Chapter 814 You’re Confused
Irvin dashed amok on the streets. Worried that he would become an easy target, he went into a mall he came across.
But lo and behold, because his actions were too quick for him to react, he bumped straight into a woman who was walking in his direction, causing her to stumble and lose her grip on her coffee, spilling it on another woman.
The coffee instantly left a massive stain on the second woman’s snow-white dress.
“Sorry!” Irvin hurriedly put his hands together and apologized. “I really didn’t mean to do it. Are you scalded?”
However, she didn’t answer him immediately but only fixed her dress with a frown.
On the other hand, though, the man beside her had a hint of sadness in his eyes when he realized who the child was.
Never did Alexander imagine finding the person he could only see through pictures and videos in the last seven years to suddenly stand in front of him. However, it still hadn’t come time for them to reunite.
“Where are your parents?” he asked, looking impassive on the surface, seemingly unfazed by the minor accident.
“She’s not here.” Irvin owned up to it. “Even if she comes, we’ll still have to apologize and compensate. Your time will be wasted like that, so why don’t I just compensate you now?”
A sliver of grimness laced Alexander’s eyes, but he said nothing. Looks like this little rascal came back on his own.
“You talk big for a little kid.” The woman was in seventh heaven when she could finally hang out with Alexander again, but her good mood was now ruined thanks to this little episode. She didn’t want to simply dismiss the issue, but then because Alexander was right next to her, she could only pretend to make a joke out of it with a chuckle. “This designer dress is from a foreign brand’s latest collection. It’s worth about ten thousand Alzue Vraleings. I’m afraid your bit of allowance isn’t enough to pay for it.”
“Alzue Vraleing? That’s great. I haven’t managed to exchange the currency yet.” Irvin’s eyes lit up, and he pulled a wad of cash out of his bag. “Here you go, ma’am.”
The woman took the cash from him dazedly, and to her surprise, it was indeed Alzue Vraleing!
At that, she shifted her gaze back to Irvin, now having a different impression of this generous little kid.
“Since you’ve taken the money, you’ve agreed to settle this. I have to go now, ma’am. See you!”
“I have something to attend to. If you’ll excuse me.” Alexander made an excuse and walked away right after Irvin left, leaving the woman there alone.
…
After a few corners and turns, Irvin finally arrived at the publishing house Onyx worked in.
At that, he sat on the lion statue at the gates and waited patiently for the man to come out.
At last, Onyx finally came out, talking and laughing with his colleagues as everyone started getting off work.
Irvin spotted the man in the crowd at first glance and jogged to Onyx with his skateboard in his hands. “Grandpa!” he called out sweetly.
Mommy said Grandpa is super nice to us. He’ll certainly be thrilled to see me!
Alas, reality gave his beautiful dream a big slap in the face.
Onyx froze for a split second, and upon realizing the child was calling out to him, he frowned in disdain and deliberately dissociated himself in a joking manner. “Hahaha, poor kid! He has confused me with his grandfather!”
Irvin’s smile froze on his face, and the child furrowed his brows disappointingly. “But I didn’t!” he insisted.
“Sure, sure, you didn’t. I bet you’re hungry. Here, I’ll give you some money for food.” Onyx feigned generosity and pulled Irvin aside while pulling a banknote out of his pocket. As he handed the cash to the little guy, he gripped his arm and mumbled a warning, “Go and wait in the cafe over there, rugrat, or you can forget about ever calling me your grandfather!”
At that, he shoved the money into Irvin’s hand and laughed as soon as he turned around, leaving with his colleagues.
Irvin stood rooted to the spot, frowning as he held the banknote in his hand, baffled. Why would Mommy lie to me? Grandpa isn’t as nice as she said he is at all!
Meanwhile, inside a car afar, Alexander’s gaze shone with mixed emotions as he looked at the child’s thin figure. Ellie, how long more do I have to wait before I can see you again?
Fifteen minutes later, Onyx rushed over to the cafe and sat across from Irvin with a grim face.
While the former had nothing but despise written all over his face, the latter was expressionless, looking like he had lost all expectations.
“What can I get you, sir?” A server approached their table.
“Nothing, thank you. I’ll be leaving shortly.” Onyx waved his hand and dismissed the server.
As soon as the server left, Onyx showed his true colors and interrogated Irvin. “Did your mother send you to me?”
“No—”
Irvin had barely said a word when the pompous man interrupted, “No need to tell me. I’ve got her number. What time would that woman have to practice her piano when she has to take care of you alone in Alzue?! Surely Maestro Yorkson kicked her out long ago. Your mother expects me to support you just because she’s now impoverished?! Huh, what wishful thinking!”
The child was utterly gobsmacked. Is this really Grandpa? Or have I gotten the wrong person? Why would I genuinely feel repulsed by this man in front of me?
“Don’t look at me like that. I haven’t been doing well myself in the last few years. I may have raised your mother, but she has done nothing for me in return. So, I have no obligation to wipe her a*s.”
At that, Onyx pulled out two one hundred banknotes and slapped them on the table impassively. “This is all I have left. Tell your mother this is as much as I can help her with. Any more than this, she’ll have to figure it out herself. Also, don’t think about selling White Residence. We’re staying there even if it’s the last thing we do.”
At that, he walked out of the cafe without ever looking back.
Meanwhile, Irvin fell into deep thought as he stared at the two banknotes on the table.
He might not be able to understand the harsh adult world yet, but he could already grasp the feeling of being undesired.
To think the perfect grandfather from his imagination would give him nothing but impassiveness and estrangement.
Even an adult would fall apart when the harsh reality gave their dream a wake-up call, so what more a child?
He stared at the two banknotes stubbornly like he was cutting his nose to spite his face as he clenched his fists under the table.
Just then, a slender hand appeared from the side and pressed the index and middle fingers on the cash.
Irvin reflexively looked up and happened to meet Alexander’s fathomless gaze.
The man’s eyes drooped, looking down at the child as he spoke in a deep, magnetic voice. “No need to feel sad over someone who’s only worth two hundred bucks,” he said.
Irvin blinked, latching his bewildered gaze at the man like a devoted worshiper.
“There are many two hundred banknotes in the cash you’ve given us. There’s no need to bother yourself with a man like that when he can’t even treat you as well as you treat a stranger,” Alexander counseled calmly.
“But that’s my biological grandfather,” Irvin remarked.
“There are many things in this world where you can’t judge based on kinship. You have to use your heart to determine to see a person and how close your relationship with them should be,” said the man gravely, his words thought-provoking.
As though enchanted, Irvin nodded inexplicably. “I got it. Thank you, mister.”
