Chapter 710
Chapter 710
Chapter 710 Ice To Water
After finishing lunch, Avery carried a tray filled with Cal's favorite food, desserts, and fruits and delivered it to the room next door.
Upon seeing Avery enter, Heather shrugged helplessly, indicating that the little boy was too hot- tempered for her to handle. Then, she stepped aside, giving the mother and son some much-needed space.
A barefooted Cal sat on the soft, plush carpet, fully engrossed in assembling his magical beast robot as various parts lay scattered on the floor.
As it turned out, Cal disassembled the latest magical beast robot that Taron had gifted him and was now putting the pieces back together again.
Judging by his serious demeanor, it really looked like he was concentrating hard.
Without further ado, Avery placed the tray on the table and crouched till she was at eye level with the boy. “Cal, I've brought you your favorite foods. Come take a bite.”
Alas, Cal turned a deaf ear to his mother's words as he remained still and continued to assemble the robot diligently.
The complex parts of the robot left Avery in a daze, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make heads or tails of it. In Cal's hands, however, the various parts were assembled swiftly, making him look like a skilled master who could leave everyone awestruck.
Avery held Cal's busy little hands and tapped his forehead affectionately. “Are you still upset? Come on, Sweetheart. Let's eat first. We'll assemble the robot later, okay?”
In response, Cal turned away in a huff. “Now that you have a man, you don't want me anymore. Why are you still here then, Mommy? You can spend your time with that bad man. I don't need your company...” he grumbled, a defiant pout on his face and a strong hint of jealousy emanating from him.
He was, without a doubt, seething with anger.
Avery curled her lips into a gentle smile. “Cal, you're my precious sweetheart, and no one else can compare to you. There's nothing I like more than being with you.”
Cal shook his head somberly. “Hmph! Your precious sweetheart isn't me... It's that Bad Mister from last night!”
The next second, he vented his frustration on the newly assembled magical beast robot by snapping its head off with a loud click. From that alone, it was clear the boy was genuinely upset.
Avery quickly pulled Cal into her arms, “Oh, silly boy, that wasn't a bad man. He's the father you've been thinking about day and night, the one you long to see. Now that he has finally returned from his trip, you should be a little more polite to him. Understood?”
Cal stared at Avery in disbelief, still wearing a frown on his face. “Daddy is a superhero like Superman and Spider-Man. He's not a bad guy who keeps bullying me...”
Avery hastily pushed the robot parts aside and began her patient explanation. “Daddy loves Cal the
most, so how can he bully you? Maybe it's because you two have just met and aren't familiar with each other yet. Once you get to know each other better, you'll understand that Daddy and Mommy love you very much.”
Cal said nothing, prompting Avery to pinch his soft, adorable face.
“You seem to have lost weight, Cal. Your chubby cheeks have slimmed down considerably and aren't as cute as before...”
Even though Cal hung his head and refused to look at his mother, he still snuck a glance at the mirror. “You're lying, Mommy. I'm still as handsome as before. No... I'm even more handsome than before.” Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Avery couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. Haha... This little imp sure is thick-skinned!
With that, she turned Cal toward her and coaxed, “Sweetheart, can you stop being mad at me? Didn't you say you want to grow up quickly so you can protect me? You can't go back on your word, okay?”
Alas, Cal gave his mother a look of disdain. “Mommy, you can ignore me, but I have my reasons to be angry. I'm not a kid with no principles or boundaries. I have my dignity, too!”
Not only was Cal's face identical to Cayden's, but he was also speaking with such stern resolve that it was like staring into a living replica of Cayden.
“Why are you so stubborn?” Avery retorted.
As much as she wanted to spank Cal, she couldn't bring herself to do it after seeing him all huffy and puffy. “I'll be angry if you keep this up.”
Cal's eyes instantly welled up with tears. “You've already given your love to Bad Mister!” he choked out, his voice filled with anguish. “Zach, Rory, and I will no longer be your sweethearts. You and Bad Mister are the real family. I'm just a pathetic, unloved nobody...”
Avery's heart sank, and she couldn't help but hold her son tighter. “Silly boy, we're a big, loving family. How can you ever be a nobody? Truth be told, I'll be sad if you don't like Daddy. I love him very much, but I love you even more. The two of you are the most important people to me.”
Wow... I've never expected Cal to resent his biological father this much. I suppose Cayden's sudden appearance has caught everyone off guard, and Cal only knows him from the pictures he has seen. It also doesn't help that I dedicated my time to Cayden and neglected Cal's feelings. He's a sensitive boy, and he must've felt like he had been abandoned. With how things are now, it'd be rather challenging to improve the relationship between father and son. Oh, dear... What should I do?
Avery's eyes were moist as she lifted Cal's chin and forced him to meet her gaze. Unsurprisingly, her son's eyes were also red and brimming with tears. Even though he looked like he wanted to cry, it was also evident that he was desperately holding his tears back. In that instant, Avery's heart softened.
“You're turning three in six months, aren't you, Cal?”
“Yes...”
Avery wiped the corners of her son's eyes and put on a stern expression. “You're almost a grown-up, so how can you still be crying? Aren't you embarrassed? Don't you know that when you're sad, I get sad too? I'd rather suffer in silence than see my precious Sweetheart be in agony...”
Upon hearing that, Cal wrapped his arms around Avery's neck and said sweetly, “In that case, you should love me more from now on, Mommy. I don't like it when you prefer bad Daddy.”
Avery nodded with a smile. Ah... At least he's willing to call Cayden “Daddy.” That's a good sign. I'm sure that with my patience, I can fix this strained father-son relationship soon.
With that, Avery joined Cal for lunch and even spent over half an hour assembling the magical beast set with him.
Of course, she only observed from the sidelines most of the time, as the components were far too complex.
She had to admit that her youngest son's intelligence was exceptional. If it were her, she reckoned she'd spend the entire day assembling the robot and still not make any headway.
Just then, one of the housekeepers knocked on the door. “Mr. Moore is looking for you, Mrs. Moore.”
Avery quickly got to her feet and waved at Cal. “Stay here and play, Cal. I'm going to meet Daddy and stand up for you. Remember to finish the fruits and snacks that I brought.”
Upon hearing that his mother was leaving to see Cayden, Cal couldn't hide his displeasure. He threw a tantrum again and refused to pay any attention to Avery.
The latter sighed and rubbed her temples. Gosh... I must arrange for the father and son to spend more time together. That might be the only way to improve their relationship.
Meanwhile, Cayden was discussing matters with Taron and Xander in the hall when he saw Avery walk
gracefully out of the adjacent room.
Just like that, the man's icy expression melted into a warm smile, leaving the other two utterly astounded by the speed of his transformation.