Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Her Life Was Less Important Than His Auntie Joanna Watching Someone Have a Baby

Cedric Grant looked up.

Sure enough, at the entrance to Class Five, several classrooms away, many children were holding cookies, their faces beaming with curious smiles.

Many of the children were even holding their hands high in the air, showing them off to everyone.

The small, clear bags in their hands were filled with cookies of all sorts of shapes.

Some were shaped like rockets, others like satellites, and still others like spaceships, colored in red, yellow, purple...

A teacher and two adults were standing at the door handing out cookies. One of them said, "These are a welcome gift I made for Leo Lawson and Celia Hughes. They’re called Space Cookies. I hope you all like them."

The two children standing beside the three adults were also handing out cookies, their little faces beaming like two happy sunflowers.

The teacher smiled, looking pleased. "These little cookies are so creative and thoughtful. You can just tell when something is made with care!"

Cedric Grant stood rooted to the spot.

Because the adult who was speaking was none other than Sophia Shaw!

The person he had been eagerly waiting for all morning was now standing beside other children, giving away the cookies she once made only for him to every single child.

Overwhelmed by a profound sense of loss, Cedric Grant’s eyes instantly turned red.

The children around him showed off their treats as they stuffed the cookies into their mouths.

"They smell so good, and they’re so sweet!"

"They’re so pretty and tasty!"

"I’m so jealous of Leo Lawson and Celia Hughes."

Lillian Forrest, who was standing beside Sophia Shaw, gave the two children next to her a gentle nudge forward. "It’s Leo Lawson and Celia Hughes’ first day. Will you all help look after them?"

Having received such a delicious and beautiful gift, the children, of course, wouldn’t refuse. They all eagerly gathered around, taking Leo Lawson and Celia Hughes by the hand and leading them into the classroom.

In no time, Leo Lawson and Celia Hughes had hit it off with their new classmates.

Although Lillian Forrest couldn’t see, she could hear everything. Wiping the light sheen of sweat from her forehead, she said excitedly, "Sophie, you’re amazing!"

Sophia Shaw smiled, but before she could speak, she heard a small voice call out, "Mom."

She looked down to see Cedric Grant gazing up at her, his face a mask of pain. "I’m your son. Why didn’t you bring me to school? Why didn’t you make me cookies? Why did you do it for *them* instead..."

The more he thought about it, the more upset Cedric became.

"Do you have any idea? Because I didn’t bring any nice gifts, no one is paying attention to me!"

’It was so unfair.’

Fat tears began to stream down Cedric Grant’s face.

He could accept his mom being angry with him.

He could even convince himself to accept it when she only cared about Bun and ignored him.

But for her to care more about total strangers than him—that was something he couldn’t accept.

Cedric Grant cried so hard he could barely breathe.

Sophia Shaw hadn’t expected to run into Cedric Grant here, either.

But in the face of his accusations, her expression was surprisingly detached. She simply said, "Cedric, this is a problem you should discuss with your father."

"But you’re my..."

Cedric Grant couldn’t bring himself to say the word "mom."

He was afraid that if he did, Sophia Shaw would just bring up what he’d done before.

’He’d forgotten his mom’s birthday. The gift he’d given her was just a freebie left over from Auntie Joanna’s things. And then there was what happened with Stella Grant hurting Bun...’

’If any of those things came out, his classmates would mock him mercilessly.’

’He wouldn’t be able to show his face at school ever again.’

In the end, all he could do was turn and run, tears streaming down his face.

"Faye, is Cedric going to be okay?"

Lillian Forrest asked with concern as they walked out.

Celia Hughes and Leo Lawson were two orphans she sponsored. She had been the one to ask Sophia to come with her today to see them off to school.

Lillian Forrest hadn’t expected Cedric Grant to be attending this school, let alone for all of this to happen by chance.

"Should I go find him and explain?"

"No need." Sophia Shaw’s tone was indifferent.

Lillian Forrest had long been aware of Cedric’s coldness toward Sophia and Bun, so she had no fond feelings for the boy. She only spoke up out of fear that Sophia would be upset.

Seeing that Sophia didn’t seem affected, she didn’t press the issue.

Lillian Forrest was soon picked up by her driver, and Sophia turned to head back to her company.

But as she turned, she saw that Cedric Grant had somehow appeared behind her again.

He was still crying, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Cedric Grant had thought that if he ran off, Sophia would surely come looking for him. But she was just leaving.

Staring at Sophia, his lips trembled violently. "Mom, do you not love me anymore?"

Sophia Shaw pressed her lips together. Looking at the son she had endured days and nights of agony to birth, she was at a loss for words.

"Cedric, have you forgotten? You’re the one who rejected my love."

"Who said that? I never said that!" Cedric was agitated and felt deeply wronged.

Sophia Shaw walked over and straightened his collar. "But the meals I worked so hard to cook for you... you threw them out without a second glance."

Cedric: "...You knew?"

’He thought he’d hidden it so well.’

"I was—I was just in a hurry, and I was afraid you’d be angry. I did it because I care about you..."

"Every time I called to check on you, you’d hang up before I could finish a sentence," Sophia interrupted.

Her words left a lump in Cedric’s throat, his voice growing strained. "I... I just..."

But he couldn’t seem to explain what followed.

"You just wanted to get back to chatting with your Auntie Joanna and your little sister Stella, right?" Sophia finished for him.

Cedric instinctively shook his head. "I wasn’t..."

"I saw it all on the security camera."

"..."

Cedric’s face went deathly pale.

’He’d been in such a rush at the time that he’d completely forgotten about the security camera in the living room!’

Sophia took in his every fleeting expression. "You’re more eager for Auntie Joanna and Stella’s love, not mine."

Cedric wanted to shake his head, to deny it.

But he couldn’t think of a single thing that would prove he was eager for Sophia’s love.

For over a year, his world had revolved around Joanna Sherman and Stella Grant, to the point that he had almost forgotten his own mother existed.

"But I do love you."

Sophia stared deeply at Cedric, the beauty mark beneath her eye trembling gently, but the smile in her eyes was faint.

"Cedric, you don’t love me."

"No!" he denied vehemently. "Even though I care a lot about Auntie Joanna and Stella, in my heart, you’ll always be my mother, and I’ll always love you!"

’He swore it!’

Cedric shot up two fingers to make a vow.

Sophia gently took his wrist. "Do you remember the day your Auntie Joanna adopted her child? I called you then. I was at the hospital that day, too."

Cedric racked his brain, and a vague, fuzzy memory surfaced.

He had been in a hurry to go and support Auntie Joanna, so he’d hung up before Sophia had finished speaking.

"Why were you at the hospital? Were you sick?"

Sophia nodded. "Yes. It was very, very serious. I was waiting for you and your father to save my life..."

Cedric stumbled back, heavily.

He collapsed onto a nearby flowerbed as if he’d been struck dumb.

He stared at Sophia, his eyes vacant.

Sophia pulled him up. "See, Cedric? My life wasn’t even as important as your Auntie Joanna watching someone else give birth. So how can you say you love me?"

The fingers Cedric had raised so resolutely slowly curled, and then his entire arm dropped to his side...

Sophia returned to the company and quickly threw herself back into her work.

During that time, Chad Jennings called her several times.