He had no intention of letting Marcus and Melissa off the hook so easily.

With his hands on his waist, he scolded them, "How could you be so irresponsible, huh? Raising a child is not a game. You can't keep shifting the responsibility back and forth between each other! Now, take your son back and make sure you take good care of him or there will be consequences. I'll come check on him whenever I have the time, so don't even think of trying to fool me."

Melissa didn't dare say anything in her defense.

It was Marcus who spoke as he caressed Matthew's head affectionately, “Come on, Dad, you only helped us take care of Matthew for just a few hours. Why are you complaining so much?"

“How dare you accuse me of complaining?" Waylen fumed.

“No! Of course not. I'm not... Never mind, Dad,"

Marcus sighed and gave Matthew a kiss on the forehead before handing him to Melissa. Then he turned his attention back to his father.

"Dad, I have something to discuss with you."

Taking the cue, Rena asked Melissa to have a cup of tea with her and promptly led her outside.

As Melissa went, she turned to glance at Marcus for directions.

But Marcus waved her off. "Go ahead. There's no problem at all," he assured her.

By now, Rena's sharp eyes had noticed that Melissa's Lips were broken.

In her mind, it was the fault of Marcus.

But she didn't say anything about it for the meantime.

Instead, she said to Melissa in a gentle tone, “Let Matthew go play with the puppy in the yard."

"I want to have my own puppy too!" Matthew immediately piped in. "I want one like Ollie. He has the same pattern like the milk cow."

"He's a Dalmatian," Marcus pointed out with a smile, patting the boy's head affectionately.

But this explanation only made Matthew feel lost and confused. He frowned and blinked his eyes innocently as he tried to process what his father had just said.

Eventually, the men went to the study for their private conversation.

It was at this point that Marcus told Waylen what happened the previous night.