Free Web NovelChapter 49: Chapter 49: Running Away From Home
Dinner had just been set on the table when there was a knock at the door. Candy immediately rushed to get it.
Cecelia Archer assumed Doris Morton had arrived, but when the door opened, she was surprised to see a little boy about Candy’s height. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"Aidan? What are you doing here?"
She was so surprised and delighted, she rushed over to greet him.
"Who brought you here? Grandma King? Why didn’t you call me before coming? Auntie would have prepared more tasty treats. Where is Grandma King? Why don’t you both come in?"
Cecelia Archer assumed the nanny and driver had brought him and were waiting outside. She was about to call them in for a bite to eat, but Aidan Grant tugged her to a stop.
"I came by myself. I ran away from home. Auntie, can I stay at your house tonight?"
’What? Ran away from home? His house isn’t close to here at all. A child this young, running away from home?!’
Cecelia Archer quickly knelt, took his small hand, and asked, "What happened? Why did you decide to run away? Who upset you?"
Aidan Grant said with puffed cheeks, "I don’t want to be my dad’s son anymore! He doesn’t understand me at all, and he doesn’t like me. I want to be your kid!"
"The cartoons all say a kid with a mom is a treasure. Even though Candy Archer doesn’t have a father, she’s so happy with you. She’s much better off than me. Auntie, please let me be your son. I promise to be good and not cause you any trouble."
Seeing his aggrieved yet innocent expression, Cecelia Archer’s heart ached for him, though she also found it a little amusing. She hugged him and patted his back gently.
"Of course. Auntie would be thrilled to have you as a son, but we have to get your father’s permission. Otherwise, he’ll think you’re lost and get worried. How about we give him a call, okay?"
"No! He won’t be worried about me, he’ll just find me annoying. I’m not calling him!"
Just as he said that, his stomach let out a loud GRUMBLE.
Aidan sniffled, his eyes fixed longingly on the dining table.
"It smells so good... I’m starving. Auntie, could I please have something to eat?"
Cecelia Archer had also heard his stomach growling. ’It’s probably best to let him eat and calm down before calling his family,’ she thought, leading him to the dining table.
With the two children sitting on either side of her, Cecelia Archer put food on one plate and wiped the other’s mouth. The three of them ate happily, chatting and laughing about their day at school.
「The Grant Residence.」
The nanny finished preparing dinner and went to Aidan Grant’s room to get him, but he was nowhere to be found. In a panic, she knocked on Shane Grant’s door.
"Sir, is the young master in your room?"
Outside, the sky was growing darker, with signs of an approaching typhoon. A lingering injury from a car accident four years prior made his leg ache terribly in this weather. Shane Grant’s voice was cold and grim.
"No. What’s wrong?"
"Oh? Then the young master... he’s..."
Shane Grant pulled the door open. Beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead, and his weakness was plain to see on his lean face.
"What’s happened to him?"
"He... he seems to be missing..."
It was Aidan Grant’s first time eating such authentic spicy crab. It was fragrant, fiery, and incredibly satisfying. The spice turned his little mouth bright red, and he’d accidentally splattered some oil on his shirt.
Cecelia Archer took him to the bathroom to wash his face. "Let me find one of Candy’s T-shirts for you to wear. We should get that shirt off you so I can wash it, okay? If we wait too long, the oil stain will be impossible to get out."
Cecelia Archer was so gentle and smelled so sweet, and her cooking was delicious. Aidan Grant adored her; he was willing to do anything she asked.
"Okay."
After changing, he and Candy sat on the sofa to read a fairytale book. Cecelia Archer covered the dinner she had set aside for Doris Morton and was just walking to the bathroom when a furious BANGING erupted from the front door.
"Open the door! Who’s in there? Open up!"
’What’s going on? Who could be so rude?’
Afraid of frightening the children, Cecelia Archer quickly ushered them behind her.
"Who is it?"
"Police! Open the door!"
’The police? I haven’t done anything wrong. Why would the police be at my home?’
Cecelia Archer opened the door. Instantly, a group of people in uniform flooded in and, without a word, began searching for someone behind her.
"Is that him, Mr. Grant? Take a look, is that Aidan Grant?"
One of the officers pulled Aidan aside.
A tall, lean figure in a crisp suit stepped slowly into the narrow entryway.
His face was pale, and fine droplets beaded on his forehead, perhaps from the rain outside.
Though his expression was grim and his presence imposing, his sharp, youthful features were a near-perfect match for Aidan Grant’s. He was obviously the boy’s father.
Cecelia Archer understood.
’Aidan Grant’s father must have thought he was missing and called the police.’
"Mr. Grant?"
Before she could finish, Shane Grant’s icy gaze shifted from his son to her face.
"You’ve already changed his clothes? If I’d arrived any later, would you have spirited him out of Veridia? You’ve got some nerve, trying to pull a fast one on me."
’What does he mean, spirited him out of Veridia? What does he mean, pulling a fast one on him?’
’Does he think I’m some kind of kidnapper?’
Just as Cecelia Archer started to explain, Shane Grant gave his son a cold command.
"Aidan Grant, get over here. Who told you you could run off like that? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Does everything I tell you go in one ear and out the other?"
Seeing his cold, unreasonable father, Aidan Grant grew even more upset. He struggled furiously, broke free from the officer’s hold, and ran to cling to Cecelia Archer’s leg.
"Don’t you talk to Auntie like that! She’s nice! She was good to me, and I like her! You can’t be mean to her!"
"I don’t want to be your son anymore! You’re not good to me at all! I should call the police to have *you* arrested! You’re a bad father! All you ever do is yell at me! I’m not going back with you!"
"Officer, I want to get a new mom and I don’t want this dad anymore. Can you help me?"
Realizing it was all a misunderstanding, the officers left Cecelia Archer’s home shortly after.
CRACK—a bolt of lightning tore across the sky, the wind howled, and a torrential downpour began.
Inside the apartment, the man and the boy stood in a silent standoff.
Aidan Grant clung to Cecelia Archer’s leg, refusing to let go. The sweat on Shane Grant’s forehead grew thicker. After staring coldly at his son for several seconds, he spoke again, his voice icy.
"My patience is almost gone. Come home with me while I still have a shred of it left."
"I was out of line earlier. You running away is half my fault, so I won’t hold it against you. There’s no need to be scared. Let’s go."
But Aidan Grant refused to budge. "I told you, I don’t want you to be my dad! And I hate being bossed around by Grandma King and everyone all day! It’s always ’don’t do this’ and ’you can’t do that’! I’m never going back to that house! You go home by yourself!"
"Aidan Grant!"
"I brought all my red envelopes with me! Auntie may not be as rich as you, but if we’re careful, we have enough to last for a while. We don’t need you worrying about us, so just go!"
The nanny, who was standing in the entryway, heard the young master speaking so defiantly to Mr. Grant and hurried over.
"Young Master, Mr. Grant is your father. For you, he..."
Shane Grant’s expression grew increasingly grim. The combination of the pain in his leg and his son’s disobedience put him in a foul mood.
"Don’t bother. If he wants to stay here so badly, then let him!"
With that, he turned on his heel to leave in a fit of pique, but his leg seized up, refusing to obey.
