Chapter 223: Children Are Fond of Kind People

Elena presented Jonathan with the valuable toys she’d brought, hoping to cheer him. Little did she know, Jonathan was uninterested. “Thank you, Grandma Elena,” he said, “but Mommy said not to accept things from strangers.”

Cecilia fought the urge to intervene. She wasn't sure if Elena recognized Jonathan and remained cautious.

Elena crouched before him. His words stung. “Jon, how could I be a stranger? We’ve known each other for months! I adore you.” Assuming he meant Vivian, she added, “Is your mommy worried about me? I’ll invite her for tea after Thanksgiving. Then we won't be strangers, right?”

Jonathan hadn't anticipated Elena’s persistence. For twenty of the last thirty days, under the guise of collecting Felix, she'd showered him with gifts and food, all of which he'd refused. Remembering Elena’s past treatment of Cecilia, his expression darkened. “Grandma Elena,” he said, “even a child knows that if someone dislikes you, no amount of trying will change that.”

Elena was stunned, not only by his rejection but also by the echo of Nathaniel’s childhood words. “You don’t like me?” she asked, distressed.

Jonathan offered a polite smile. “I’m sorry, Grandma Elena, but I have my own grandma.”

Only Cecilia understood—a familial resemblance perhaps. Only Elena's own grandson could wound her so deeply. She had offered him at least a hundred gifts, all rejected.

Felix, held by the secretary, watched jealously. “Why is Grandma Elena so fond of Jonathan? He’s not even her real grandson!” he exclaimed. The secretary, equally perplexed, noted Elena’s unwavering affection for the boy.

Cecilia observed from afar, still baffled by Elena’s actions. Unbeknownst to her, Jonathan had noticed her, but pretended not to, knowing she wished to remain unseen.

As the Kennedy family chauffeur arrived, Jonathan said to Elena, “Children are fond of kind-hearted people.”

Elena was heartbroken. The child she adored didn't see her kindness. I am no saint, she thought, but how could a child…

In the car, Elena's usual reserve returned. Turning to Cecilia, she asked, “Did you see? Doesn’t he resemble Nathaniel?”

Cecilia's tension eased. “Yes, there’s a resemblance.”

Elena smiled bitterly. “More than a bit. When I first saw him, I thought he was my grandson. If he were, I’d give him the world.”

Cecilia was speechless. Perhaps she wasn’t the ideal mother-in-law, but she loved her grandson deeply. It was the Rainsworth family's refusal to let her raise her own child that had led to this deception.