CHAPTER 172

Chapter 172

“Is Jeremy at your place?” Hayden asked, sounding a bit exasperated.

Stacey glanced outside to ensure Jeremy was still in the living room with Lillian and Kevin. Seeing that he wasn’t coming into the kitchen for the time being, she then lowered her voice. Yes, he just arrived. But Jeremy started crying as soon as he got here. Did something happen?”

“There’s been some trouble at home, and the situation is a bit complicated. Could you take care of Jeremy for a few days? I’ll come to pick him up soon and explain everything then, Hayden asked.

Stacey was momentarily taken aback, but she quickly agreed. “Of course. That’s no problem. Lillian and Kevin seem to enjoy playing with Jeremy. The three of them can keep each other company.”

Hearing this. Hayden smiled and nodded. “Okay.” The call was brief since Hayden seemed busy, and he quickly hung up. Stacey felt more at ease, knowing that Hayden was aware of Jeremy’s whereabouts. She didn’t have to worry about it

anymore.

Grace already bought the groceries. After thinking for a while, Stacey began to prepare dinner. Grace helped with washing the ingredients. The two of them made dinner together, which made the task much easier. Debra didn’t know how to cook. but Stacey was preparing dinner. Debra was so excited that she hovered nearby, eager to help. Patrick peeked in from the doorway, smiling warmly before returning to the living room to keep an eye on the three children.

Jeremy soon finished his apple, and Patrick asked the butler to go upstairs and take down the children’s toys. A few minutes later, Jeremy was in the living room, playing with toys alongside Lillian and Kevin. Lillian and Kevin were still quite young and didn’t know how to play with many toys. However, Jeremy was very patient with them, patiently teaching them how to play. Watching from a distance, Patrick was increasingly pleased Jeremy’s good manners clearly reflected the Hoggard. family’s upbringing, demonstrating that their family traditions remain as strong as ever. Patrick thought, ‘If Becky were to end up with that guy from the Hoggard family in the future, it would be a good match.

An hour and a half passed quickly. After a flurry of activity, dinner was ready. Debra was particularly happy. She enthusiastically carried the dishes to the dining table and excitedly called everyone to eat. Stacey, emerging from the kitchen, noticed that Jeremy’s mood had significantly improved since his arrival. He was no longer teary–eyed, which was a relief.

Stacey brought out three small bowls, one for each child. Each bowl was filled with a serving of pasta, accompanied by a portion of meat and a variety of colorful vegetables. “All right, everyone. Let’s eat,” she said with a beaming smile, looking at the three children. Jeremy’s eyes lit up as he looked at Becky, nodding eagerly, Stacey mused, “He’s so adorable!‘ She felt her heart melting from his cuteness. “Eat plenty, and make sure you’re full. Don’t go hungry,” she reminded.

Jeremy quickly took out his writing tablet and wrote: [Okay.] Debra marveled at Jeremy’s writing skills. “Jeremy, you can write so many words already? That’s incredible!” Debra’s praise was deeply heartfelt, stemming from her genuine admiration for the Hoggard family’s approach to educating their children. The more she interacted with Jeremy, the more her affection for him grew. He was exceptionally smart, obedient, and remarkably sensible for his age. The only downside was that he couldn’t speak. The Carter family had heard some troubling rumors regarding Jeremy’s background. They learned that Jeremy’s mother had secretly taken medication during her pregnancy with the aim of terminating it. This action had unfortunately led to the condition Jeremy now lived with. It was no wonder that the Hoggard family lost their temper and didn’t like Jeremy’s mother.

Jeremy’s mother had been pregnant for six or seven months when she chose to terminate the pregnancy, despite the baby already being well–developed. She made this decision for the sake of what she claimed was true love. The Carter family found this irresponsible behavior unacceptable and would have felt similarly outraged and disappointed if such a situation had happened to one of their own. Rumor had it that the Hoggard family had spared no effort in seeking the best possible care for Jeremy. They had consulted numerous doctors over the years and engaged a specialist family doctor who continually worked to improve Jeremy’s health. Despite their efforts, it remained uncertain whether a complete cure was attainable. As Debra pondered these defils, her heart ached more and more for Jeremy.

Unable to restrain her nurturing instincts, Debra began serving dishes onto Jeremy’s plate. She carefully included a little bit of everything from the array of delicious dishes laid out on the able. “Jeremy, eat more. Make yourself at home here, and

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Chapter 172

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don’t have to be polite, Debra said gently. Jeremy nodded vigorously in response. After a moment of thought, he quickly grabbed the serving fork and, albeit clumsily, began to serve some food to Debra in return. When she saw the food that Jeremy had taken for her, Debra’s heart melted. She thought. How could this child from the Hoggard family be so sweet and endearing?”

After adding some food to Debra’s plate, Jeremy then helped to take food for Patrick and Becky. He remembered what Hayden had told him before about the importance of teamwork Jeremy was determined to work hard to help Hayden win Becky’s heart so that she would agree to marry him. If Becky married Hayden, she would become his mother, and he would have the chance to call her “Mommy. The entire Carter family received Jeremy’s thoughtful service, and they couldn’t control the smiles growing wider on their faces with each passing moment. They were clearly delighted. Lillian and Kevin, not wanting to miss out, eagerly held out their plates and looked up at Jeremy with expectant eyes. Jeremy didn’t disappoint Lillian and Kevin and finally added some food to their plates.

However, after serving food to so many people all at once, Jeremy felt a bit exhausted and quickly sat down. Lillian, upon receiving her food, excitedly waved her little spoon, trying to mimic Jeremy and give him some food in return.

“Lily!” Stacey hurriedly held her hand. Jeremy was three–years old and sensible. He could help to take food for everyone, but Lillian was different. As a one–year–old baby, she could barely manage to pick up her own food without making a mess. If Lillian tried to give her food, it was likely that the dishes on the table would end up in a mess.“Lily, please be careful not to mess up the dishes on the table, okay?” Stacey asked gently.

Confused, Lillian protested, saying, “Give…. to Jeremy!” As Stacey was attempting to coax Lillian, Kevin suddenly reached out with his spoon. He quickly scooped up a portion of food from the table, moved, and tried to put it onto Jeremy’s plate. Jeremy quickly pushed his small plate closer to Kevin to make it easier for him to transfer the food. Debra, Patrick, and Stacey watched anxiously nearby. As Kevin successfully placed the food in Jeremy’s bowl, she hurried to stop him from serving any more. “Key did it!” Lillian was not convinced and protested from the side.

Stacey was at her wit’s end. In the end, she allowed Lillian to serve Jeremy food once, but she ensured that a serving fork was used. Stacey explained to Lillian and Kevin that using their own spoons was both impolite and unhygienic. They needed to use the serving utensils to demonstrate proper manners and maintain good hygiene.