Luckily I reacted fast enough to prevent crashing into him.
“What are you doing here instead of eating your dinner, Gregory?” I bent down and asked.
However, he said nothing and was staring at Thora warily.
The latter shook her head, feeling disheartened as she said in a self-mocking manner, “Seems like I’ll always be seen as the enemy in this kid’s eyes.”
Only then did I realize what was going on. Under the Hall family’s arrangement, Gregory had to accept that Thora was going to be his future stepmother. He had been resisting it for so long and he was still feeling the same way towards her.
I quickly patted his head and consoled him, “Ms. Ziegler is my friend, Gregory. Don’t be rude, alright?”
His brows furrowed together as he said, “What would happen to you when she becomes my mother, Mommy? I don’t want her, I want you!”
Thora and I exchanged looks with each other, both of us feeling nonplussed.
After a moment, she mimicked me as she bent down and a rare look of adoration appeared on her face. “Hey, Gregory. I promise you that I would never steal your mommy’s place. You have to be more magnanimous. Let’s make peace, okay?”
“You’re not lying?” The little boy remained headstrong.
She held up three fingers in the air and vowed, “I promise.”
“Okay!” Gregory gave her a high five and said, “It’s settled!”
The crisis had finally been settled and John called out from the dining room, “The dishes are cold. Can we eat now?”
“You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to. No one’s forcing you,” Ashton said, deliberately going against him.
“Where are your manners? Is this how you’re supposed to talk to your brother-in-law?”
“Right back at you. It’s a first for me to see someone berating their father in front of their niece and nephew.”
“Don’t get on my nerves, Ashton!”
“That’s great. I feel like doing that today.”
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