“Ian, why didn’t you answer my question? Why did you come down when I clearly told you to stay upstairs? You’ve been getting more disobedient lately!”
When Sebastian found out Matteo had sneaked out of the lounge, he cut his meeting short and came right over to give his son a good scolding.
Mateo felt wronged in all ways, but he could not say anything. He desperately wanted to say he was not the son Sebastian was looking for. However, there was nothing he could do. He totally did not expect Ian to go down.
He sat on the couch and rested his face on his palms, exasperated.
“Could you please give me some peace, Daddy? I’m so frustrated right now. I just want to have some freedom! I’m already five. You can’t keep me indoors my whole life!”
“What did you say?”
Sebastian sat up straight when he heard what Matteo said.
To him, Ian was a quiet kid. He was never a child that talked much, neither would he tell others about his feelings. Ian had always been a withdrawn child. Even when he was angry, he would just lock himself in his room.
Sebastian was befuddled when he heard Ian said he was frustrated from the lack of freedom, and that he wanted to go out and play?
A frown carved between the man’s brows as he got off the chair and walked over. He knew something was wrong.
“Look at me, Ian. Did the doctor say anything to you?”
“Huh?”
Matteo looked up at him and blinked his eyes innocently at his father.
Sebastian’s frown intensified. “I mean the doctor who came in the morning. Did she say anything to you? Why did you suddenly follow her to the company? What happened?”
If Matteo had not known Sebastian was talking about his mother, he would well have thought the man was referring to an evil woman from his interrogative tone. There was enmity and hatred written all over his face as if the woman meant harm to his child.
So, this is how you bully Mommy all the time?
So much for being a man. You deserted a woman and two children, and now you’re talking about her as if she’s the bad person here.
Matteo’s heartbeat quickened as he leaped off from the couch. He stood right up in front of Sebastian and glared at him.
“What do you mean, Daddy? What did she do? She took care of you and brought me here. Did she do anything wrong? Who are you to question her like this?”
Completely dumbfounded, Sebastian never his son could argue! He would always wallow in his own corner when he was angry, and he would not speak to anyone. Since when did he learn to talk back to his father?
“I’m not questioning her behavior. I’m simply reminding you to not be over-trusting of other people!”
“Other people? You sound like she’s an outsider, but she’s actually the person who treats me the nicest!” Matteo shouted at the top of his voice.
He was fuming with anger right now. He went past Sebastian and shot towards the door.
What a meanie! I don’t need a Daddy like him!
How dare he speak badly of Mommy in front of me? She’s the best person on earth. I’d rather not have this Daddy if it meant I’d lose Mommy!
Matteo ran towards the door with incipient tears welling up in his eyes.
Sebastian was frantic with worry. He was about to run after Matteo when he saw the boy bumped right into Luke, who happened to come in.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Hayes? Why did you make Ian cry?”
Luke quickly shut the door behind him, preventing Matteo from running out of the room.
Sebastian got on his feet and went to Matteo before squatting down in front of him, holding his shoulders awkwardly.
“Ian, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t badmouth her like that. Will you forgive Daddy?”
Matteo was definitely not expecting an apology. As he came to think of it, Sebastian was not entirely mean. After all, he had his own ways of bringing up his child. He was incredibly objective when it came to matters concerning what was right and wrong. The man would apologize if he was at fault, even if he was the father.
Sebastian knew he should not be biased towards Sasha.
Although that woman had her faults, she was still a responsible doctor. She cared for him, and she genuinely loved the child. He should not have doubted her.
Sebastian picked up the crying child and went back to the couch.
Over on the other side, Ian was equally shocked to find himself in a bizarre situation. He was forced into a cab and brought to a preschool. Everything was so unexpected that he did not even know how to react.
“We’re lucky we got back just in time, Matt. It’s almost time for Mommy to pick us up.”
Vivian held Ian’s hand as she talked about how she got her brother back from Hayes Corporation to their preschool with Mrs. Grint’s help.
She was feeling so proud of herself she did not even notice the expression on Ian’s face. He was someone who valued his personal space highly. He did not like people invading his space, neither did he like people touching him.
But ever since he got on the cab, the little girl kept touching him with her chubby hands, and she even clung to him and talked to him in his ears.
At first, he was petrified, but after some time, he grew numb to all her advances.
