Gwendolyn tapped her nose and said, “If you knew that your daddy was going to be jealous, why are you still asking me about this?”
“I was curious!”
Zendaya and Gwendolyn were seated at the back of the car.
Zendaya had deliberately asked that question as their driver for the day was someone Logan had arranged—an outsider.
However, Gwendolyn did not even mull over the question, for she only had one answer for it.
“Of course, it’s because of Zendy. You said that Ms. Mellor saved you in the past and that you like her very much. That’s why I’d like to meet her.”
“Bingo! You’ve got the right answer!” Zendaya beamed sweetly. “Mommy has wisely avoided a disaster that Daddy might have stirred up!”
At that, a laugh escaped Gwendolyn. “He wouldn’t dare to do that.”
“That’s because you’re good at reining him in, Mommy,” Zendaya said, covering her mouth.
“Oh my, you even know what that word means. You’re awesome,” Gwendolyn praised.
Delighted by her mother’s praise, she then merrily continued talking to her mother.
While Gwendolyn sent Zendaya to the kindergarten, Cedrick brought Benedict to the lab for his IV therapy.
The professor prepared the IV bag, as well as other instruments before entering the ward with a medical tray.
As Benedict was constantly undergoing IV therapy, so he was using a peripheral venous catheter.
The peripheral venous catheter had to be changed every three days, or else Benedict would risk infection and extravasation.
That day, Benedict needed to change his catheter.
From afar, Benedict saw the new catheter on the professor’s tray, and he could not help but sigh.
“I’m already five, but I’m still getting IV therapy all the time. The back of my hand is bruising so badly. I’m afraid we’ll have to change a spot for the catheter next time.”
Cedrick’s heart ached as he listened to that, but he continued to quietly peel fruits for Benedict.
The young professor tried to coax Benedict. “Be good, Benny. It’s just a sting. It won’t hurt.”
“Mhm. I’ve gotten used to it anyway.” Benedict lifted his brows and fearless stretched out his arm.
As the catheter had been in his hand for days, it hurt terribly when the professor extracted it.
Still, the professor made the entire process quick.
Benedict’s only response was to furrow his brows a little before looking out of the window in disdain, much calmer than the other children around his age who would cry after getting a shot.
When he saw Cedrick peeling fruits at the side, he said, “Daddy, aren’t you busy with the company? Aren’t you busy with the bureau? You don’t need to watch over me here.”
Just hurry up and leave!
Sensing his displeasure, Cedrick turned and asked, “Do you find me a nuisance if I stay here?”
Benedict flashed him an exceptionally cordial smile.
“Of course not. I’m happy to have you here by my side.”
At that, Cedrick returned his focus to the fruits and enunciated, “I’m having an off day today, so I stay right here and accompany you through your IV therapy.”
Despite the smile on Benedict’s face, he was having a mental breakdown.
“Then you should keep Zendaya company, Daddy. You haven’t picked her up from her new kindergarten yet, have you? I’m fine here. I’m used to getting my IV therapy by myself. I won’t feel lonely.”
Cedrick did not lift his head at that, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
After a long while, he was finally done peeling the fruits and passed half a fruit to Benedict.
Benedict took it and said, “Thank you, Daddy.”
It was crispy and sweet. It was delicious.
“Daddy, put the peach slices on the plate. I’ll remember to finish them later. Uncle Nico and Charles are probably cleaning the lab’s restroom right now, so if you’re bored, you can go and visit them.”
The boy sounded understanding, but Cedrick frowned and shot a confused look at his son.
“Why does it feel like you’re unwilling to have me stay here? You sound like you’re trying to chase me off.”
“No way. Why would I do that?”
Benedict gave him another sweet smile, but Cedrick knew his son well.
He knew that Benedict’s smile had a secret in it.
“I told you I’m not working today and wish to keep you company.”
“All… All right.” Benedict’s face was scrunched up as if he had eaten a lemon, and he reluctantly muttered, “Thanks, Daddy.”
Cedrick quietly continued peeling the peaches.
He then calmly sliced the fruit and put them on the plate, elegant as ever.
The ward was quiet for a while. After adjusting the IV bottle, the professor took the tray and left.
Both the father and the son did not speak as they mulled over their own thoughts.
Benedict, especially, had his brows knitted, seemingly contemplating something tough.
After a while, Cedrick asked, “I heard that you agreed to have Charles fulfill three requests of yours in exchange for your forgiveness.”
“Yes. He agreed to it too.” Then, in a more timid voice, he asked, “Daddy, you’re not going to scold me, are you?”
Benedict was overthinking it.
This was something Charles had to compensate for. If Benedict would really forgive Charles after the three requests, then Charles would have it easy by enduring the suffering that came with those three requests.
“I just wanted to ask how many more requests you have left.”
A wave of anxiousness hit Benedict when he thought about that. “Only one. I told him that I’d make the third request easier if he can complete the second one, but I’m regretting it a little now. I want to give him something extremely difficult.”
A small smile grew on Cedrick’s lips. “Such as?”
Benedict lowered his head to look at his bruised and marred hand.
“Such as… stabbing him a thousand times with a needle.”
He was going to be the spindle that would prick Charles a thousand times over.
Cedrick managed to hold back his laughter as he asked, “Are you sure about this? That you’re going to forgive him after stabbing him a thousand times? You have to truly forgive him.”
Benedict ruminated about it for a while before shaking his head. “I came up with the three requests back then because I wanted to teach him a lesson. I didn’t want to forgive him, but now… I don’t hate him that much anymore. I can see that he genuinely feels guilty and wants to compensate me.”
Cedrick ruffled his son’s hair and said in a gentle voice, “Then hold onto the last request first. Once you make up your mind, then you’ll tell him about it.”
Benedict nodded obediently.
The boy was growing to be a miniature version of Cedrick, and the two of them were a sight pleasant to anyone’s eyes.
Just then, Cedrick pulled open the bedside table’s drawer and took the Mathematical Olympiad assessment out.
“Do you want to try this out? I’ll help you.”
“Sure!”
Upon receiving Benedict’s confirmation, Cedrick adjusted the upper half of the bed so that Benedict could sit up. Then, he pulled the table closer and took a pencil for Benedict.
While they did the questions together, Benedict left all his frustrations behind and focused fully on the paper.
Meanwhile, Cedrick rested his head on a hand, sitting by the side of the bed and watching Benedict attempt the questions.
When he saw the boy writing down clear answers, he felt a swell of pride surge in his chest.
Knock, knock.
Right then, someone knocked on the room door.
Benedict halted and paled. He shot out his hand to grab his father’s hand. “Daddy, it must be someone who has gone to the wrong room. You don’t need to open the door for them.”
Cedrick studied Benedict’s expression.
Although the boy was crafty and often tricked his father, he was not a good liar—he would fidget a lot.
Clearly, Benedict was feeling a little guilty.
“Who’s outside? Is it someone you know?”
Benedict lowered his head. “No… They’re not someone I know.”
Despite the confoundment he felt, Cedrick stood up and went to open the door.
