Chapter 1148
Ellinor slung her phone aside after hanging up. She handed a napkin to Baber, whose face was smudged with food, and wiped his mouth before scooping him into her arms.
“Are you full now?”
Baber wrapped his arms around Ellinor’s neck and nodded. “Yep, I’m stuffed!”
Ellinor gently instructed him, “From now on, you’ve gotta learn to eat with a spoon on your own, kiddo. That way, you won’t go hungry even when there are no adults around.”
Baber looked up at Ellinor with a hint of insecurity. “You won’t always be with me?”
Ellinor smiled softly, avoiding a direct answer. “Your dad will always be there for you, but he’s so busy with work, he can’t be with you every day. So, you’ve gotta learn to stand on your own two feet, alright?”
Baber obediently nodded. “Okay! I’ll try to be more independent and make Dad and you feel relieved,”
Ellinor often conversed with him, and he started talking more. Though his words were sometimes unclear, Ellinor could understand him.
In reality, Baber was a smart kid. He was just held back by Xenia and her daughter, Patricia.
Suddenly, Baber mumbled into Ellinor’s shoulder, “Can I call you mom?”
Ellinor was taken aback by the kid’s words. “Uh… why do you suddenly want to call me mom?”
Baber said, “Dad said you’re gonna be my mom and that I should listen to you and protect you when I grow up. He also said that there’s my little sister in your belly.”
Ellinor felt a bit uneasy. “When did he tell you this?”
“When we were on the mountain. You were asleep, and Dad told me when he wasn’t sleeping,”
“Really?”
Ellinor was puzzled. Theo had a legal wife, so why would he tell his son all this?
Was it because he thought Baber would accept her, so he not only wanted her to have his child but also help look after Baber? Did he not want to burden his legal wife?
Ellinor liked Baber and didn’t mind taking care of him, but she felt it was unfair.
After a moment of silence, a slightly tense Baber asked, “Can’t I call you mom?”
Ellinor, feeling awkward, told him, “The term ‘mom’ isn’t something you can just casually throw around, kiddo. Wait until your dad comes back and ask him who you should call ‘mom’.”
Baber looked disappointed. “Oh…”
Ellinor knew Baber was upset, but she was helpless. She gently patted his head and said, “Alright, go play with your toys since you’re full.*
The word ‘mom’ weighed heavily on her because it represented a responsibility she couldn’t bear. She didn’t want Baber to experience the feeling of being abandoned by his mother again.
So she couldn’t accept Baber calling her ‘mom’.
In fact, if possible, she’d be willing to take him away, as raising a child wouldn’t be a burden to her.
But now she was desperate to break free from Theo’s entanglement, and taking his foster son would only make this man chase her more persistently.
For the greater good, she had to give up this idea.
Baber obediently climbed onto the bed to play by himself, and Ellinor took out another phone left by Ida and dialed a number.
The call rang for a while before the other party finally picked up.
