Chapter 213 Nolan Cunningham Mistakes Justin for Timmy
"You've really got the wrong door; it's just my mommy here," Justin explained patiently to Timmy, fetching him some tasty snacks from the kitchen and boasting, "These are made by my mommy, super yummy."
Timmy gobbled up the food, clearly having been out for quite a while.
"Take it easy," Justin poured him some chocolate milk.
With his cheeks stuffed, Timmy looked at Justin. "My mommy, it is my mommy."
"But…" Justin was almost frantic, not knowing on how to deal with someone claiming his mum. "But she's my mum."
Justin was experiencing for the first time what it felt like to be invaded; wondering why did he open the door to this kid.
It looked like Timmy was planning to stay put.
Timmy, not very fluent in Chinese, resorted to speaking English when he couldn't outtalk Justin.
Justin could converse smoothly too, thanks to his bilingual kindergarten; he was a quick learner.
"It's my mum," Timmy insisted.
"No, it isn't."
After what seemed like ages, a flushed and hesitant Jasmine emerged from the bathroom and, from a distance, heard the cries of two children.
"Justin, what's wrong?" Jasmine, alarmed, hurried forward.
Her legs wobbled, nearly sending her to the floor, but Ethan caught her from behind and pulled her into his embrace.
Ethan's eyelids twitched fiercely at the sound of the children's cries, a bad feeling stirring within him.
Sure enough, entering the living room, they finally saw the source of commotion – it was the youngest of the Cunningham clan.
"Little Tyke?" Jasmine was stunned, glancing between the child, Ethan, and Justin. The two kids even cried alike.
Upon seeing Jasmine, Little Tyke rushed over. "Mummy! I miss you!"
"Where's your dad?" Ethan quickly pressed a hand onto Little Tyke's head, keeping him from getting too close to his wife.
The Cunninghams were all good-for-nothings. They couldn't even keep an eye on a kid.
"I want Mummy!" Little Tyke's cry grew louder.
The intense crying squeezed Ethan's heart, and he promptly let go.
He was being too harsh on the child. His lack of affection for children seemed to have recently turned into an overflow of softness.
"Don't cry," Jasmine soothed, wrapping Little Tyke in her arms. "How did you find your way here?"
"Mummy, I missed you," sniffled Little Tyke, clinging to Jasmine as if fearing she might let him go.
Little Tyke was visibly upset, his eyes red from crying.
Justin stood to the side, warily eyeing Ethan, reminding himself to act mature, though deep down, he feared someone might actually take his mum away from him.
Ethan appeared to grasp Justin's apprehensions. Justin and Jasmine often exhibited striking similarities, perhaps stemming from shared hardships during their upbringing.
With affection, Ethan gathered Justin in his arms, whispering, "Just some kid from the neighborhood causing trouble, calling everyone Mummy."
Justin clung to Ethan. "Will he take my mum and dad from me?"
"No, I'll call his family to pick him up right now," Ethan said, moving to call Nolan Cunningham.
A five-year-old kid managing to find his way here on his own really showed some guts.
"Mummy, I want to stay with you," Little Tyke said, also holding on to Jasmine tightly, sensing that Ethan didn't like him or the Cunninghams, but yearning to stay with his mummy.
Before Ethan could even contemplate reaching for the phone to make the call, the resonating chime of the doorbell pierced the quiet of the room.
With a grim countenance, Ethan moved swiftly to answer the door. "That was swift," he remarked icily, his tone devoid of warmth.
Standing before him was Nolan Cunningham, a figure whose presence did little to assuage Ethan's already sour mood. Nolan let out a sigh of relief, his posture relaxing as he reached out to embrace Justin, Ethan's son. "The lad might have overheard me speaking to his father and discerned your address," Nolan explained.
"Can't even keep an eye on a child," Ethan muttered irritably, swatting away Nolan's attempts to hug Justin. "How could you misidentify a child? Look closely, this is my son."
Ethan couldn't help but feel a mixture of frustration and incredulity toward Nolan's apparent obliviousness.
Nolan paused, finally realizing that Justin wasn't their intended guest. His expression darkened noticeably, annoyance evident at Ethan's dismissive behavior.
His gaze then shifted toward Jasmine, who stood in the living room, shielding the frightened Justin. The little one clung to her, seeking refuge. "Mommy, I want to stay with you. Don't let Uncle take me away," Justin pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.
"Are you people at Cunningham's family mistreating children?" Ethan's concern deepened, furrowing his brow in worry. The child's resistance seemed indicative of something more troubling.
Nolan's frustration was palpable; his reputation seemed irreparably tarnished, despite his innocence in the matter.
The Cunningham family had always showered him with affection, spoiling him rotten, which explained his proclivity for running off.
"Kid, come back with Uncle. Don't be stubborn," Nolan urged, surprised at the little mischief-maker's knack for finding his way to Jasmine.
But the little one remained resolute, vehemently refusing.
Jasmine's heart went out to the distressed child. "Mr. Nolan, if you're not in a rush to take him back, perhaps he could stay here for a while?" she suggested softly, her eyes filled with compassion.
Ethan sensed Jasmine's genuine concern for the child. "If it turns into a more extended stay, I can arrange for him to attend school with my son," Ethan added, offering reassurance.
Grateful, Jasmine glanced at Ethan, nibbling nervously at her lip.
"That's my mommy..." Justin interjected, tears welling up in his eyes, fearing the worst.
"It's not, she's my mommy!" the little one retorted, his voice tinged with desperation.
Justin broke down, his sobs echoing in the room.
"If my son doesn't agree, I won't force you to stay," Ethan warned the child, noting the unmistakable signs of indulgence from the Cunningham family.
The child wiped away his tears, torn between his desire to remain with his mother and the looming threat of separation.
Ethan's gaze hardened as he contemplated the situation, feeling increasingly uncertain about his decision to accommodate the troublesome child.
"Justin," Jasmine tried to console her son, caught in a difficult position between maternal instincts and empathy for the distressed child.
"Ethan, please be lenient with my nephew. He was born with a heart condition, and the Cunningham family spared no expense in keeping him alive. Without their intervention, he might not have survived beyond his first year," Nolan cautioned, hoping to soften Ethan's stance.
Ethan sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. His once peaceful life now mired in chaos.
"I hate you!" the child spat, glaring defiantly at Ethan, his small frame trembling with anger.
Ethan couldn't deny the mutual antipathy between them. The child's disdain for him was palpable.
"Then go back with your uncle," Ethan replied tersely, at a loss for how to placate such a stubborn child. Compared to Justin, who was an absolute delight, this child seemed like a little troublemaker.
"I hate your guts!" the youngster shouted, his boldness reminiscent of a fearless wolf cub. "I don't want to leave Mommy."
Ethan stood there, feeling utterly inept in handling the situation. Apart from Justin, there seemed to be no child who warmed up to him effortlessly.
"Ethan... maybe we could consider keeping him?" Jasmine ventured tentatively, her eyes searching Ethan's for reassurance.
"This is your home—you make the decisions," Ethan replied firmly, directing his words pointedly at Nolan, a silent warning against any lingering intentions toward Jasmine.
Nolan's face darkened visibly, his response a contemptuous snort in return.
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