Her man had abandoned her, yet she still had strong feelings for him. How deep was her love for him?
After a moment of contemplation, the man dismissed his wandering thoughts and turned to Adrian.
âWhen do you plan on switching back with my son?â
Adrian stared at him with hopeful eyes. âUm⦠I want to experience what itâs like to have a father. Could you spend a few more days with me? I assure you that your son will have a great time with my mom.â
Marcus narrowed his eyes. âWhy seek a fatherly figure in me? Iâm just a crippled man who canât even stand. Your father must be strong and should be able to carry you on his shoulders.â
Adrian tilted his head in slight annoyance. âDonât belittle yourself. I think youâre handsome. Youâre the most handsome man Iâve ever seen; youâre even more handsome than my uncle by just a tad.
And being in a wheelchair wasnât your choice, but things have happened, and we must stay positive.
Mom taught me never to belittle oneself. You should always believe that youâre the best!â â
As he spoke, Adrian flexed his arms, mimicking a strongmanâs pose. It was so adorable!
The man couldnât help but chuckle. âYes, your mom is great at educating kids.â
Adrian lifted his chin proudly. âRight? My mom is super, super awesome. Sheâs the most charming person in the world! Iâm sure if you meet my mom, youâll definitely fall for her.â
Marcus frowned. Fall in love?
No. He would never fall in love with anyone ever again.
The suiteâs doorbell suddenly rang, snapping Marcus back to reality. He assumed it was Sophia returning from grocery shopping. She must have forgotten her key card.
He lowered his gaze. âFrom now on, you need to continue pretending to be my son. Sophia cannot find out youâre not Tristan. Understand?â
Adrian paused, not quite understanding why, but obediently nodded. âOhâ¦I understand.â
Marcus added. âAlright, if youâre nervous, just pretend to sleep.â
×× Adrian was indeed nervous. He felt so guilty and worried that he couldnât pull off the act after being discovered.
So he took Marcusâs advice and pretended to sleep.
Marcus saw Adrian lay down and glanced outside, maneuvering his wheelchair to answer the door.
He opened the door, absentmindedly saying, âBack so soon?â
However, the person at the door was not Sophia.
It was a towering figure who looked much more robust and tall than Sophia.
Since he was in a wheelchair, Marcusâ line of sight was naturally lower than average. After opening the door, he didnât bother to look up before speaking.
But soon, he realized something was off after noticing the manâs trousers and leather shoes.
Marcusâ pupils were constricted. He abruptly looked up and was met with a face that was both strange and somewhat familiar.
The man looked at him calmly, but there was a hint of malice in his eyes.
Balfour, seeing the surprised expression of Theo in the wheelchair, sneered. âWhat? Didnât expect me to find you?â