Chapter 201

Instead of answering whether he missed his father, Sonny simply said, “Daddy work!” Liberty and Serenity raised Sonny, and he only saw his father on weekends. When Sonny woke up, his father was already at work, and when he went to bed at night, his father had not yet returned home. As a result, Sonny did not have a strong bond with his father. Even when Hank was at home, he would rather play with his phone than engage with Sonny. “Liberty, look! Sonny has become distant from his dad after just a few days apart. This isn’t good for his development. A boy needs fatherly love to grow up well. Fathers have many lessons to teach their sons,” Mrs. Brown initially thought her grandson would express that he missed his father, which she could use to persuade Liberty for Sonny’s sake. To her surprise, Sonny did not miss Hank. Quick-witted, Mrs. Brown made up a conversation, picking up from where her grandson had left off. Liberty looked at her mother-in-law and replied coldly, “Even when Hank is home, have you ever seen him take care of Sonny? Sonny is our child, but I’ve been the one caring for him. Hank doesn’t even play with him. When Hank has free time on weekends, he either chats on his phone or watches videos, laughing like a fool. He doesn’t want to spend time with his son. How could Sonny develop a meaningful relationship with a father like that?” Relationships require cultivation. Even though Hank is Sonny’s biological father, their relationship won’t improve without time spent together to build a bond. Mrs. Brown opened her mouth to speak but found herself at a loss for words. Chelsea continued the discussion, saying, “Hank is usually busy with work, so he needs to relax and recharge at home on weekends. You don’t have a job and only stay home caring for Sonny every day. Don’t tell me you have so much housework to do.”

Your sister lived here and helped with the chores, so you didn’t have to do much. All you do is eat. Look at how much weight you’ve gained!” Hank resented Liberty for getting fatter and less attractive. Even Chelsea found it disgusting. How could Liberty let herself eat to the point of obesity? “After you finish feeding Sonny, come with us to bring Hank back. His wounds have healed, and he can return to work on Monday. You both need to move on and stop fighting; it’s not good for Sonny’s development.” Chelsea warned, “If you keep this up, you’ll regret it one day.”

Hank had a new girlfriend. During the days Hank took off work to recover at home, his new partner, Jessica Yates, came to care for him every evening. They were inseparable, like conjoined twins. Chelsea disliked Liberty and hoped Hank would break up with her. However, if they divorced, her parents would seek custody of Sonny, as he was their only paternal grandson. A little over two years old, Sonny was quite mischievous, and taking care of him required a lot of energy. If her parents had custody, they wouldn’t be able to help Chelsea with her third child. Chelsea reminded Liberty not for Liberty’s sake, but for her own benefit. “This is Hank’s house. Did he break his leg or lose his sense of direction? Doesn’t he know how to come back on his own? Why does my sister have to pick him up? Who does he think he is?!” Serenity couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted them. She entered the house with Jasmine, both carrying multiple shopping bags. When Mrs. Brown and Chelsea saw Serenity, their faces fell. They had gone to Serenity’s bookstore to vent their frustrations, but left feeling defeated.

As soon as Sonny spotted Serenity, he stood up and stumbled over with a smile. He was oblivious to the conversation between his grandmother and aunt.

He spoke to his mother, so their conversation did not impact his mood.