Chapter 2: Scolded, and Called Annoying

Alexander Blackwood stood beside a woman, a small boy held between them.

It was Oliver, the same boy who had thrown his arms around Eleanor two hours ago and begged her to fetch him a cake.

Eleanor stopped dead where she was.

---

Inside an elegant restaurant, Eleanor sat far across the room, her eyes fixed on the table by the window. She didn't know why she had come in. Her feet had simply carried her.

With her own eyes, she watched Alexander serve food onto Vivian Sterling's plate, pour her wine, and wipe the corner of her mouth. Anything that had to do with Vivian, he did himself.

The restaurant was quiet and refined, so Ollie's voice carried easily across the room.

"Daddy, you were so busy feeding Lily's mommy that you forgot your precious son!"

His voice was bright and childish, and he didn't sound the least bit upset. He looked at the man and woman across from him, who were laughing behind their hands.

Then Alexander and Vivian reached for their forks at the same moment. Two pieces of meat landed on Ollie's plate together.

"Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Mommy Vivian!" Ollie beamed.

Vivian stroked his hair. "You're the birthday boy today, Ollie. Wherever you want to go, your daddy and I will take you."

"Wow! Yay!" Ollie clapped and cheered.

At the next table, a couple were whispering.

"Look at that man. He's obviously someone important, and he still took the time to bring his wife and son out. He's such a good husband. And what a beautiful family!" The girl's voice was full of envy.

"Don't I take you out too?"

"Ha! How many times did I have to nag you before you agreed to this one meal?"

The man had no answer.

Eleanor heard every word, and her head spun.

She had heard the word family so many times today. And not once had it included her.

She had flown across the continent. She had spent half a month burying herself in work, all to be here on time to celebrate her son's birthday. She had thought Ollie would be happy. She had even thought Alexander might finally soften toward her.

It had all been a one-woman show.

---

At the window table, Ollie put on a paper birthday crown. Alexander and Vivian sang to him.

"I wish for Daddy and Mommy Vivian to stay with me forever! I'll work really hard and grow up to be a son you're proud of!"

Alexander laid a warm hand on the boy's head. "Good boy."

"Daddy and I will always be with you, Ollie," Vivian said softly.

The three of them were smiling. Then the phone in Ollie's bag rang.

He pulled it out, and the moment he saw the name on the screen, panic flashed across his face.

Oh no. I forgot about Mommy.

Is she still waiting at home?

"Hello? Mommy...?"

At the sound of his voice, Alexander and Vivian both turned to look at him. The smile vanished from Alexander's face, replaced by distaste and impatience.

Ollie held the phone and asked carefully, "Mommy, is something wrong...?"

"I got the cake. Which restaurant are you and Daddy at?"

Ollie frowned. "Um... Mommy, Daddy and I aren't at the restaurant yet!" He couldn't think of a single good excuse. "It's the weekend, and we're stuck in traffic!"

"Which restaurant are you going to? Tell me where, and I'll come right now."

Eleanor's calm voice left him even more lost. He slapped a hand over the phone and stared at his father with wide eyes, begging for help.

Alexander understood at once. He frowned, took the phone from Ollie without a flicker of expression, and said, "What is it?"

"I've got the cake," Eleanor said. "Where are you? I'll come to you now."

"No need." Alexander cut her off coldly. "Eleanor, if you have nothing important to say, don't call me and annoy me."

He hung up.

The moment he heard her voice and pictured her face, irritation rose in his chest.

I sent her to Ravenmoor to keep her out of my sight, and she still finds a way to haunt me.

Ollie took his phone back and bit his lip. "Daddy, Mommy's looking for us. What do we tell her when we get home?"

Alexander rubbed his head. "I'll take care of it."

The gloom on Ollie's face melted away, and his dark eyes shone. "Great! Lily's mommy, now we can have fun!"

Vivian patted his shoulder. Then she looked at Alexander, bit her lip, and hesitated before she spoke. "Alexander, Miss Hayes is Ollie's real mother, after all. Maybe we should let her join us..."

"Vivian." His face was still dark. He looked at her without a trace of wavering, and his voice turned colder. "If it weren't for Eleanor Hayes, you would be Mrs. Blackwood."

"So don't pity her. She doesn't deserve it."

Whenever Vivian brought up Eleanor, he lost his temper, so she rarely did. Today was Ollie's birthday, too. But seeing that Alexander's attitude hadn't changed, she could only wrap her arm around his, pat it gently, and say, "All right."

Ollie sensed the mood sinking. His round eyes darted around, and he started telling funny stories from school to pull their attention back.

Soon, the warmth and laughter returned to the table.

---

Not far behind them, Eleanor had seen everything.

She let out a long breath and closed her eyes.

She felt like a clown, hiding in the dark and spying on a family of three. In that family, she was the one who didn't belong.

A bitter smile touched her lips.

A waiter approached. "Excuse me, miss. I noticed the injury on your arm. Do you need any help?"

Eleanor looked down. There was a scrape on her arm, the blood already dried. She shook her head. "Thank you, but no."

She stood.

The waiter noticed the beautiful cake left on the table. Cartoon characters were drawn across it, from some adventure game that had been very popular lately. "Miss, your cake..."

"Throw it away."

Eleanor walked out without looking back.

---

On the busy streets, she drove with no destination.

At the end of one road, she saw an amusement park.

A family of three walked past her car. A father, a mother, and a little girl between them, holding both their hands, laughing as they headed through the gates.

Eleanor stopped the car, bought a ticket, and went in.

She sat on the carousel, alone in the middle of all that noise.

A little boy on the next horse asked his mother, "Mommy, don't only grown-ups with kids ride this? Why is that lady all by herself?"

His mother smiled. "Because that lady doesn't have a child, so she came to play by herself."

Eleanor looked away. Her smile was cold and bitter.

When the ride ended, she walked down the path with her hands in her pockets. As she turned a corner, she saw two figures walking toward a fork in the path.

She stopped, her eyes fixed on the tall man ahead.

He was the man she had thought about almost every day in Ravenmoor.

A slender woman clung to his arm.

I never expected to run into you here.

Reason told her that the phone call earlier had been humiliating enough. She should turn around and walk away without a second thought. But the memory of Ollie's happy face made her hesitate. After a few seconds, she followed them anyway.

The park was packed, so she kept a little distance, close enough to hear them.

"Alexander, didn't Ollie say he wanted to ride the bumper cars?" Vivian said. "They're right up ahead. Let's go."

"All right. Hold on to me. Don't let anyone bump into you."

"Okay"

The woman leaned closer to him.

In the man's arms, the boy shouted, "Daddy! Lily's mommy! Let's go crash into everyone!"

The three of them walked off together, laughing.

Eleanor gripped the strap of her bag until her fingertips turned white. Then, slowly, she loosened her hand and kept following.

At the bumper car arena, the three of them squeezed into one car. Alexander took the wheel and charged into the crowd while Vivian held Ollie close. They looked like an ordinary, happy family of three, having the time of their lives.

Eleanor stood behind the crowd and watched their smiling faces for the whole afternoon.

By the end, she was nearly numb. She had forgotten what pain felt like.

At dusk, the three of them left the park.

Not far away, Eleanor watched with a blank face as Alexander, ever the gentleman, helped Vivian into the car.

So... Do I really have to keep staying by his side?