Chapter 285

It was time to perform acupuncture therapy on Amelia again.

The acupuncture therapy session today would be the last one. After it was performed. Amelia’s body would be fine.

Olivia had everything ready. Then, she received a call from the Sullivan family’s old residence.

It was a call from Andrew.

Andrew was picked up by Isabella last week. She said she missed her grandson.

“Olivia, Andrew said. He was almost six years old and was much more sensible.

He had grown taller. He was no longer round and chubby. He had also started to show the early signs of a young boy’s strength and vigor. His voice had lost its childish quality. Instead, it had a more mature quality, reflecting the concerns that typically came with the transition from childhood to adolescence.

“Can you pick me up today?” he said. “I want to go home.”

“Sure,” Olivia said as she put down silver needles and sat on the chair. She asked gently, “I’ll come to pick you up right away, but Andrew, can you tell me the reason? Did someone bully you?”

In the past, Andrew was always alone when he came to the old residence. There was a driver to pick him up. There was no need for Daniel or Olivia to come and pick him up.

It was really strange that he suddenly asked Olivia to pick him up today.

The little one panted for a while, and for once, he was silent. After a while, he shook his little head and denied it, saying, “No. I just missed you.”

“Alright,” Olivia said. “Wait there obediently. I’ll be right there.”

After hanging up the phone, Olivia asked Blake to contact William and informed him that she would not be going today. She would go to perform acupuncture therapy on Amelia in two days.

Olivia drove to the Sullivan family’s old residence.

Before the engagement, Olivia had never thought about stepmother or stepson issues. Although Andrew was not her biological child, she loved this little boy very much. She did not consider anything else.

Blake had mentioned it a few times, asking her to think about the issue of her interaction with Andrew.

She asked Olivia to consider whether to leave Andrew at the old residence and let Isabella raise him or to bring him up herself.

At that time, Olivia did not think too much about it. She had always considered Andrew as her own child, so, of course, she wanted to raise him herself.

Blake sighed and put in effort to give her heartfelt advice, saying, “Right now, Andrew is still young. He relies on you and adores you. But when he gradually grows up and becomes sensible, realizing that you’re not his biological mother, will he still love you completely?”

Olivia did not want to hear these words.

For some reason, she could not stand a single word of criticism, blame, or even the slightest hint of disapproval toward Andrew, even if it came from someone like Blake, who genuinely cared for her.

When Blake mentioned concern about the possible future estrangement between Olivia and Andrew, Olivia could not bear it, and her heart ached faintly.

She thought to herself, “Andrew is my child. We won’t grow apart.”

The servants at the old residence already knew Olivia. When they saw Olivia’s car, they immediately let her in. The butler also welcomed her at the gate.

“Ms. Taylor,” Mr. Brown said. His attitude was very respectful. In comparison to his previous attitude toward Olivia, his attitude had become more intimate.

After all, Olivia was already engaged to Daniel. She would be the future lady of the Sullivan family. She was a part of the Sullivan family now, so he could no longer treat her like a guest.

11:21 Olivia listened to Mr. Brown’s report as she walked inside. “Mrs. Sullivan is taking her nap upstairs,” he said. “Mr. Andrew is playing on the fourth floor. Do you need someone to bring Mr. Andrew down?”

“It’s okay,” Olivia said as she shook her head. “I’ll go over and see him.” After changing her shoes, Olivia took the elevator to the fourth floor.

Isabella doted on her grandson. The entire fourth floor was Andrew’s territory. There was a game room, a theater, an art studio, a piano room, and even a room filled with sand. A children’s excavator was placed there for Andrew to enjoy playing with the sand.

The butler did not accompany Olivia upstairs. She went to the fourth floor by herself.

The fourth floor was very quiet. There were only two servants mopping the floor in the hallway, Olivia followed the sound and walked to the art studio.

The door of the art studio was partially open, and the little boy’s soft voice could be heard coming from inside. “I should use blue,” he said, “Olivia said I should use bright and clear blue as the color for the sky.” Upon hearing this, Olivia pursed her lips and smiled. Just as she was about to knock on the door and enter, she heard another little boy’s voice. “Olivia?” that boy said. “Hahaha. Andrew, are you stupid? She’s your stepmother, and you actually listen to her?”

Andrew’s face turned a little pale, but one could still sense his courage and determination. “Olivia is very kind to me,” he said. “She dotes on me a lot.”

The little boy sneered. He was very good at mocking people. “That’s a lie,” he said. “Previously, she wasn’t engaged to your dad, so, of course, she had to please you to make your dad feel at ease. Now that she’s already engaged to your dad, you’re useless to her. She’ll definitely neglect you.”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Andrew said. He finally became worked up, and he threw the paintbrush he was holding onto the floor.

“Why has she ignored you for so long then?” the little boy said, believing that his reasons were very solid and convincing. “You’ve been here for a week. Did she come to pick you up?

“Andrew, you’re just naive. Just wait and see. She’s ignoring you now. After some time, when she has her own baby, she’ll definitely chase you away. Your dad won’t care about you either. Once he has another child, he’ll completely forget you. A motherless child like you will become a fatherless child, and you will…”

Before the young boy finished talking, the door was suddenly opened.

As soon as Andrew turned around, he saw Olivia at the door.

Seeing someone close to him, the grievance that Andrew had been suppressing for a long time suddenly surged like a mountain torrent, and it was uncontrollable once it surged.

He instinctively rushed forward but came to a sudden stop when he reached Olivia.

He thought of what Oscar Sullivan had said. Oscar had mentioned, “Olivia doesn’t like you at all. She only treats you well because she wants to be with your dad.”

For a moment, Andrew hesitated. He raised his eyes and observed Olivia timidly.

He was worried that she would hate him.

Seeing Andrew’s timid, worried, and bewildered expression, Olivia’s heart felt like it was breaking.

With almost no hesitation, Olivia bent down and picked up Andrew. Without even glancing at the young boy behind Andrew, she turned around and left.

She could not argue with a child, yet she found it difficult not to feel angry.

Feeling the gentleness of Andrew in her arms, Olivia felt as if a cold wind had blown into her heart. It was so painful that her heart trembled.

The little one was too quiet, not daring to move at all.

In the past, when she held him, he would be ecstatic, hugging her neck affectionately. But this time, he did not dare to reach out, just staying still and obediently letting her hold him.

11:22 Olivia felt a deep sense of heartache, and amidst her sorrow, she could not help but feel regret. During this period, due to the Taylor family’s matters, she had neglected Andrew. She did not even realize how significant it was for a five or six–year–old boy when his father was engaged and there was a stepmother in the family.

Not only did she not pay attention to his emotions, but she also did not accompany him for a long time.

She did not even call to check on him during the week he had spent at the old mansion.

She thought to herself: “If Amelia does not meet the minimum requirements to be considered a good mother, what about me then? Do I meet the minimum requirements?”

Thinking of this, Olivia experienced a sense of inner breakdown.

After studying medicine for so many years, she was well aware of the power of genetics. Whether she was willing to admit it or not, she was the daughter of Samuel and Amelia.

She thought to herself, “My parents did not treat me well, would I, who has their blood running through my veins, be a better parent than them?”

Olivia shuddered and suddenly felt a little afraid.

“Olivia, are you cold?” Andrew said. He noticed Olivia trembling and quickly stretched out a pair of little arms to hug Olivia’s neck. “I’ll warm you up so that you won’t be cold.”

He gently pressed his cheek against Olivia’s and continued to comfort her, saying, “Olivia, don’t worry. I don’t believe what Oscar said. He’s jealous of me. So, Olivia, don’t be sad.”

The corners of Olivia’s eyes were a little wet. She turned her head slightly, not wanting to let her tears fall. Andrew was still chattering. “Daddy told me that you have been very busy recently,” he said. “He said you are busy with your mom’s matters and that your mom is sick. You are very worried, so you do not have time for me.

“I understand it all. A mother is very important. She is more important than anything else.”

Upon hearing this, Olivia suddenly wanted to cry. She suddenly thought of a saying. That saying was “Children love their parents more than one can imagine.”

“I’m sorry,” Olivia said as she touched Andrew’s forehead. “I’ve neglected you recently, and I won’t do that again in the future.”

She thought to herself, “I won’t do it again.”