Chapter 28 Where’s Your Respect?
Hearing her child’s sobbing, Nicole felt devastated as if a thousand needles were pricking her heart. She tenderly patted him and waited for him to calm down before asking, “Where did you go, Hayden? You got Mom so worried!”
Hayden lifted his head from Nicole’s arms and revealed his sorry eyes, muttering, “A bunch of bad guys barged into our house and carried me away. They brought me to the sea. And my face hurts from the wind blowing.”
At once, Nicole hugged her child’s head as her heart thumped. The sea… As she was comforting her son, she raised her head to look at the remaining three on the couch. She pulled a freezing, straight face as she glared at the three, coldly interrogating, “Why is Hayden here?!” She squinted her eyes. I was right after all. It was all their doing!
“Don’t be so angry, Nicole. Hayden’s my grandson. There’s no way I would hurt him, right?”
At that moment, Lydia stood up with a gratifying look and walked over to caress Hayden.
Nevertheless, Nicole took a step backward and evaded her hand. Standing still, she swept her gaze across the Andersons. “You said you knew nothing of his whereabouts, so why is he here?!”
Queenie looked up, disdain and resentment evident on her face. If it weren’t for William’s persistent hindrance, the little rascal would have drowned in the waters by now. “No matter whose child he is, he is still Dad’s grandson. What’s wrong with Dad wanting to see him?” she questioned, her voice hostile.
Hearing that, Nicole lowered her head and looked down at Queenie, revealing a belittling smile. “What you did was abduction!” Her eyes were evidently red, and having spent the night without slumbering left her extremely energyless. Nonetheless, now that her son was right in her arms, she couldn’t be more relieved by the vivid sensation.
“Don’t be mad, Nicole. We’re family, right? Come, sit down, and we can have a nice chat,” Lydia, standing at the side, suggested.
Disgusted by their pretense, Nicole intensely leered at them. She would never forgive the people behind her son’s abduction. “Be prepared to get sued. Imprisonment is coming for all of you.”
Eventually, Queenie lost her patience and sprung up from her seat, gazing at Nicole as she sternly yelled, “Why are you being so difficult, psycho? Even if Dad divorced your mother, he’s still legally your father. And since when has a father meeting his grandson become kidnapping?”
Queenie was infuriated just by thinking how William’s behavior changed after knowing Nicole was Lisa. Enraged, she continued, “You’re not trying to disown your own father after becoming the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel, are you?”
At those ridiculous words, Nicole burst out laughing. There was nothing but delight on her face, realizing how they spoke nothing of Hayden’s journey to the sea, but kept going on with the grandfather-grandson talk, and only a dimwit couldn’t tell why.
“My own father, you said?” She turned to William with a fierce gaze. “Since when has he treated me as his daughter?”
Meanwhile, Hayden, growing tired after crying for some time, shut his eyes and fell asleep in Nicole’s arms.
“Oh, Nicole. I’m really sorry for the past few years,” William softly uttered. “I’m getting old, and my heart can no longer take any conflicts. All I want right now is to have both my daughters by my side…”
Before he could finish, Nicole interjected, “Oh, Mr. Anderson. I don’t deserve so much kindness, for I’m not part of the Anderson Family.”
Initially, William intended to continue pleasing her, but seeing how Nicole was so eager to cut ties with him, he instantly scowled in embarrassment. Subconsciously, he raised his voice. “What the hell are you talking about? Regardless of what happened, I’m still your father who raised you for eighteen whole years! And this is how you speak to me?!”
Nicole snickered. If it weren’t for the fact that her child was sleeping, she would have fired back. Regaining her composure, she turned around to leave as she lost her desire to entertain her corrupted “family.”
“What’s wrong with you, Nicole?! Dad’s talking to you! Where’s your respect?” Right as Nicole landed a foot out the door, she heard Queenie yelling.
Before she could make a response, Zachary came in and defended her. “If you want others to respect you, fix your own conduct before you start blabbering about respect!”
