Although Damian was just an adorable little child, he was probably more mature and intelligent than his peers.
Although Matthew was oblivious to why he called him so affectionately earlier, Clarissa understood.
He must have noticed that his mother was unhappy. Even if he did not understand what the woman was talking about, he was sensitive enough to realize it.
Earlier, he refused to acknowledge Matthew when he called him Damian Tyson. He probably did not understand what last names signified, but since he was used to being called Damian Quigley, he had to rebuke Matthew’s words.
The young boy gazed at Clarissa pitifully, his eyes filled with indignance. He pouted, looking like he was on the verge of crying.
Unable to bear it anymore, she stretched out her arms and took him back into her arms.
When she carried him, he immediately broke out into a smile. Hugging her neck cutely, he declared, “Mommy, I only like you and no one else!”
Matthew, who had just been referred to as “no one else,” frowned. When he saw Damian acting cutely in Clarissa’s arms, he did not find him adorable at all. Instead, he clenched his jaw in frustration.
“Speak properly. Why are you acting cutely despite being a boy?”
While Clarissa hugged Damian, he made a face at Matthew. Then, he burrowed deeper into her embrace and said cutely, “Mommy, I’m your dearest darling!”
Clarissa suppressed her laughter, patted his back, and replied, “Of course you are! I love you the most, my darling…”
Matthew’s face fell, and he seemed to want to say something, but Clarissa shot a warning glance at him.
At the sight of her glaring eyes, Matthew held himself back and remained silent.
After Clarissa coaxed Damian, she tried asking, “Damian, why did you call for Daddy just now, but you don’t want him now? Aren’t you happy Daddy’s here?”
Snuggling in Clarissa’s embrace, Damian rubbed his head against her and stayed silent for a while.
As she waited patiently for his answer, she exchanged glances with Matthew silently. Finally, Damian spoke. Although his voice was muffled, she could understand him.
“Mommy, you don’t like her. Her son also kept talking about how amazing his daddy is, how he brought him out to play and bought a lot of toys…”
Even though the mother was bragging outside, I didn’t expect her son to be doing the same thing inside.
No wonder they are mother and son.
Matthew frowned and looked at Clarissa in confusion.
She merely described what had happened earlier before reassuring Damian, “He bragged about his father to you, right? But what’s there to show off? Your daddy’s taller, more handsome, and richer than his! He bought more gifts for you too!”
Damian moved his butt slightly, looking like he was starting to be a little convinced.
Clarissa smiled and lifted his head. “Look, you actually like Daddy, right? He bought you so many more toys! Doesn’t he make you proud?”
Damian’s resolve was starting to waver after hearing what his mother said. He cast a glance at Matthew but averted his gaze quickly before staring back at him for a while.
Matthew smiled slightly upon noticing the boy’s antics.
Meanwhile, Clarissa tried to send Damian back to Matthew’s embrace. This time, he did not resist and ended up in his father’s arms.
Although he was hugging Damian unfamiliarly, Matthew laughed. Unlike his frosty tone earlier, his voice was much gentler when he said, “I’ll teach anyone who bullies you a lesson, okay?”
Damian nodded. “I don’t like Jackie. He’s really mean. He keeps stealing my toys and insulting Mommy…”
Matthew raised his eyebrows while Clarissa explained, “Jackie’s a kid in our neighborhood. He’s two years older than Damian. As he’s been spoilt, he has a really arrogant personality.”
Matthew snorted coldly. “Spoilt? It’s his parent’s fault. Damian, I’ll teach Jackie a lesson.”
Actually, Jackie’s parents were quite decent. However, his grandmother would bump into them occasionally and gossip about how Clarissa had a child before marriage behind their back.
They lived in a high-class neighborhood, so the residents were quite civilized. Yet, they would sometimes come across a few people like Jackie’s grandmother. Clarissa could not be bothered to deal with them. As she did not know them and barely met them, she deigned to be petty with them. However, whenever she bumped into Jackie’s grandmother outside the house, she would deliberately smile at her provocatively. Clarissa wanted to see how frustrated the old woman could get when she was helpless to act on her displeasure.
“That’s enough. What are you talking about? Jackie’s parents are decent people. We live in the same neighborhood, so let’s not sour our relationships with others. They’re just so busy with their business that they neglected their child’s education.”
A cold glint appeared in Matthew’s eyes. “They neglected their child because they are busy. Only incapable people would use work as an excuse. Am I right, Damian?”
The young boy raised his head. “What does ‘incapable people’ mean?”
Matthew stroked his head and explained, “It refers to people who don’t have the ability to protect their family or work.”
Damian immediately puffed up his chest. “When I grow up, I’ll protect Mommy, Great-grandma, and work well!”
“Pfft!”
Clarissa burst out laughing at his statement. Damian’s determined look made him seem like a real man.
Matthew was quite pleased with this.
“You’re amazing, Damian! You’re my dearest son!”
Damien blushed in embarrassment upon being praised. His eyes crinkled, and a small grin spread across his cheeks, making him look utterly adorable.
Even though Matthew was not as affectionate toward Damian as Clarissa was, his heart melted into a puddle when he saw the little boy’s smile.
He hugged Damian tightly, kissed his forehead gently, and smiled.
The car stopped outside the Prime Hotel, the most famous hotel in W City. Other than the hotel suites, the restaurant was also nationally renowned.
Just like its name, the food was of prime quality.
Matthew walked into the hotel, carrying Damian in one arm and holding Clarissa’s hand with his other. The family of three was so good-looking that they immediately became the focus of everyone else’s attention.
Despite being so exceptional, no one could recognize which family they belonged to.
W City was unlike D City. Here, Clarissa felt much more at ease.
They did not enter a private lounge as Damian loved to look around. Furthermore, the private lounge was a little stuffy. Hence, they preferred dining outside where they could admire the scenery as they ate their meal.
Damian sat down on a child’s booster seat and was provided a set of cutlery that was specifically for children. It featured adorable cartoon characters and bright colors. He stared at it excitedly for a while before glancing at the people around him.
Damian was not easily intimidated by new surroundings or situations. He especially liked observing good-looking people, regardless of whether they were male or female. He had a pair of large eyes, and whenever he saw someone, he would break out into a large smile. Any stranger would love such an adorable child like him.
While Clarissa chatted with Matthew, Damian was busy smiling at the people around him. He looked exceptionally cute as he greeted almost everyone who looked his way.
“Hello, sir! Hello, ma’am! Hello, everyone!”
He greeted all the diners in his vicinity. Everyone took an instant liking to this adorable and handsome child.
Sitting at the side, Clarissa felt exasperated and embarrassed. Doesn’t he ever feel shy?
She shot an apologetic smile at the couple nearest to them.
“Damian, they are eating. Let’s not disturb them, okay?”
“Okay!”
After speaking, Damian smiled at the people around him again.
As his mother, Clarissa quickly apologized on his behalf. “I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
However, the couple was not bothered at all. The woman whispered to her, “Your son is so cute!”
Before Clarissa could reply, Damian was already flattering her.
“You’re so pretty!”
“Pfft…”
When the man sitting opposite the woman heard what Damian said, he could not help but laugh.
“Are you teasing my wife?”
Damian stared at him with his eyes wide open, not understanding what he meant.
On the other hand, Clarissa felt extremely embarrassed.
Laughing, the woman rebuked, “What are you talking about? Isn’t he speaking the truth?”
“Yes, yes. Of course!”
The couple looked at each other and exchanged affectionate smiles before returning to their food.
Clarissa whispered to Matthew, “Did you see that? Were you so good at flattery when you were younger?”
The man raised his eyebrows at her question. As he wiped Damian’s mouth, he said, “Everyone says the son takes after his mother.”
Those words needed no other explanations.
Clarissa snorted. “I wasn’t like that when I was a child. He definitely resembles you.”
“Fine, he resembles me.”
Whenever couples talked about who their child resembled, the conversation always ended up like this.
Naturally, the child’s bad aspects resembled the other party, while the good aspects resembled their own.
However, Matthew conceded willingly. What else could I have done? It is whatever she says it is.
They were about to leave once they were done with dinner when they bumped into the couple, who dined near them earlier, in the car park.
The woman seemed to like Damian a lot. She walked over and chatted with him briefly before leaving.
The couple only started talking in the car after Clarissa and her family had left.
“That family looks quite familiar.”
The man smiled. “I didn’t recall who they are initially. I only remembered when I looked at my phone just now. He’s Matthew Tyson, the president of Tyson Corporation.”
“Huh? That was him?”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect that we’ll bump into him in this small city. He even has a wife! Tsk, who would’ve imagined it? Should I sell this major piece of news to the newspaper? I’d earn loads if I did that!”
At that, the woman laughed and chided, “That’s enough! Stop fooling around. Are you sure she’s his wife?”
“Of course! Didn’t you notice their wedding rings?”
“They kept this whole thing lowkey. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re married if they have matching rings. Men like to act differently in public and in private, right? It’s such a pity that a beautiful woman like her and an adorable boy like him cannot be revealed to the public. No good man exists in this world…”
“Don’t associate me with them, darling. I’m a good man. Don’t be angry! Also, I think Mr. Tyson probably isn’t that kind of man. Forget it! Let’s stop talking about them. We’ll return to D City tonight. We’ve had enough fun, so let’s get back to work.”
The woman snorted, her silence indicating her agreement with her husband’s remark.
