Chapter 425: Dad Came to See You

Especially after that time Sharon Sutton and Anne Sutton had a falling out over David Hayes’s job...

Nathan Fawcett hadn’t had a very good impression of Sharon Sutton since then.

So Anne couldn’t understand why he seemed so happy to see Sharon.

Nathan Fawcett said to Anne Sutton, "With her here to keep your mother company, you won’t have to worry so much!"

Because Anne Sutton was staying with Mrs. Sutton, it was inconvenient for Nathan Fawcett to have her move back in with him.

After all, they couldn’t just leave Mrs. Sutton home alone.

But now things were different!

Sharon Sutton’s arrival had saved him.

Anne Sutton saw right through his plan. "You’re hoping I’ll move back in with you, aren’t you?"

"You figured it out."

Anne Sutton said, "Even with Sharon here, it doesn’t mean I’ll agree to move back in with you."

"..." Nathan Fawcett glanced at her. "Do you really not want to live with me that much? Grandfather is leaving in a couple of days to recuperate."

"He’s leaving again?" Anne Sutton asked, surprised.

Nathan Fawcett said, "He feels it’s too noisy at home. Too many things get on his nerves every day, so he wants to go somewhere more peaceful."

"Is he going abroad?" Anne Sutton stared at Nathan Fawcett.

Nathan Fawcett explained, "Probably to the countryside. He won’t go abroad; he just got back from a trip and doesn’t want to leave the country again. So, if Sharon is here, you should move back home with me, right? Don’t you want to live there? Don’t you want to be with me?"

"..." Anne Sutton rolled her eyes at him. "Stop trying to use your good looks to tempt me! Let’s wait until after your grandfather leaves to talk about it. I’m a little afraid of him."

’It wasn’t that she was afraid he would scold her, but rather that he would play the victim.’

"Okay," Nathan Fawcett said. "We can talk about it then. But I’d still love for you to live with me at home! I found a school for Ian, right near our house. It’s a much better school. My thinking is... it’ll be harder for him to come home all the time, so if you’re living at my place, you’ll still be able to see him often."

Anne Sutton processed what Nathan Fawcett said. "You’ve decided to send him to school?"

"He’s not a baby anymore!" Nathan Fawcett said. "He has to go sooner or later. Besides, when we’re both at work, he’s just at home with nothing to do. It gets boring for him, don’t you think?"

"That’s true," Anne Sutton said. "It’s about time he got out and made some friends!"

Nathan Fawcett said, "I thought you were going to disagree with my decision."

Anne Sutton was in the passenger seat, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window. She shot Nathan Fawcett a look. "Do you really think I’m that unreasonable?"

Nathan Fawcett chuckled.

When they arrived at the Sutton residence, Ian was sitting off to one side, talking to Donna.

Ian had become quite articulate.

Donna was nodding along enthusiastically to whatever he was saying.

Watching her son’s mature and composed demeanor, Anne Sutton realized how much he resembled Nathan Fawcett in that moment.

Ian caught sight of Anne Sutton from the corner of his eye and immediately jumped to his feet. "Mommy, you’re back!"

A smile instantly spread across Anne Sutton’s face at the sight of her son. "I’m back."

Ian ran to Anne Sutton and threw his arms around her. "Mommy, I missed you so much! Why were you gone for so long? Ian really missed you! I missed you so much every night that I couldn’t fall asleep."

His words made Anne Sutton laugh. "You’re already such a sweet-talker. You’re still so little, how could you miss Mommy so much you can’t sleep?"

’He probably sleeps like a log every night!’

Hearing his mother’s doubt, Ian protested indignantly, "But it’s true! I’m not kidding."

Anne Sutton picked him up, planting a big smooch on his cheek. "Mommy missed you too! That’s why... I rushed right over to see you as soon as I got back!"

Ian’s eyes landed on Nathan Fawcett, who was standing nearby. "Daddy, tell Mommy! Didn’t I miss her a lot every night?"

"Did you?" Nathan Fawcett feigned ignorance.

Ian was speechless. "...But I told you every single night."

For the entire time Anne Sutton was away, Nathan Fawcett had been the one to put Ian to sleep each night.

But because the boy refused to go to sleep, Nathan had to spend a lot more time with him each evening.

...

Anne Sutton carried Ian out onto the balcony. The sun was out, and it felt pleasantly warm.

Anne sat down with her son in her arms, and Nathan Fawcett had someone bring her a glass of water.

He sat down nearby.

Anne held Ian, chatting quietly with her son.

Nathan Fawcett didn’t interrupt.

The afternoon sunlight created a tranquil scene.

Anne Sutton asked Ian, "Did you have lunch?"

"Just a little," Ian said. "Mommy, I want to eat your noodles."

"Okay! Do you want some now? Mommy can go make them for you."

"You really don’t get tired, do you?" Seeing her ready to cook for their son the moment she returned, Nathan Fawcett felt a pang of envy. Deep down, he was a little jealous of the boy.

Back when it was just him and Ian, depending on each other, he’d never felt this way.

He’d always felt that he and his son were perfectly close.

But now that Anne Sutton was part of their family, everything had changed!

He couldn’t help but compare, feeling that Anne loved Ian more than she loved him.

’Sometimes, it feels like my place in Anne’s heart is far below Ian’s!’

Anne said, "What? You don’t want any?"

Nathan Fawcett gazed at her, his eyes soft. "I do."

Hearing that, Anne Sutton laughed. "Well, there you have it!"

’He accuses me of never getting tired, but then he wants some too.’

Anne Sutton had just come downstairs when she saw Ryan Linden walking in.

’It feels strange, not having seen him for the past few days.’

He saw Anne and asked, "When did you get back?"

"What are you doing here?" Anne Sutton asked, watching him.

Ryan Linden said, "What, I can’t be here? Mrs. Sutton hasn’t said I can’t visit, so what right do you have to question me?"

Nathan Fawcett walked over to stand behind Anne, shooting Ryan Linden a look.

Cowed by the glare, Ryan Linden flinched and quickly explained to Anne, "I came to see my son!"

Ever since his last visit to see Anna Linden, she had been making him write apology letters, a task he was still working on.

Every time he finished one, Anna Linden would deem it insincere.

Still... it wasn’t without its perks.

At least now he was occasionally allowed to come and see his son.

’It was laughable, really. Back when Lana Langley was at home with the kid, all he thought about were his own problems. When he was off gambling, he never once considered what kind of future his son would have.’

’Now that he couldn’t see Lana and the child anymore, he spent every day thinking about the boy.’

Just as he finished his explanation, Donna came downstairs with Ian.

Ryan Linden’s face lit up when he saw Donna. "Son, come here! Give Daddy a hug."

Donna had been staying at the house for a while now, playing with Ian every day.

So when he saw Ryan Linden suddenly appear, he was naturally hesitant.

’After all... even though he was little, he knew it was wrong for his dad to always be hitting people.’

He asked, "What are you doing here?"

"You little brat!" Ryan Linden exclaimed. "What kind of thing is that to say? Can’t your dad come to see you?"

With that, he walked over to Donna and forcefully swept him into his arms.

Anne Sutton’s heart clenched as she watched the scene unfold.

’For some reason, she couldn’t stand seeing Ryan Linden hold the child like that.’