Become a mother in a night

Chapter 4

With a gentle laugh, Eleanor said to her son, Alex, "The little one beside her is Lizzy Xia—she's your daughter."

Alex immediately recalled the "friendly advice" the butler had offered him earlier. It seemed the old man truly did have his best interests at heart. On the outside, Alex appeared unaffected, a portrait of composure. But inside, he felt as if he were weathering a storm. He took a brief look at his "daughter." He thought, 'She doesn't resemble me in the slightest. If you're going to play such a trick on me, at least bring a child who looks a bit like me!'

He was speechless and bewildered by the ongoing charade but knew he had to maintain his poise. Moving his gaze from the child's face to the woman beside her, he said in a deep voice, "It's been a long time."

Facing him, Michelle took in the tall, handsome man before her—mature and composed. Yet she didn't recognize him, even though he was supposedly the father of her child. After a moment of stunned silence, Michelle echoed Alex's words, her tone equally grave, "Yes, it's been a while."

Neither seemed keen on reminiscing about the past, and both appeared reluctant to continue the conversation. Eleanor observed the duo—their exchanges, their reactions—and thought, 'Both of you sure are good actors.' She was the kind of person who loved a good show, but this reunion was starting to feel a bit lackluster. It was nothing—absolutely nothing—like what she had imagined.

Alex paid no heed to Eleanor. He knew his mother all too well—she was probably just bored and relishing some drama. He had no intention of discussing the matter of the "daughter" with Eleanor and Ms. Xia at the dinner table. The three sat without pleasantries or conversation, intending to get through the meal in silence.

Lizzy was a perceptive child. Although unaware of the situation, she could sense her mother's reluctance to remain. By coincidence, she didn't like being there either. The surroundings felt too alien to her. What she truly cherished was the large bed at their home. She made up her mind to finish her bowl of millet porridge and then tell her mother she wanted to go home. The energy of a young child is finite. Combined with the fact that Lizzy was unwell, she easily grew tired. She ate like a little chick pecking at seeds, waking up just in time to prevent her forehead from hitting the table. She'd then continue, spooning the porridge drowsily.

Michelle noticed the young girl beside her fading but, having no experience with children, was unsure what to do. Eventually, when the little one's head did knock against the table, Michelle felt a mix of amusement and pity. Setting down her own utensils, she began to feed Lizzy the remaining half bowl of porridge. It was Michelle's first time feeding a child, resulting in porridge smeared all over the little girl's face.

Undeterred by the glances from Eleanor and Alex, Michelle held her ground, unfazed. In her eyes, if Lizzy was messy, it was entirely the child's fault. What did it have to do with her? By the time she managed to feed the rest of the porridge to Lizzy, Michelle felt as if her arm might fall off from fatigue.

An observant servant, noticing the child's messy face, handed Michelle a warm towel. Just as Michelle was about to express her gratitude, Lizzy took the initiative, grabbing the towel. Silently, she wiped her face, then handed it back, voicing a soft, childish "thank you."

Michelle paused, feeling as if the little one had just thrown her a shade of silent reproach.

After the arduous dinner, Michelle felt drained to her core. She wished she could be like Lizzy, where a mere yawn would lead Eleanor to immediately rush her off to bed. But she wasn't Lizzy. She still had to face the impending questions from Eleanor and Alex about the origins of the child.

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Earlier, just as dinner had concluded, Lizzy had begun to act petulant, expressing a desire to go home to bed. Michelle had actually intended to seize this opportunity to promptly take Lizzy home. However, before she could make her intentions known, Eleanor had interjected.