Chapter 456: He Can Never Forgive Him
A significant part of Elliot's temperament mirrored his mother, Cecilia. Martha had long worried that Nathaniel might not treat him kindly, so she offered a word of caution.
“Don’t worry,” Nathaniel reassured her calmly. “I won’t give the child a hard time.”
Later, showering and lost in thought, Elliot devised a plan to keep his mother away from his father. He decided to take the initiative.
That night, at bedtime, Elliot clutched Cecilia’s hand. “Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?”
Cecilia, surprised by the request from her usually shy son, readily agreed. “Of course,” she said.
Elliot's face lit up, and he snuggled close. When the lights went out, he wrapped his arms around Cecilia and asked, “Mommy, where’s Mr. Reese?”
Cecilia hesitated. Since their last dinner together, Calvin hadn’t contacted them. “I’m not sure, Eli. Maybe he’s busy with work,” she replied, masking her own concern.
Elliot was unconvinced. Calvin had always made time for them. What had changed?
“Mommy, I really miss Mr. Reese. Can you call him for me?”
Cecilia realized she hadn’t contacted Calvin recently herself. She, too, wondered how he was, so she dialed his number.
In a distant Erihal hospital, Calvin’s phone rang. His friend, Yannick, answered, frowning at the caller ID.
“Calvin’s been in trouble for ages, and you’re just now calling? You’ve got some nerve,” Yannick muttered, glancing at the battered Calvin surrounded by medical equipment. He immediately ended the call and blocked Cecilia’s number.
“Calvin, I’ve got to say it—you deserve better. You shouldn’t be involved with a married woman,” Yannick said, placing the phone on the bedside table.
Meanwhile, Cecilia tried calling again, only to hear a busy signal. Sighing, she put down her phone, hoping he was simply occupied. “He’ll call back once he sees the missed calls,” she murmured, reassuring Elliot.
But Elliot was skeptical. Calvin had never ignored his mother before. What had happened? He pushed the thought aside, focusing on his mother’s relationship with his father.
“Mommy,” he said, “I really like Mr. Reese. I’ve even told Mr. Rainsworth that Mr. Reese is my real dad. Can you consider being with him?”
Cecilia was startled. “What?”
Elliot persisted, “I don’t like Mr. Rainsworth, Mommy. I like Mr. Reese. Would you marry him and let him be my dad?”
Cecilia hugged him gently. “Sweetie, you’re too young to understand. Marriage requires both people to care for each other.”
Elliot countered, “So, do you like Mr. Rainsworth or Mr. Reese?” His gaze was intense.
Cecilia chuckled, trying to diffuse the tension. “I don’t like either of them in that way. Mommy only likes Eli and Jonathan,” she said, evasively.
Elliot saw through her deflection and remained silent, already formulating a new plan.
Unexpectedly, Cecilia asked, “Eli, do you dislike Mr. Rainsworth?” She’d seen them interacting earlier and thought they’d gotten along.
Elliot immediately shook his head. “No, Mommy. I don’t like him at all. Please don’t ever be with him.”
Despite Nathaniel’s occasional kindness, he had abandoned them and nearly caused their mother’s death by collaborating with a dangerous woman. The hurt was profound, and Elliot couldn’t forgive his father.