He deliberately lowered his voice, but the disdain surging in his eyes couldn't be hidden, piercing my heart like needles. I followed his gaze to the crack in the door of the lounge. The electronic screen in the lobby was playing a loop of photos of Liam, Vanessa, and Zeke, each one radiating "happiness and bliss." A mountain of gifts, exquisitely wrapped, was piled up in the center of the stage, all for Zeke. Even the giant cake, as tall as a person, prominently displayed "Happy Birthday Zeke," without a trace of Leo.
It turns out that this party, ostensibly to "belatedly celebrate Leo's birthday," was actually a setup for Zeke from the very beginning. My son was merely a tool he used to create a facade and curry favor with Vanessa.
Seeing my silence, Liam assumed I had agreed, so he quickly let go of my hand and softened his tone, but it was still perfunctory: "Clara, don't misunderstand. Vanessa is reluctant to part with Zeke. I did all this to reassure her that she can entrust the child to us, and also so that the family can be harmonious in the future."