“Since you have already called him Daddy, that means you have already acknowledged him.” Hayden looked at Layla with a betrayed expression. “You‘ve grown up. Let‘s not sleep together in the future.”
Layla started crying. “Hayden, I‘m scared to sleep alone.”
Hayden looked at her reddened eyes. He turned softhearted. “What did Elyette give you? Why did you call him Daddy?”
Layla shrugged and scratched her head. “I didn‘t want him to blame Robert for Shea‘s incident. He said that he doesn‘t blame Robert. He said that he was going to spend New Year alone at home. I thought about how lonely he would be, so I took pity on him. He said for a New Years‘ gift, he would like me to call him Daddy…”
“This is just a tactic that dirtbag uses! He often does this in front of Mommy! Which is why Mommy is bewitched by him.”
When Layla heard what Hayden said, she could no longer lie.
“He knows I stole his box.” Layla pouted and came clean. “Today, a bad lady came and take the box away, but not only did Daddy not blame me, but he also comforted me.”
Hayden’s face instantly turned serious and cold.
“Daddy said that the bad lady died in a car crash.” At that, Layla‘s eyes turned wet. “I‘m afraid. I don‘t dare to tell Mommy or Uncle Mike. It was Daddy who came to comfort me. Hayden, if you were to come back earlier, I wouldn’t be that scared.”
Hayden retracted his defensiveness a little.
“Layla, don‘t be afraid. Since he doesn‘t blame you, then just treat it like this never happened. “Hayden hugged Layla and patiently comforted her, “Since you acknowledged him already, don‘t regret it. I‘m not angry. I won‘t blame you either.”
“Hayden, he said the things in the box are gone,” Layla sniffled, “He said that the things are not important, but if they are not important, why would the bad person come to look for me because of the box? I won‘t dare to take his things anymore in the future.”
“Don‘t believe what strangers tell you in the future,” Hayden warned, “If Uncle Mike and I are not there, you can tell the bodyguard.”
Layla nodded furiously, “Daddy asks me not to tell Mommy about this.”
“Hmm, Mommy needs to take care of Robert. It‘s tiring.”
The next day, Elyette took the photo of the woman who died in the car crash to Layla‘s classmate‘s house, the one who invited Layla over the day before.
“At my daughter‘s birthday yesterday, we invited a group of classmates over to have fun. I do not know the woman in the photo. She said that you sent her to care for Layla, which was why I let her in.” Layla‘s classmate‘s mother looked at the photo Elyette passed to her and explained, “I only believe her because she said that Layla is your daughter. I thought that not everybody knows about this private fact.”
“Your daughter‘s birthday is not yesterday,” Elyette said coldly, “If you‘re going to continue to lie to me, we don’t have to continue this discussion!”
“Mr. Foster, my daughter‘s birthday is indeed not yesterday, but I decided to hold a party for her at the very last minute because a cake brand contacted me saying that they would sponsor my daughter‘s birthday cake and some limited–edition gifts, as long as I invite a few kids over, take some photos, and upload them online.”
“Which cake brand is this?” Elyette suddenly furrowed his brows and questioned sternly.
After knowing which cake brand, Elyette stormed off.
An hour later, Elyette arrived in the main headquarters building of said cake brand. The cake brand, Tarragon Industries, is the leading company in the cake industry.
Elyette did not know the owner of this cake brand, so he felt that there must be someone else behind this
“Mr. Foster, this event is indeed done by our marketing and promotion department. As for how they pick the kids to work with, I don‘t know. I only see results,” The owner of the cake brand said to Elyette honestly, “I‘ll look for the person in charge of this activity, please wait a while.”
When Elyette heard the explanation, he took up his cup and took a sip.
A moment later, the owner of the cake brand finished the call and looked at Elyette strangely in surprise.
“Mr. Foster, my manager said that people from your company contacted us and requested that we add that kid to the list of our promotional activities. My manager did it because of you, which was why he contacted that kid…”
Elyette‘s gaze instantly darkened. The person behind this was extremely bold! How dare they use his name throughout the entire process. What was unbelievable was how they could trick everyone there.
If he did not find Layla to clear things up, he might have been still in the dark.
In the evening, Elyette came to Starry River Villa. He promised Layla the night before that he was going to give her gifts to celebrate the New Year.
He went to the mall that afternoon and picked a few hair clips. He did not know whether she would like it or not.
Elyette entered the living area. Mike and Hayden walked out. Layla was attending a shoot that night. She was not home.
“This is the gift I bought for Layla. When she returns, please pass it to her,” Elyette said to Mike.
Mike took over the presents and had a look. Then, he immediately raised his eyebrows. “What else?”
Elyette was a little stunned.
“Don‘t tell me that you only bought it for Layla?” Mike exclaimed in disbelief.
Elyette instantly understood what he meant. Hayden too.
“I don‘t want his gifts!” Hayden said with a cold expression before storming off to his room upstairs.
Mike looked at Hayden‘s defiant figure and took two steps forward to Elyette. “Did you really not buy him a gift? It‘s up to him whether he accepts it or not, but if you didn‘t buy anything for him, that‘s too much!”
Elyette‘s face flushed a little. He took a little box out of his pocket. “I don‘t know what he likes, so I just simply bought one. Give it to him!”
Mike accepted the box and opened it. It was a gold bar. The gold almost blinded Mike with its shininess.
Mike looked at Elyette in confusion.
Elyette‘s face blushed. “Do you think that it‘s a bad gift?”
Mike replied, “This is such a random gift!” “I have my reasons for giving this to him,” Elyette swallowed his saliva and explained.
After Elyette explained his reason, Mike bawled in a fit of laughter.
“From your gift–picking skills, I have reasons to believe that you only attracted Averie because of your face and your money,” Mike teased him mercilessly.
“She doesn‘t like my money,” Elyette corrected him.
“You can earn money, that means you have capabilities. You‘re not all useless.” Mike roared in laughter, “By the way, I heard that Layla has called you Daddy last night. You got a daughter for free. I‘m sure you‘re delighted?”
“You sure don‘t mince your words.” Elyette furrowed his brows.
What did he mean by free? Layla was his daughter. This was a fact. If Layla was willing to let him raise her, he would take the time out to do so too.
“The truth is always harsher. How are you and Averie doing? Are you still at a standoff?” Mike changed into a subject that made Elyette feel worse. “Shea‘s funeral has been done. Let her rest in peace! You still have to live your life.”
“Are you asking me to go to Bridgedale and take her home?” There were hints of mockery in Elyette‘s tone, “She treated Shea, yet she didn‘t tell me. No matter what she does, she always places herself first and I‘m at the last.”
“Don‘t you think you‘re thinking too much into this?” Mike crossed his hands on his waist, trying to talk sense into Elyette. “Why does she not spend her life with you? Why did she secretly give birth to the children? It‘s because you said you didn‘t want children! You didn‘t want children, but she chose to have kids, so she gave you up! Until now, I still don‘t understand why you insist on not having children!”
“I‘ll tell you the reason!” Elyette‘s gaze darkened. He enunciated, “Shea and I are twins. When I was young, I also had Shea‘s condition. Shea is retarded, and so was I! Do you know Shea‘s condition is much more serious than mine? All because she is a girl! My father not only hates retards, but he is also a misogynist! I received the best treatment when I was young, yet Shea got worse after being beaten up by my father over and over again! I don‘t want children because I don‘t want to pass on my terrible genes to the next generation!”
Mike never thought that Elyette would spill out all of the things that have to do with his reputation. He blushed and awkwardly turned around, pouring Elyette a cup of water.
“Is it because Shea is dead, so you have no regard for this anymore?” Mike touched his nose.” Don‘t worry, I won‘t say a word of this. Chad too.”
“You also think this is a shameful matter, huh?” Elyette accepted the cup of water, but he did not drink it. He looked at Mike calmly with a glum expression.
“It‘s not that shameful. It‘s just that your identity is rather special. If this were to spread, others would surely talk.” Mike analyzed, putting himself in Elyette‘s shoes. “No wonder you insisted on not saying this. Are you afraid that Averie would look down on you? She is not this type of person.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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