Chapter 885: Theodore’s Reminder

Nothing else happened that night as they slept in the same bed. Hannah, as usual, woke several times to feed the baby. Most of the time, Oscar woke with her; sometimes, she was too sleepy to keep her eyes open, so Oscar held the baby while she slept and nursed.

Michelle also woke frequently to check on the baby, observing Hannah and Oscar’s collaboration. Several times, she almost intervened but stopped herself. She mused that they could be a happy family if Oscar weren't the country's chief commander. What a pity!

Oscar left the Cooper manor after two days of an unwelcome stay. Hannah walked him to the gate, baby in arms. Oscar gazed at his son, loath to depart.

"Want to hold him again?" Hannah asked.

Oscar nodded, taking the baby and smiling gently. "Hey, little one, Dad will see you again soon. Be a good boy. Stay with Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, and your great-grandma, okay?"

The baby stared at him, adorably attentive.

"Eat well. Sleep well," Oscar murmured, bending to kiss the baby's cheek. The baby gazed up with big, bright eyes. What a doll!

"Dad must go now. Bye, Sal," Oscar said. (Salem Wells' nickname was Sal.)

Returning Salem to Hannah, the baby instinctively grasped Oscar's sleeve. Oscar froze. It seemed the baby didn't want him to leave. Hannah, noticing this, gently removed Salem's hand. Oscar felt the baby had stolen his heart; saying goodbye was agonizing.

"Time to go. Everyone's waiting," Hannah said.

Oscar, with a touch of concern, replied, "Take care. Let the babysitter do her job, okay?"

"I will," Hannah smiled.

Oscar nodded, lingering. His eyes fixed on Hannah and Salem, he wrestled with his reluctance to leave – a departure that might last ten days or more.

"I'll bring Sal to the Capital when he's older," Hannah stated, sensing his hesitation.

Oscar stared at her incredulously.

"You can't travel back and forth constantly. I'll bring Sal to stay with you in the Capital when he's well-established," Hannah explained, smiling.

Oscar, overjoyed, nodded.

"Okay. Off you go," Hannah urged. People and cars waited at the gate; she knew he might linger all morning without her prompting.

Oscar, unable to contain himself, kissed Hannah in front of everyone. Hannah was momentarily stunned; Oscar's impulsiveness was rare. She couldn't push him away and humiliate him, but the public display embarrassed her. The kiss lasted quite a while.

"You should leave now!" Michelle's voice cut through the air from the house.

Oscar recoiled, seemingly afraid of reprimand. He'd been unusually well-behaved under Michelle's watchful eye these past few days.

"Leaving," he breathed.

"Hurry! People are blocking my door. I don't want them thinking we did something improper. Get out of here!" Michelle insisted.

"Okay," Oscar humbly replied before departing, "Mom, please take care of Hannah and Sal."

"Don't call me 'Mom'!" Michelle retorted ruthlessly. "I'm not your mom, you're not my son, nor my son-in-law. Don't try to bond with me. You're nobody to me. You can call me 'Mrs. Cooper'."

Oscar remained silent, enduring her tirade.

"And who are you to tell me to take care of Hannah and Salem? Hannah is my daughter. Salem is my grandson. You're nobody!"

Oscar listened impassively.

"Get out of my sight!" Michelle snapped.

Oscar left immediately. Though Hannah had urged him several times, he'd been stubbornly resistant until confronted by Michelle. He'd been remarkably meek.

They departed in the cars. Hannah, looking back, laughed. "Nailed it, Mom! You scared Oscar away!"

Michelle chuckled, amused by Oscar’s timidity. Feigning anger, she said, "I did it for you!"

"Yeah, I know. You're the best mom ever!" Hannah complimented.

Laughing and chatting, they returned to the house.

Theodore, in the car, grinned mischievously. "Can you believe it? The Commander-in-Chief wasn't welcome!" He'd witnessed Michelle's scolding from the car window. Oscar gave him a sharp look.

Theodore cleared his throat. "Fine. Pretend I saw nothing!"

Oscar stared out the window, lost in thought of Hannah's promise to join him in the Capital. He'd initially dismissed it as a brush-off, but now considered the possibility that she genuinely cared for him more than he’d thought. His heart raced at the thought.

"Oscar," Theodore said gravely.

"Yeah?" Oscar replied, his expression instantly serious.

"The Collins family won't let this go. Matthew lost a leg. They'll bear a grudge. I fear things will escalate." Theodore stated bluntly. He'd tried to dissuade Oscar from his retribution against Matthew, understanding the decision but knowing the consequences: Oscar’s ruthlessness had cost him the Collins family's loyalty.