The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: What Kind of Fate is This?

Half an hour later, Zachery was sitting at the dining table in Rosalind Garden.

Nathaniel Sloan asked Zane Grant in a low voice, "What happened? You rushed over here without even eating breakfast?"

He had just been worried about Christian, so he’d made a routine call to Zane Grant, the family doctor.

He never expected that a quarter of an hour later, Zane Grant would show up at his door with Christian.

Hearing this, Zane Grant couldn’t help but purse his lips. ’What kind of father is he? His son misses him, so isn’t it okay for him to come visit?’

"You’ll have to ask Christian about that. I swear, you’re such an irresponsible father. You’re gone for one day, and he’s already saying he misses you, begging me to bring him here to see you."

The more Zane Grant spoke, the more indignant he became. "Do you just not come home often? Are you neglecting Christian?"

Nathaniel Sloan froze for two seconds, a wave of pleasant surprise washing over him. "Christian, you missed Daddy?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Zachery shifted guiltily in his seat. He saw himself as an upright and cool little guy who was terrible at lying.

So, he said drily, "I guess... I missed you."

Nathaniel Sloan didn’t notice anything was amiss, merely remarking with some curiosity, "Christian seems a bit more energetic today."

Hearing this, Zachery gave a soft "Heh."

’He can’t even recognize his own son. What a scum dad!’

Zane Grant didn’t think much of it. "He’s probably just happy to finally see his daddy. Right, Christian?"

Zachery pouted. "Yeah. Daddy, I’m hungry. Let’s eat."

With that, he reached for a plate of dumplings.

"Christian, did you not sleep well last night? These dumplings have shiitake mushrooms in them. You’re allergic," Zane Grant said, quickly moving the plate away.

Zachery faltered, then turned to grab a piece of pastry.

Zane Grant quickly interjected again, "Your stomach is weak. You can’t eat glutinous rice products in the morning. They’re hard to digest."

"Christian, sweetie, this milk is too cold. You can’t drink it."

"Huh? I remember you don’t like this dish. Why has your taste changed...?"

"Be careful not to choke. The last time I came to treat you, it was because you choked on peanuts..."

After Zane Grant’s nagging spiel, he noticed ’Christian’ had gone silent. "What’s wrong?"

For the first time, Zachery understood what it felt like to have a table full of food but not be able to touch any of it.

He looked at Nathaniel Sloan, his eyes full of resentment.

’How did the young master even survive to the age of five without starving to death? Forget the allergies—he can’t have things that are too cold, too hard, too soft, too difficult to digest, spicy, sweet, or salty. No wonder he’s so frail and sickly.’

’Young Mr. Sloan must have been raised on dew drops.’

"I can’t eat any of this?"

"That’s right." Zane Grant didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. Whether Christian *could* eat these things was one thing; more importantly, he didn’t even like them.

Nathaniel Sloan stroked his hair. "I didn’t know you were coming, so Luke White prepared things you can’t eat. I’ve already asked him to make something new."

Zachery said gloomily, "Daddy, have you ever heard of a certain idiom?"

Nathaniel Sloan was taken aback, wondering how Christian’s thoughts jumped around so quickly. "What idiom?"

"It’s called ’giving up eating for fear of choking.’ It means you’re so afraid of choking that you stop eating altogether."

Zachery’s tone grew even more resentful, yet it was tinged with a sense of righteous indignation. "I’m still growing. If I can’t eat anything, how am I supposed to get taller? How am I supposed to develop? I bet the reason I’m in such bad shape is because I’m not allowed to eat anything!"

Nathaniel Sloan paused. Because of Christian’s special constitution, everything he ate had to be carefully screened before it was served to him.

He’d never complained about it before. ’Could it be that this is what he’s been thinking all along?’

As he spoke, Zachery’s brow furrowed.

’Do normal people really have so many dietary restrictions? This scum dad doesn’t seem like the type to abuse his child. Could it be that Noelle Lockwood is deliberately keeping the young master from eating?’

Zachery felt a pang of pity based on his own speculation. ’The fight for the young master’s right to eat starts with me!’

With that, Zachery immediately picked up a dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth. "Who knows better than me what I can and can’t eat? I..."

As the shiitake mushroom slid down his throat, Zachery suddenly felt a prickly itch and immediately broke into a terrifying coughing fit.

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression changed. He quickly scooped the boy up. "Spit it out!"

Zane Grant was shocked too, his face turning deathly pale. "You know you’re allergic to shiitake mushrooms! How many times have you tried it and had a reaction? But you’re just so stubborn. Every time you see them, you have to eat one. Christian, sweetie, I really don’t know what to say to you anymore... I’ll go get the medicine!"

Zachery: "..."

Zachery was dumbfounded.

Zachery questioned his life choices.

’Damn, I’m allergic to shiitake mushrooms? How did I not know that?’

’But now that I think about it, it’s true. Mommy never lets me eat shiitake mushrooms.’

’What kind of fate is this between me and the young master?’

’Also, what Zane Grant said was weird. What did he mean, ’Every time you see them, you have to try one; you always have a reaction, but you’re still so stubborn’?’

’So Young Mr. Sloan can be rebellious too? In that respect, he’s a lot like me...’

As these thoughts ran through his head, Zachery drifted off to sleep.

"Based on past incidents, he should wake up after a little while," Zane Grant said helplessly. "This personality of his—so stubborn he won’t give up even after hitting a wall—who on earth did he get it from?"

Nathaniel Sloan laid Zachery on the bed, his expression unreadable. "His mother."

Zane Grant fell silent.

’Like Estelle Lockwood? ...That’s true. The Estelle Lockwood from five years ago was exactly like that.’

’The Lockwood Family disliked her, looked down on her, and belittled her, yet she tried time and again to get close to them. She had no foundation in perfumery and was rejected by all the teachers and scorned by the Lockwood Group, but she never gave up.’

’Estelle Lockwood was the kind of person who would never turn back after hitting a wall. Even if she was beaten black and blue, she’d see her path through to the bitter end.’

’The only thing she gave up on five years ago... was Nathaniel Sloan.’

Nathaniel Sloan gave a light chuckle, changing the subject. "I haven’t seen Christian this lively in a long time."

Christian used to be quite lively, but at some point, he grew more and more silent and withdrawn.

Just as Zane Grant was about to speak, Luke White knocked on the door. "Sir, it’s time."

They had an appointment this morning to inspect the quality of the raw materials at the Rosalind Farm, and they couldn’t be late.

Zane Grant nodded. "Leave Christian to me. You go ahead. If you’re really worried, I’ll give you an update on his condition every half hour."

...

At nine in the morning, Estelle Lockwood and Nathaniel Sloan went to the Rosalind Plantation.

This plot of land was dedicated to cultivating perfume-grade roses. The planting, harvesting, and distillation all used the world’s most advanced techniques to preserve the purest rose fragrance.

Everyone from Star Group was very satisfied. After the inspection, one of the managers said:

"President Lockwood, Mr. Sloan, it’s almost noon. Would everyone like to have lunch together? Today’s special is wild mushrooms flown in by air. They’re only available this season."

Another manager, who was very familiar with Estelle Lockwood, immediately shook his head. "Oh, that won’t do. Yara is allergic to mushrooms, so she can’t eat any of this. And her two kids are allergic, too."

"What a shame... Well, what about Mr. Sloan? I heard Young Mr. Christian came along. Does he like these kinds of things?"

Hearing this, Nathaniel Sloan paused, his gaze falling on Estelle Lockwood.

’Didn’t she used to love shiitake mushrooms? How could she be allergic?’

Nathaniel Sloan asked in a raspy voice, "I never knew Miss Lockwood couldn’t eat mushrooms."

Estelle Lockwood thought of something, and her smile deepened, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

"Plenty of people are allergic to mushrooms. What’s so strange about it? You seem so surprised, Mr. Sloan... Could it be that you’ve remembered some past event and are suffering from a guilty conscience?"