Maureen held herself back from rushing over.

    She still didn’t know if Heather had recognized Jacob, so she couldn’t act impulsively.

    Heather squatted before Jacob, her heart aching when he called her a stranger.

    “Jacob, how can Grandma be a stranger?

    We’ve known each other for months now. Grandma truly likes you.”

    Heather thought of how he mentioned his mommy, Katherine, and added: “Is your mommy

    worried about Grandma?

    After tomorrow’s Harvest Festival, Grandma will invite her to talk. Then we won’t be strangers anymore, right?”

    Jacob never expected this grandma who bullied his mommy to be so persistent. For twenty days this month, she’d used picking up Willie as an excuse to find him.

    Either bringing gifts or snacks.

    He refused every single time, yet she wouldn’t give up.

    Jacob recalled what he’d uncovered about her past mistreatment of his mother, his expression frosty. “Grandma Heather, I may be young, but I understand this: if someone dislikes you, no amount of pleasing them will work.”

    Heather felt herposure shatter.

    It wasn’t just the sting of rejection, but how chillingly he mirrored Geoffrey’s childhood defiance.

    Young Geoffrey had spoken with that same cutting edge.

    “Don’t you like Grandma?” Heather asked, surprised by the depth of her own hurt.

    Jacob offered a polite, distant smile. “I’m sorry, Grandma Heather. I have my own grandmother.”

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    Only Maureen understood this was the undeniable pull of blood.

    Only her true grandson, her own flesh and blood, could wound her so deeply.

    She’d sent over a hundred gifts. Every single one was refused.

    Nearby, Willie, clutching his nanny’s hand, burned with jealousy. “Why does Great–Aunt adore him so much? He’s not even her real grandson!”

    The nanny had no answers. The formidable irondy had inexplicably imed this boy as her own since their first meeting.

    Maureen watched from afar, observing intently, yet Heather’s relentless pursuit of Jacob remained an enigma.

    She had no idea that, sharing a mother–son bond, Jacob had noticed her long ago.

    He knew mom didn’t want to be recognized by him, so he pretended not to see her.

    The White Family driver came to pick him up. As he left, he said to Heather: “Kids all like kind people.”

    Heather never expected that the child she adored actually thought she wasn’t kind enough.

    She really wasn’t a good person, but how could a child…

    Back in the car, Heather resumed her usual coldness and said to Maureen: “Did you see?

    Doesn’t that child look like our Geoff?”

    The tension in Maureen’s mind finally eased.

    “Hmm, he does look a bit like him.”

    Heather smiled bitterly: “Not just a bit. When I first saw him, I thought he was my grandson.”

    “If he were my grandson, I’d give him the best things in the world.”

    Hearing this, Maureen suddenly didn’t know what to say.

    Perhaps she wasn’t a good mother–inw.

    But she was definitely a grandma who loved her grandson dearly.

    It’s just a pity that the Sutton Family wouldn’t allow her to raise the child, otherwise, she

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    Chapter163

    wouldn’t have chosen to deceive.

    After returning to the old mansion.

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    Heather told Maureen to think it over carefully and not rush to refuse.

    “After all, we both know the Ramirez family had fallen from grace. Where would you get steady ie as a divorced woman?”

    Maureen stood on the balcony outside Geoffrey’s room, gazing at the view while Heather’s words echoed in her mind.

    Couldn’t a divorced woman support herself?

    One day, she’d make Heather understand she needed no one’s help.

    Having made up her mind, Maureen set down her water ss and video–called Katherine.

    “Reenie? What’s up?”

    Katherine was munching on fruit.

    “Katherine, I want to talk to Jacob.”

    “Sure, hold on.”

    Katherine pointed the camera at Jacob. The boy appeared in frame, neatly dressed and sitting upright at his desk.

    “Mommy.”

    “Hmm?”

    Maureen smiled warmly.

    Just as she wondered how to ask about Heather knowing him, Jacob spoke first.

    “Mommy, I saw you today.”

    Maureen froze. “Why didn’t you call out to me?”

    Jacob’s little face looked unusually solemn.

    “You didn’te find me. I figured you must be busy, so I didn’t want to bother you.‘

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    Jacob thoughtfully finished speaking, then deliberately mentioned Heather’s situation.

    “Mommy, did you meet an elderlydy today?

    She’s been visiting me often since seeing me at kindergarten.”

    An elderlydy?

    Maureen pictured Heather’s still elegant demeanor and couldn’t help chuckling at her son’s description, her doubts vanishingpletely.

    “That’s because you’re super cute, sweetheart. People just adore you.”

    Jacob’s eyes curved like crescent moons: “Mommy, tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. I already wished Grandma Yun a happy holiday for you.”

    “Brilliant! Thank you, darling.”

    Maureen longed to hug her thoughtful child right then.

    Restrained by Sutton Family rules from prolonged calls, Maureen reluctantly hung up.