Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Vincent Grant, Completely Superfluous
Joanna Sherman cried out in pain, startling the two men so much they nearly dropped the machine.
Timothy Morgan was just coming downstairs when she saw the scene. She hurried over and waved the two men away. "Go on, get out of here. And watch where you’re going from now on!"
The two were terrified Joanna Sherman would make trouble for them, so when they heard Timothy Morgan, they immediately bolted.
Furious, annoyed, and resentful, Joanna Sherman glared at Timothy Morgan. "Timothy Morgan, who gave you permission to make my decisions for me?"
Timothy Morgan replied matter-of-factly, "Did Miss Sherman want them to stick around and see you in such a pathetic state? And while they’re at it, let everyone at Zenith know that President Grant was the one who tripped you?"
"And President Grant... tripping you and not even bothering to come back and help you up!"
Joanna Sherman: "..."
’Those last words cut like a knife.’
Timothy Morgan slowly lifted the metal plate off her leg.
Joanna Sherman was wearing long pants, so the extent of her injuries wasn’t visible. But judging from the cold sweat beading on her temples and the fact that she couldn’t even get up, the injury had to be serious.
Timothy Morgan called the infirmary, but she didn’t help Joanna Sherman up. Instead, she turned to look around. "Chief Engineer Sherman, doesn’t this place look a little familiar to you?"
At her reminder, Joanna Sherman finally looked around.
But her gaze was still blank with confusion.
Seeing this, Timothy Morgan shook her head, speechless. "When I sent Faye to do an interview back then, I heard she was pushed down right here. You ’accidentally’ stepped on a metal plate, pinning her hand so badly it was nearly broken. She couldn’t work for a long time after that."
Timothy Morgan hadn’t been there herself; she had heard all this from Joy Judd.
Back then, Jenna Judd had only mentioned it to belittle and mock Sophia Shaw. Hearing it had made Timothy feel awful for Sophia for a very long time.
"I heard President Grant was there, too. He was so concerned with your little stumble that he didn’t even spare Faye a glance."
"What goes around, comes around."
Joanna Sherman finally remembered.
Back then, she was the high-and-mighty Joanna Sherman, with an elite university background, a dream of building rockets, and the support of Vincent Grant. Her future was limitless!
In her eyes, Sophia Shaw was nothing but an insect—someone she could crush, flatten, or toy with as she pleased.
She hadn’t been unsteady at all that time; she had done it intentionally for Vincent Grant to see.
And Vincent Grant had still chosen her!
But how much time had passed? The man who had once chosen her without a second thought had now chosen Sophia Shaw...
The prouder she had been then, the more pathetic she felt now.
——
Jenson Forrest drove Sophia Shaw to the hospital as fast as he could.
He glanced at Vincent Grant, who had followed closely behind. Not wanting to cause more trouble, he didn’t go inside. He only said to Sophia Shaw, "I’ll be nearby. Call me if you need anything."
Sophia Shaw murmured her assent and entered the hospital.
Vincent Grant hurried over, giving Jenson Forrest a long, hard look.
Jenson Forrest met his gaze calmly, unflinching.
Vincent Grant rushed past him and followed Sophia Shaw into the hospital.
When Sophia Shaw went in, Ms. Archer was already holding Bun, who was on an IV drip.
The little girl, with a needle taped to her hand, was whimpering pitifully.
Ms. Archer was rocking her back and forth, cooing softly.
On the way over, Sophia Shaw had learned about Bun’s condition. She had a sudden fever that led to a febrile seizure.
"What did the doctor say?" Sophia Shaw asked nervously.
Ms. Archer said, "The doctor said a very high fever can cause seizures. Luckily, we brought her temperature down in time, or it could have been really dangerous."
A cold sweat trickled down Ms. Archer’s own back as she spoke.
"I was too careless. I didn’t notice Bun had a fever sooner."
"As long as she’s okay."
Sophia Shaw knew Ms. Archer was always conscientious when it came to Bun. This was an accident, and she certainly didn’t blame her.
Instead, she took the child from her arms. "Let me hold her."
"Let me!"
Vincent Grant came over and reached for Bun.
Bun, her little face flushed and aggrieved, buried herself in Sophia Shaw’s arms without even glancing at him.
Vincent Grant stood there with his arms outstretched, empty. He watched Bun whimpering in Sophia Shaw’s embrace before letting his hands fall to his sides.
Bun had been brought to the hospital with a forty-degree Celsius fever, and the doctor wanted her to be admitted.
A nurse had already arranged a room in the pediatric ward.
Bun refused to lie on the bed, only wanting to be held by Sophia Shaw.
Worried Bun would get too weak from hunger, Ms. Archer hurried back to get some congee.
A nurse came in and placed Bun’s medicine on the bed. "Three times a day. You can give her the first dose now."
"Okay." Sophia Shaw took the medicine.
Vincent Grant reached out to her. "Let me mix it."
’He’d taken care of Cedric Grant plenty when he was little. Giving medicine to a child was nothing to him.’
Sophia Shaw turned slightly away. "No need."
"President Grant, there’s nothing for you to do here. You should go back."
That single "President Grant" instantly put a wide gulf between Sophia Shaw and Vincent Grant.
"Faye, our child is sick. Let me do something for her," he said in a low voice.
Sophia Shaw’s expression was icy as she repeated, "No need."
With one hand, she tore open the medicine packet, emptied it into a cup, and deftly poured in some water before stirring.
Then, she skillfully fed it to Bun.
Her movements were so practiced that even Vincent Grant was taken aback.
’When Cedric Grant had been sick before his first birthday, he was usually the one to give him his medicine. She’d always been so clumsy with things like this, too soft-hearted. Every time she tried to give Cedric Grant his medicine, she’d end up spilling it everywhere.’
Before long, Ms. Archer returned with the congee.
Again, it was Sophia Shaw who fed her, one spoonful at a time with one hand.
Vincent Grant had thought Bun’s illness would be an opportunity for him to do something.
’Only now did he realize... he was completely unnecessary!’
"Dad! Mom!"
Cedric Grant had also heard about Bun’s illness. He’d taken leave from school before it ended and rushed over in a flurry.
"Is my sister okay?"
Hearing him call her "sister" made Sophia Shaw very uncomfortable, but she didn’t say anything, only replying politely, "Her fever is going down."
Cedric Grant put down his backpack anyway, washed his hands, and reached out to feel Bun’s forehead.
He then touched his own forehead to compare.
Only when he was sure Bun was no longer feverish did the tension on his face finally ease.
"Mom, let me feed my sister! I’m super good at it," Cedric Grant, who had been looking for a chance to be useful lately, announced loudly.
’Cedric Grant instinctively felt that if Mom knew he could take care of his little sister, she would surely accept him again.’
Hearing this, Ms. Archer let out a soft sigh.
’Where on earth did Cedric Grant practice these caregiving skills? Doesn’t he have any clue? The more he showed off his childcare skills, the more it reminded Sophia Shaw of what he and his father had done.’
Sure enough, Sophia Shaw’s face grew even colder.
"Cedric, you should go home."
Cedric Grant was a bit disappointed, but he still picked up a diaper and said, "I can also change my sister’s diaper. If she gets hungry in the middle of the night, I can help mix her formula."
’Oh, good grief,’ Ms. Archer thought. ’He certainly learned the whole works! If he had shown just half of the devotion he’d given Joanna Sherman and her child to his own mother and sister, Sophia Shaw’s heart wouldn’t have frozen over like this.’
"Auntie Archer and I can do all that," Sophia Shaw refused flatly.
’She really didn’t want to hear him boast about his glorious achievements taking care of Joanna Sherman’s child.’
Sophia Shaw looked up at Vincent Grant. "Vincent Grant, you and Cedric Grant are disturbing us by being here."
She used the word "disturbing," drawing a clear line in the sand between them.
After all his efforts, Cedric Grant still hadn’t gained Sophia Shaw’s approval. His eyes reddened with disappointment, and he looked helplessly at Vincent Grant.
’He couldn’t understand it. He was being so helpful, so why wasn’t Mom happy at all?’
Vincent Grant’s lips tightened, but he still pulled Cedric Grant out of the room.
The two of them didn’t leave; they just stayed outside.
Sophia Shaw and Ms. Archer fell into a calm, orderly routine, taking turns eating and caring for Bun.
From the next room, the cries of a baby could be heard from time to time.
Through the window, one could see mothers and fathers taking turns cooing at their little babies, taking care of them together.
As school let out, many children around Cedric Grant’s age also came to visit their own little sisters or brothers.
’None of those kids were as capable as him. They didn’t know how to mix formula or change diapers for their siblings, yet they were allowed to hold their baby brothers and sisters, cheek to cheek...’
Cedric Grant’s eyes grew red with envy.
A figure flashed past the two of them and entered Bun’s hospital room.
"Bun, Daddy’s baby."
The man entered the room and immediately took Bun from Sophia Shaw’s arms. He felt her forehead, then her little hands and feet, and incessantly nuzzled his cheek against hers.
Cedric Grant and Vincent Grant looked over and clearly saw Levin Sawyer’s face.
