Chapter 300 This Question Is Too Sharp
Stuart had tried talking to Claudia and Laura, but it didn't go well. He even reached out to Josephine's parents, hoping to get some insight into her likes and dislikes.
That's when he found out the Kalmien couple didn't give a damn about Josephine. They didn't even know what food or fruits she liked.
Stuart started to wonder if they were really her biological parents.
So, all these years, Josephine hadn't gotten much love from her parents, and he treated her accordingly. She only had three close friends who always looked out for her.
Thinking about this, Stuart's dislike for Liam started to fade.
Plus, Liam had just said he wasn't going to chase after Josephine. Stuart felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders.
But he wasn't totally relaxed because, even though Liam wasn't going to pursue her, it was clear he liked Josephine. What if she ended up liking him back? What if she decided to go after Liam?
Thinking about that possibility made Stuart anxious again.
No way! He still had to see Liam as the biggest threat!
The three of them ordered food and went into the room, where Liam naturally sat next to Josephine. Stuart gritted his teeth and sat next to Liam.
Jeffery sat between Josephine and Laura, while Steven sat next to Laura.
Probably only Stuart was unhappy with this seating arrangement. But no one cared about his feelings.
This was just the beginning. When the food arrived, Stuart felt even more left out, unable to fit into the group at all. He felt like an outsider, watching Steven take care of Laura, Josephine take care of Jeffery, and Liam take care of Josephine. And it seemed there was nothing he could do.
It wasn't that he couldn't do anything; he just didn't know what to do.
Steven said something that made Laura angry.
Laura glared at him, "Don't peel shrimp for me, I don't eat it!"
Steven smiled and put the peeled shrimp on her plate, "If I don't peel it, who will? Since we've been together, have you ever peeled it yourself?"
Laura said, "I just won't eat it."
Steven still smiled, "You should eat it, it's high-quality protein, good for your health. Come on, don't be mad, I'll apologize, okay?"
Stuart realized that Steven really had thick skin. In front of so many people, he could really bend down, lower his head, and grovel in front of Laura.
Most men couldn't do this. Especially since Steven was a man of status.
Watching him, Stuart felt that Steven was overdoing it. 'Don't men care about their dignity? Don't they care about their pride?' Stuart thought.
But what had he just said? Stuart recalled, "High-quality protein, good for your health. Come on, don't be mad."
Stuart thought about it and silently noted it down.
Yes, he had made mistakes before, and now that he wanted to pursue Josephine, what did dignity and pride matter? Learning from Steven was the right thing to do. So, throughout the meal, Stuart kept watching Steven.
Laura noticed something was off and said to Stuart, "Why do you keep looking at him? It's creepy."
Steven, focused on Laura, looked up when he heard this, "What? Who's looking at me? Stuart?"
He was puzzled, "Why is Stuart looking at me? Is there something on my face?"
Laura said, "Stuart, are you interested in him? If so, I'm willing to let you have him."
"Cut it out!" Steven interjected. "Can't I have a moment of peace?"
He looked at Stuart, "What are you up to?"
Josephine looked over, her eyes full of curiosity.
Stuart felt extremely wronged. He glanced at Josephine first, then said, "I'm watching you to pick up some tips."
Steven inquired, "Tips on what?"
"On how to pursue someone," Stuart said honestly, "I think you're doing a great job."
Laura was stunned at first, then leaned against Steven, laughing happily.
Josephine couldn't help but laugh too.
Only Liam shook his head and just curled his lips slightly.
Jeffery also glanced at Stuart.
At first, Stuart felt a bit embarrassed, but remembering Steven's tips, he quickly adjusted his mindset and stayed cool.
As long as Laura didn't stir up trouble, no one at the table was gunning for Stuart.
With Liam sitting between him and Josephine, there wasn't much he could do. He could only watch as Liam served Josephine food and leaned in to chat with her.
Even though Liam used communal utensils and kept a respectful distance, to Stuart, it was a sight that filled him with envy and jealousy.
Midway through, Liam stepped out to take a call, and when he came back, he found Stuart sitting in his seat.
Seeing him return, Stuart said, "I moved your utensils over. Let's switch seats. You don't mind, right?"
Stuart had already taken the seat, so asking if Liam minded was pointless.
Liam had no intention of competing with him, but he also wasn't about to let Stuart off the hook so easily.
He said, "I do mind."
Laura couldn't stop laughing, "Fight! Fight!"
Steven, affectionately holding her shoulder, said, "You're just stirring things up."
Josephine added, "Is this how a godmother should act? Jeffery is here."
Laura immediately looked at Jeffery, "Jeffery, I'm just joking! Even if they fight, it's just a friendly match, not a real fight!"
With this interruption, Liam couldn't say much more.
Stuart had no intention of getting up, so Liam sat in Stuart's original seat.
Stuart, somewhat clumsily, served Josephine some soup, "Have some of this, it's good for your stomach."
Josephine thanked him but didn't touch the spoon.
Stuart couldn't help but serve her some more food.
While Liam had used communal utensils, Stuart, with ulterior motives, used his own.
Josephine noticed but didn't call him out, simply saying, "Don't serve me more, I'm full."
"You've eaten too little," Stuart said. "In winter, you need to eat more to stay warm. You're a bit too thin; gaining a bit of weight would be good for you."
Stuart, like Liam, leaned in slightly closer to Josephine.
This way, he could smell the faint fragrance on Josephine, a scent he hadn't forgotten all this time.
After speaking, he turned to Jeffery, "Jeffery, you should eat more too, so you can grow taller."
"Mommy," Jeffery said to Josephine, "I want to go to the restroom."
Before Josephine could respond, Stuart said, "I'll take Jeffery."
Josephine quickly said, "No need, I..."
Before she could finish, Jeffery said, "Stuart, thank you."
Josephine, helpless, stood up to let Jeffery out from his seat. Stuart then guided him to the restroom, where they washed their hands together. Stuart handed him a paper towel, but Jeffery's smile had vanished.
Stuart intended to take him directly back to the room, but Jeffery didn't move.
Stuart looked at him curiously, "What's wrong?"
"Let's talk," Jeffery said.
Seeing his serious little face, Stuart felt inexplicably nervous.
They sat on the wicker chairs in the hall.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" Stuart asked with a smile, trying to hide his unease.
Jeffery directly asked, "Do you like my mommy?"
"You noticed?" Stuart felt a bit embarrassed, "Yes, I like your mommy. No, I should say, I love her."
"Didn't you love my mommy before? Why did you only realize it after the divorce?"
Stuart didn't expect such a sharp question.
Jeffery, a little over four years old, was now looking at him with a serious face. Although he had no real ability to threaten, Stuart felt a bit intimidated.
Stuart could easily brush it off since Jeffery was just a child. But he didn't.
He reflected and shared, "I made a lot of mistakes in the past, leading to my separation from Josephine. However, after we parted ways, I came to understand that she is the one I truly love."
Jeffery asked, "Does my mommy still love you?"
This question hit hard, leaving Stuart feeling vulnerable and shattered.
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