Obviously, It's My Child - Chapter 199
It was becoming increasingly difficult to lift Elliott. Given that he was at an age where he was still growing, Elliott must have gained quite a bit of weight during that time. It could also be attributed to the fact that he had become more lively since Erich started playing with him.
No, it was definitely because he had developed a habit of leaping at others.
‘I should teach him not to do that.’
No, it felt like her own legs might break under the strain, so she should tell Elliott to do it only with Erich.
As for Erich? He’d probably enjoy it, so it wouldn’t matter, right?
Lost in thought, Claire looked up and noticed Linus staring at her with a look that showed he found her behavior peculiar.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
“I was just about to call for you, so this works out well. Have a snack.”
“A snack?”
“Yes.”
As Claire answered, a maid wheeled in a trolley behind her.
It wasn’t just a simple tea and cookies; it was filled with large bowls and trays. Linus was taken aback and asked,
“Are you planning to eat that here?”
“The dining room is dark. Plus, this is the best spot to see the ocean.”
Linus couldn’t understand the significance of that.
Claire opened the window slightly, complaining about the smell of the lamp.
Elliott dashed toward the child-sized sofa, seemingly trying to pull it over by himself.
Linus suddenly realized that he still had the half-melted chocolate in his hand.
He felt it would upset the child if he set it down visibly on the table, and he had no intention of actually eating it.
So he rolled it off to the side of the sofa as if discarding it.
A maid would clean it up later.
The maid placed a warmer on the table and lit the lamp. She set a preheated bowl on top and arranged a long tray.
The table was abundant with various types of bread, dried fruits and cheese, and vegetables that were rare for this season.
This was no mere snack. It was quite absurd, but the maids seemed unfazed.
“Is this really a snack?”
“It’s just the right time to feel a bit hungry, isn’t it?”
It was indeed afternoon tea time. If someone were hungry, a couple of sandwiches or a few pieces of cookies would suffice.
As if reading Linus’s thoughts, Claire said casually.
“Afternoon tea time is nice, but with a child and a patient around, we can’t let things get so casual.”
A child’s snack didn’t require such a spread.
“And I prefer warm food. It’s cold outside, and with the strong sea breeze lately, the chill really gets to you.”
Linus had a feeling he knew where Elliott learned to give him chocolate.
“I want marshmallows!”
“This will taste better.”
The bowl’s lid was removed, and the sweet aroma of sweet potatoes mixed with cheese wafted up.
Claire dipped a piece of bread with her fork into the bowl and handed it to Elliott.
Once again, Linus was taken aback.
“What’s with your face?”
“You’ve made something strange. Is this an Arren-style dish?”
“What’s strange about it? It’s just cheese fondue with sweet potatoes. High in carbs… no, refined grains are a blessing for mankind.”
“That’s not a grain.”
“Before you decide to lounge on the sofa for life, why not try some sweet potatoes first? It might change your mood.”
Claire completely ignored Linus’s sarcasm about the grains. After all, the important thing was the carbohydrates.
“Be careful. It’s hot, Elliott.”
“Uh-huh… Phew!”
Even though it had cooled down sufficiently, Elliott opened his mouth wide and blew on it as if it was still hot.
“Me too, me too!”
“It’s hot.”
This time, Claire soaked a dried fig and handed it to Elliott.
Elliott took it and hopped off his chair, running around the table.
Until that moment, Linus had been crossing his arms.
The sweet smell tickled his nose, and each time it did, something inside him stirred, but he didn’t think of it as hunger.
He remained seated out of stubbornness, fearing he might look like he was fleeing.
It was silly, but he hated the idea of losing to this woman. Claire glanced at him.
As he glared at her, a fork suddenly poked in front of him.
“Uncle, a sick person needs to eat well!”
Linus was startled and jerked his head back.
What was he supposed to do with that? Elliott stood on his tiptoes, thrusting the fork towards Linus’s mouth.
Linus leaned back, completely pulling away. He realized Claire was watching him with an amused expression, which made him feel uncomfortable again.
“……”
Normally, he would have told them to clear it away, but those words didn’t come to him this time.
Reluctantly, he snatched the fork from Elliott and took a bite of the fig.
Soft fingers tapped on his knee.
Unaware of Linus’s jumbled emotions, Elliott hopped around the table, returning to his mother’s side.
Linus slowly rolled the sweet mix of cream, cheese, sweet potato, and dried fig around in his mouth.
He felt Claire’s gaze observing him.
It was only natural. He was a prince, and the crown jewel of his mother.
Everyone around treated him like a precious, irreplaceable treasure, careful not to break him.
Or perhaps he was seen as a weakness or a vulnerability. They weighed whether they could attack him, assessed his worth, and calculated the impact his loss would have on his mother.
Otherwise, they simply compared him—how he fell short of his five-year-older brother, and whether his background could compensate for it.
Was his silvery hair truly fit for a crown?
Yet, the way this woman observed and judged him was different from anyone else’s.
It wasn’t like Erich, who didn’t observe him at all, nor like Jared, who looked at him with naive affection as if Linus was really his little brother.
Claire’s gaze carried a mix of brief hostility and something akin to sympathy—emotions that Linus could not comprehend.
He felt utterly lost.
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