Meanwhile, in the Saunders family, Raymond strode downstairs and went straight to the kitchen to ask Natalie, “Mom, are you ready?”
“I’ll have to wait another half an hour.” Natalie lifted her wrist and glanced at her watch.
Raymond sniffed the strong aroma in the air and said, “It smells so good!”
“Do you want to eat it?” Natalie asked with a smile.
“Would you give it to me? Didn’t you make for your precious daughter? I would have to stand aside and wait for my turn if I want to eat it.” Raymond said pitifully.
“Hey, when have I ever treated you badly? Don’t you feel guilty when you say that?”
Raymond touched his nose and changed the subject with some embarrassment. “Why does this take so long? Didn’t you start cooking in the morning? Why isn’t it done even after six hours?”
“I had to simmer this on a small flame so that the soup becomes thick and flavourful,” Natalie replied slowly.
She was very calm, but Raymond was in a hurry. “I thought it would take two hours at most. If I had known that it would take such a long time, I would have gone there first.”
“Why didn’t you go then? I didn’t say that I need go with you.”
“Well, I’ve been waiting for such a long time.” Raymond turned around and said, “I’ll check the things to bring.”
“What’s there to check? Aren’t they all packed up? You’ll mess it up again after checking.” Natalie reminded him.
“I’m just afraid that we’ll miss out on something. Don’t you know how detestable William is?”
“How did William provoke you again? Raymond, stop being so petty. What do you think others would think of you?”
“I’m just ranting to you right now. When I went to see Cade and Santhos yesterday, William didn’t even let me touch them. He even teased me with a sneer and said that I should give them a big gift. He said that I didn’t give them any presents even though they’ve been born quite a few days ago. There were other people in the room at that time, but he humiliated me.
Natalie couldn’t help laughing. “He’s just joking with you. Do you have to do take it so seriously?”
“Why not? I really didn’t give them any presents. It’s all your and Dad’s fault. I wanted to buy something for them, but you guys insisted on waiting until they are a month old. I’ve been embarrassed so badly. I’m going to shove the gift in front of William’s face today and let him know that I’m not someone to be trifled with.”
“You’re getting even more agitated. I don’t believe that you’ll dare to do that to William because Bobby will be the first to break your arm.” Natalie turned her head and looked at Raymond with a faint smile.
“How dare he!” It was obvious that Raymond was not confident enough.
“Why not? Let’s make a bet if you don’t believe me.” Natalie said with a faint smile.
“Are you really my mom? Why are you always trying to sabotage me? I’m just venting my anger, so you should stand on my side. William is only your son-in-law, and I’m your real son. How can you be so biased towards him and ignore my feelings?”
Natalie laughed and said when she heard Raymond’s aggrieved words, “I’m not being biased and I’ll support whoever is more reasonable. You said that William is an outsider, but he’s a very good son-in-law and I’ve always thought of him as a family member.”
“Alright, that’s enough! I get even angrier the more I think about it. Hurry up and prepare the soup so we can leave.”
Natalie smiled and turned off the fire to fill up the thermos flask with the chicken soup she prepared. Raymond hurried out of the door after that with the thermos bottle and several bags.
The luxury car of the Saunders family stopped at the parking lot of the maternity centre where Valeria was staying after about 40 minutes.
The bodyguards immediately came over and opened the door when they saw that the Saunders family’ had arrived. They greeted Natalie respectfully.
“Good evening, President Garcia!”
“You’ve worked hard!” Natalie said warmly to the bodyguards, who were all William’s mercenaries. They would swap every three hours and they were standing under the suite where Valeria was staying. Even Natalie felt sorry for them for working so hard.
“It’s not hard and it’s our duty! Sir is also here as well. President Garcia and Mr. Saunders, please!”
The bodyguard pressed the elevator button after Natalie and Raymond entered the elevator.
They could hear Hayden’s hearty laughter when they walked out of the elevator and he sounded extremely happy.
Natalie and Raymond hurried to the door. Hayden was holding Santhos in his arms and he said with a smile, “My grandson smiled! He keeps smiling at me because he knows how much I love him!”
William sat on the sofa with his phone in his hand. Upon hearing this, he frowned and said, “Dad, Santhos smiles at everyone.”
“Nonsense. He didn’t smile when Mont and Archer hugged him. He knows that I’m different from them because I’m his real grandfather.”
Raymond burst into laughter when he heard Hayden’s words. Hayden then looked a little embarrassed when he turned his head and saw Natalie and Raymond.
“Our in-laws are here!”
Natalie knew that Hayden was embarrassed, so she didn’t expose it and nodded with a smile. “I’ll bring some soup to Valeria.”
“Valeria is inside, you can go in,” Hayden said enthusiastically. He then looked at Raymond, who was carrying a gift in his hand. “Are you doing this just for the sake of it?”
“No.” Raymond handed the gift in his hand to William. “This is the gift I prepared for my two nephews. Take a look.”
William didn’t take it and he said to Raymond with a faint smile, “Why did you give it to me? I’m not your nephew.”
“You’re my nephew’s father, aren’t you? I have to give it to you because they’re still too young to know about any of this. Otherwise, everyone will say that I don’t have any etiquette if I don’t buy a present for my nephews.”
William narrowed his eyes. “Does that mean you wouldn’t buy a present if no one said anything?”
“It’s not that, but I wanted to give it to your children when they’re a month old,” Raymond explained.
“No matter what, I don’t think you’re that willing to give this to me. Let me see why this present made you so unhappy.” William slowly opened the beautifully wrapped box.
Raymond stood to the side and stared at William. The boxes were filled with ownership certificates of expensive real estate and he was looking forward to seeing William’s surprised expression.
However, Raymond was wrong. William picked up one of the certificates in the box and put it down. “Is this a gift from you?”
“Of course!”
“I remember that these properties belong to your parents. What does this have to do with you?”
Raymond was stunned. William looked at him and said with a faint smile, “Are you embarrassed because you took someone else’s things and pretended that it was yours?”
“You…” Raymond was speechless and the veins on his forehead bulged out.
William put away the box and said slowly, “You don’t have to give something expensive as long as it’s from the heart. You shouldn’t have taken someone else’s belongings. To tell you the truth, etiquette is not as important as your intentions. I wouldn’t be upset even if you buy silver accessories at a roadside stall and give it to Cade and Santhos. You’ll be taken as a joke if word spread out that you gave away something that doesn’t belong to you.”