The Consortium's Heir

Chapter 304

"My adoptive family doesn’t treat me as well as the outside world believes.Also, the woman who took me away from the orphanage —well, she makes it clear how sick she is of me.My adoptive mother often expresses how helpless she is when I get picked on by everyone else, but I can tell she, too, doesn't like me," Maurice revealed, testing the waters as he cautiously looked at Darius.

Yet, disappointment soon tightened his chest to know the answer he wanted never came.

Darius continued to stare at Maurice, knowing what the latter was thinking.He secretly found it funny how the boy reacted.

While everyone was still stunned by the sudden turn of events, he raised his hand, hovering it over Maurice’s head.

That caused Maurice to stiffen, holding his breath until the former's hand rested on his head.

Only then did he calm down.

Darius quirked a brow but kept his opinions to himself.

All he did was calmly point out, "You were hoping to see if I knew your birth parents and whether I could tell you about them."

Maurice rolled his eyes.

He thought he hid his emotions well, yet Darius had somehow seen through him and accurately guessed his every thought.

One thing he did not anticipate, however, was how to deal with the situation before him.

Silence ensued at the scene, making things even more awkward.

Everyone felt the tension, including Maurice’s peers, who watched from the sides.

Maurice was not focusing on this; his eyes were rolling at a specific person—Darius.

A deep frown eventually marred his face when he realized everyone’s attention was on him.

Despite his annoyance, Maurice could not do anything about it.

While twiddling his thumbs, he suddenly had the idea to sneak away from the side of his car and then drive away before anyone noticed.

His breathing grew shaky at that idea.

Still, he kept a firm and vengeful gaze, eyes darting from the escape route he mapped out to Darius’ eyes from time to time.

Darius did not move at all.

He raised his brow while fixating on Maurice, whose eyes still rolled sardonically.

Getting called out earlier left Maurice feeling more ashamed than before.

Since he had never been in such a predicament, he did not Know how to resolve it.

Adeep sigh came from Darius.

He could almost see his younger self in the blond boy before him.

While the two had entirely different life experiences, Darius was once a confused young boy who could relate to how Maurice felt now.

Thus, he pointed at Maurice’s car and said emotionlessly, "If you don’t wish to continue with your current lifestyle, I think getting in that car and leaving is the best option.Because your adoptive family isn’t as perfect as you think."

Maurice’s head immediately shot upward, shooting a prying look at Darius.

Standing opposite, Darius did not mind the former’s prying eyes, though, as they resembled that of a cautious child.He knew very well Maurice was only reacting out of fear.

On top of that, Darius himself had experienced that specific type of fear numerous times —Maurice was afraid of getting abandoned again.

Not a word came from Darius, who only raised his chin higher and placed both hands behind his back.

At that point, Edward finally understood what was happening between the two.His face then lit up with joy at the outcome of things as he had taken a liking to Maurice.

One could even say Edward viewed Maurice as a child of his own.

From the moment Edward saw Maurice earlier, he believed the latter would have made the perfect child.

Thus, his features softened as he approached Maurice's side.

"I know you have many fears and doubts, but I can swear to you with every ounce of my being that you can trust me.After all, I’m sure you can tell how much I like you."

Edward ruffled Maurice’s hair and candidly revealed his sentiments to the boy. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

While speaking, he knelt to meet Maurice at eye level, trying to be as sincere as possible.

"If you’re okay with it, I hope you’ll agree to be my son.I understand you have many concerns still, but I think you should give yourself a shot at a loving family."

Those words were so full of love and sincerity that Maurice’s eyes became glossary with tears.He had never experienced such emotions before, so he stiffened on the spot, not knowing how to react.

Not getting a response from the boy, Edward dejectedly retracted his hand.

Yet, as he did so, a pair of hands speedily reached out to grab him.

It was the first time Maurice had felt such warmth and affection from an adult’s gaze.It was almost too blinding, so he loosened his grip and looked down.

His hands then crossed before his chest as though he were a pouting child.

A tender smile spread across Edward's face just then.

"Is there something you wish to say to me?"

Head shooting upward in a split second, Maurice blushed fervently, then lowered his gaze to his hands.

That was not what Edward expected from the blond boy.

It perplexed him, and he could not decipher what the latter was trying to do.

However, Maurice was quick to quell the former’s confusion in the next second, explaining, "I thought you'd be upset..."

Edward quirked a brow, still unable to catch up to Maurice’s thoughts.

That was when Maurice looked him in the eye with a grumpier countenance.His mood had soured slightly, so he mumbled, "Because I didn’t ask for your permission before touching your arm."

Upon hearing that, Edward’s jaw tensed.

He had pondered the many reasons behind Maurice’s statement earlier, but he never considered this to be the cause.

It set off a complicated swirl of emotions on his face.

He thought, "This kid must've been mistreated by his family— wait, but then again, that’s just my assumption.I probably shouldn't bring it up now."

Following that, he stood with both hands in his pockets, asking, "Well, then.Are you willing to come with us? You can leave this place behind, including your previous living conditions."

Maurice instinctively nodded before he even uttered the word "yes."