Chapter 1338 On Edge
That evening, the Fields Mansion dining room was unusually full.
With Isaac gone, Azalea sat at the head of the table, flanked by Daryl and Elijah. Cecilia sat next to Elijah, holding Thaddeus, who was constantly seeking Elijah's attention.
Daryl and Elijah rarely ate together at home, likely to avoid awkwardness. But tonight, for some reason, they were both there. Cecilia felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, but Thaddeus kept her distracted with his meal.
Thaddeus was almost ten months old and needed a lot of solid food. At the table, he was constantly grabbing utensils, turning them into his toys.
"Finn, check if Thaddeus's food is ready. He's hungry!" Azalea frowned as she watched Thaddeus grab at the food.
"I'll go hurry them up," Finn said, rushing off.
Thaddeus was now the center of attention in the Fields family, treated like a national treasure, receiving everyone's love and care.
Except for Daryl's. Since Thaddeus moved into the Fields Mansion over a month ago, Daryl had barely acknowledged him, never touching the child.
Cecilia didn't crave Daryl's affection for Thaddeus, but she felt sad for herself and her son. This man, who once swore eternal love to her, now couldn't even muster basic trust. What she thought was an unbreakable love turned out to be a joke.
Thaddeus was innocent, a special gift from God, yet he couldn't receive his biological father's love. Ironically, the man who loved him most was his uncle, who was also rumored to be his mother's lover.
"Thaddeus has grown a lot since he came to live with us," Azalea said, her love for her grandson evident.
Elijah turned to Thaddeus with a smile. "Mom, your eyes are sharp. We weighed him, and he's gained over a pound in the past month!"
"He's at the age where he needs good nutrition. I had a friend bring back a lot of baby food from Averlake for Thaddeus. It should arrive in a couple of days," Azalea said, beaming at Thaddeus.
"Mom, you didn't spoil us like this when we were kids. I'm jealous," Elijah teased his mother.
Azalea glanced at Daryl. "We didn't have the means back then. If you want some, I'll have my friend bring you some too."
"Never mind, I won't compete with Thaddeus for food," Elijah said, reaching out to touch Thaddeus's chubby cheek.
Azalea and Elijah laughed together.
At the table, only Azalea, Elijah, and Thaddeus made any noise. Cecilia and Daryl remained silent.
Just then, Finn returned with a bowl of steaming baby food. "Mrs. Azalea Fields, the food is ready."
"Quick, feed Thaddeus. My grandson is hungry," Azalea urged.
Finn placed the food in front of Cecilia, who scooped a spoonful, blew on it, and brought it to Thaddeus's mouth. "Thaddeus, be good, eat your food."
Thaddeus took a bite, and Cecilia frowned. "Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" The entire Fields family turned their attention to Cecilia, including Daryl.
"What happened?"
"What's wrong?" Azalea and Elijah asked simultaneously, their voices tense.
Daryl didn't speak, but his brow furrowed slightly.
Cecilia put the spoon down and looked at her lap. "I forgot to put a diaper on him. He peed all over me."
Azalea and Elijah sighed in relief and laughed.
"He deserves a little scolding," Elijah said, taking Thaddeus from Cecilia. "Cecilia, go upstairs and change. I'll feed Thaddeus."
"Okay," Cecilia nodded and walked around the table.
As she passed, she glanced up and met Daryl's cold eyes. His gaze was as harsh as ever. Cecilia quickly looked down and hurried out of the dining room.
Upstairs, Cecilia leaned against the wardrobe door, taking a deep breath. The dinner atmosphere had been unbearably awkward, and she hadn't eaten anything.
After calming herself, she found clean clothes to change into. Thaddeus was still downstairs waiting for her.
After a while, Cecilia returned to the dining room and was surprised by what she saw.
Thaddeus was sitting on Elijah's lap, Elijah holding him with one arm and feeding him with the other, carefully blowing on the food to cool it. Azalea was helping, wiping Thaddeus's mouth and giving him water, both of them doting on him.
"Mom, Thaddeus has eaten most of the bowl," Elijah said, looking at the remaining food.
Azalea smiled. "Thaddeus has a big appetite and is growing strong."
Elijah added, "Mom, Thaddeus stayed in Cecilia's womb for almost an extra month. He was nearly eleven pounds at birth, a giant baby. He's always been bigger and hungrier than other kids."
Cecilia remembered Thaddeus's birth. She had planned for a natural delivery, but halfway through, the doctor said the baby's head was too big, and she had to have a C-section. She endured both types of pain, and her body still hadn't fully recovered.
Reflecting on that time saddened her, but all the suffering felt worthwhile when she saw Thaddeus healthy and happy.
Azalea seemed puzzled by Elijah's comment. "Really?"
She glanced at Daryl, who had been silent.
Daryl wiped his mouth with a napkin and threw it on the table. "Are you trying to hint at something?"
The tension in the room was palpable.
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