Having been treated coldly while attending classes at the other kindergarten, Estella wasn’t used to receiving such a warm welcome all of a sudden.
She decided to turn toward Archie and Benny for help, only to realize they had blended into the crowd. As the kids all took turns giving Estella hugs, one of the boys got so excited that he kissed her on the cheek.
Archie and Benny leaped to their feet and yelled angrily, “Hey! Boys aren’t allowed to kiss her! Hugs only!” Estella was still stunned by the sudden kiss, but she instinctively nodded when she heard them defending her.
The boy then walked up to her and apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kiss you. I just-”
After Estella snapped out of her dazed state, her lips curled into a smile when she saw the sincere looks on their faces. “It’s okay! I’ve missed you guys too!”
At that, the kids smothered her with hugs again.
Pippa chuckled and shook her head when she saw how excited the kids were. They are rarely this happy, so why not let them have some fun? She flashed a smile and watched them from the side, lest they get into any accidents.
Another teaching assistant from the same class approached her and whispered, “Ms. Ward, how is Mr. Farwell related to Archie and Benny’s mother?”
Pippa froze in surprise. She recalled Lucian’s words earlier and how Estella had addressed Roxanne this morning. It was evident that there was more to their relationship than either of them was letting on although they had not been explicit about it.
In the event that a member of the Farwell family wished to pick up Estella, Lucian would need to be notified by phone, whereas Roxanne could collect her without prior authorization.
It could be said that Roxanne was much more important to Lucian than his family. However, she wasn’t sure if they were ready to go public with their relationship.
Pippa gave the teaching assistant a half-smile instead of answering her question. The teaching assistant continued, “I saw Mr. Farwell and Ms. Jarvis doing that through the window earlier!”
Pippa shot her a baffled look. The teaching assistant made a kissing gesture with her hands. Her gesture elicited a surprised look in Pippa’s eyes. Pippa knew they were dating, but it was still shocking to learn that they had kissed at the kindergarten entrance.
“What about Mr. Farwell and Ms. Pearson’s engagement?” the teaching assistant asked curiously. Fearing that she might dwell on the matter, Pippa promptly clarified, “I suppose they broke up.”
She wasn’t sure about it, but Lucian had most probably broken up with Aubree judging from how he treated her.
“I previously thought Mr. Farwell and Ms. Pearson didn’t seem like a real couple. Ms. Pearson was so rude to us, remember? She doesn’t deserve to be with Mr. Farwell.” The teaching assistant was pretty upset with Aubree.
After learning that Lucian and Aubree were no longer together, she promptly vented her frustrations. “I don’t think Essie likes Aubree, too. Did she do something to Essie. behind Mr. Farwell’s back?”
They both turned to look at Estella. A long while later, the teaching assistant piped up, “Actually, Essie resembles Ms. Jarvis, doesn’t she? She adores Ms. Jarvis. If I didn’t know the truth, I’d have assumed she’s Ms. Jarvis’ daughter.”
Pippa observed Estella for a while and nodded in agreement. However, Estella was Lucian’s daughter, and Roxanne had her own children. Naturally, they weren’t related to each other by blood.
Pippa sighed softly. “I wish that’s true. That way, Essie wouldn’t have refused to talk for years.” When Estella started attending kindergarten, Pippa had concerns about her well-being. Fortunately, Roxanne appeared in the little girl’s life.
The teaching assistant agreed, “Yes. Perhaps fate brought Ms. Jarvis to Essie so she could be her savior. Look how happy Essie is now.” Their hearts melted at the adorable sight of Estella playing with her friends.
Meanwhile, in Lucian’s car, Roxanne couldn’t help but glance at him through the rearview mirror. Six years ago, she wouldn’t miss the chance to spend time with Lucian.
She would always stare at his face intently, hoping he could spare a glance at her. Alas, it had never happened. Now, she finally got the chance to stare at him whenever she wanted.
All the while, she had thought her feelings for Lucian had faded over time. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to still be deeply and wildly in love with Lucian.
“How was it? Are you satisfied?” Lucian suddenly turned to look at her. Roxanne stiffened and blurted out, “Not bad.” Hearing that, Lucian chuckled in amusement.
Roxanne belatedly regained her composure and realized what she had just said. Her cheeks flushed a crimson red immediately. Lucian wasn’t about to push her too much.
Sensing her anxiety, he changed the topic.. “Thanks to you and the boys, Essie is doing so much better now.”
Roxanne relaxed subconsciously when she heard Estella’s name. Her eyes softened as she said, “I didn’t do anything. Essie is shy, so we should make an effort to befriend her. I should be grateful that she’s willing to open her heart to me.”
There was nothing more moving than being trusted by a young girl.
They chatted about Estella’s change throughout the journey. Roxanne’s gaze soon drifted to the scenery outside the car window. She was taken aback by the unfamiliarity of her surroundings.
Glancing at her watch, she realized they should’ve arrived at the research institute from the kindergarten ages ago. “Are you sure you’re going the right way?” she
asked quickly, her voice full of concern. “This isn’t the route to the research institute.” Lucian didn’t make a U-turn. Instead, he asked calmly, “Didn’t you agree to go someplace with me?”
Roxanne was reminded of the fare Lucian had mentioned earlier. Furrowing her brows, she protested, “You didn’t say that we’re heading. there now.”
I was planning on heading back to the research institute Knowing what she was thinking, Lucian drawled, “You haven’t visited the research institute in a while, but it’s still functioning efficiently, right? This shows that the institute can operate smoothly even when you’re not present. You needn’t feel obligated to return today.”
Roxanne could not refute his words. Indeed, the research institute had been doing well despite her and Colby’s absence..
After accepting a project, the researchers simply had to conduct their research as planned. In normal circumstances, nothing unexpected would occur.
She sighed inwardly and caved in. “Where are we going now?”
“Since you returned to the country, you’ve been occupied with work and looking after Archie and Benny. You can’t be stressed all the time. I’ll take you to a place where you can unwind.”
Roxanne instinctively wanted to respond that she didn’t feel stressed at all.
However, it was as though Lucian had expected her response, as he added, “I’ve been pretty busy with work at Farwell Group as well. I also had to investigate Colby’s background. It’s pretty exhausting, so I’d like to take a break.”
Roxanne swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue. If Lucian was merely concerned about her, she would think it was unnecessary to drive to someplace just to relax.
However, Lucian had used himself as an excuse, hinting to Roxanne that he was too busy investigating something. This left Roxanne feeling guilty, and she felt that it was her responsibility to unwind with him.
Not long after, the car rolled to a stop before a beach. Roxanne felt her heart relax at the sight of the vast ocean. It had been some time since she had last come to the beach.
Six years ago, before their separation, she would visit the beach alone to find solace whenever Lucian hurt her feelings. After giving birth to Archie and Benny, Roxanne would relax by spending time playing with them.
Every time she spent time playing with the children, she would eventually feel rejuvenated. To her surprise, she felt the same way today at the sight of the endless sea before her.
“I recall you used to come to the beach frequently in the past.” Lucian’s voice echoed in her ear as he reminisced about old times. “After you left, I’d also come to the beach whenever I felt tired. It was a great feeling.”
With that, he clasped her hand and led her to the beach. It was a weekday, so there was no one in sight. Roxanne hesitated briefly and allowed him to lead her to the beach.
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.