mother, Theodore obediently leaned into Arthur’s arms as he left Browns Manor, and fixed his gaze on his mother and the man beside her. He was just a kid but showed sensibility and endurance that even many adult couldn’t have.
“Teddy, be good,” Lucia said to her son as Arthur was leaving.
“Well, I know,” said Theodore with a smile, “And you need to remember our promise.”
“Of course,” replied Lucia with a gentle smile, and she watched Arthur’s car leave. Although she did not want to part with him, she was really at ease now.
“Lucia, what did Teddy say the promise is?” Spencer asked, standing next to Lucia and looking at the receding car.
“None of your business,” said Lucia coldly, looking away
Spencer frowned. Unable to express his frustration, he said, “We’re done here. Let’s go back to Miami.”
Lucia sneered and asked him, “Do you think this trip is still necessary?”
Spencer was speechless. From the start, the trip seemed like a joke.
“Go home,” said Lucia coldly, having made up her mind.
She had put on a good show with him.
Back in the living room, Lucia came to Esmae, who was sitting on the sofa, and asked, “Esmae, why don’t you see Teddy Off?”