While distracting him, I walked up to him and slowly studied the apron on him. I then patted his shoulder and advised him half-heartedly as if I was his elder, “This is Audrey’s reward for you. Don’t let the kids down. You will be responsible for the entire family’s meal from today onward.”
Anthony narrowed his eyes and stared at me for almost two seconds. Before I could react, he pulled me closer to him and trapped me in his embrace.
The distance between both of our faces was only a punch away, and the atmosphere around us became a little ambiguous. However, Anthony didn’t stop leaning closer to me. He lowered his voice and said, “Does that mean you’re being considerate of me?”
I chuckled awkwardly and tried my best to push my head away from his. “Of course! I’m your dear wife. I would never lie to you. Mmm—”
Anthony’s lips suddenly landed on mine and left swiftly as it came. His gaze was a playful one as he said, “I’m giving you another chance.”
“What I said was true…” I unconsciously lowered my voice and looked down. “My cooking is not as good as yours.”
“Hmm?”
Unsurprisingly, Anthony pressed his soft lips against mine again.
The kiss was overbearing and forceful as if he was trying to teach me a lesson. Under Anthony’s lead, my breathing started to become unsteady.
Upon noticing the physiological change in him, I jerked awake. I immediately pushed him away and covered my mouth. “You assh*le!”
Anthony curled his lips into a suggestive smile. “I was just doing what a couple would usually do. How am I an assh*le?”
“You… Hmph! I’m done talking to you.”
Since I couldn’t trick him, I quickly fled the scene.
My face was boiling from Anthony’s kiss. As I walked out of the kitchen, I placed both of my hands on my face to lower the temperature. But before I could go far, Audrey stopped me.
She was carrying a completed lantern and was looking up at me. Blinking her big eyes, she asked curiously, “Mommy, is it hot in the kitchen? Why is your face so red?”
Her question rendered me speechless.
Why don’t you ask your daddy about this?
“Yes.” I smiled awkwardly, then tried to change the topic hastily. “Wow, you’re done with the lantern in such a short time! It’s so pretty. Do you want Mommy to accompany you to find a place to hang this up?”
“Okay!”
Young kids were rather easy to trick.
After going around the main house, Audrey finally decided to hang the lantern on the lamp post at the main door. Though the yellow light of the lantern was unnoticeable in the dark, it was enough to make Audrey jump in happiness.
“It will look nicer than this when we hang up all the lanterns.” New Year was around the corner. Now that I thought about it, I had not spent any New Year with Anthony for the past six or seven years.
In Love, Never Say Never
Happiness is easy to attain. Happiness is when you still have your loved ones around and are surrounded by your children.
After a moment, I noticed that I had slipped into a trance while staring at the lantern. But I still hoped that my wish could be granted by this first lantern of winter.
Audrey ran back into the house excitedly. While running, she imagined the mind-blowing scene where the lanterns lit up the entire villa. “Mommy, run faster! I want to finish making all the lanterns and hang them up! It will be so, so beautiful!”
I smiled at her exclamation and followed behind. Based on her speed in making the lanterns, I was pretty sure that she could only see such an astonishing scene in her dreams today.
However, when we returned to the living room, a handful of lanterns were ready to be hung. Even Summer had finished making one.
I shifted my gaze toward the boys and noticed the same chill expression on their faces as if they were trying to show that they did not make those lanterns.
“These two…” They wanted to satisfy Audrey’s desire to win, but at the same time, they weren’t willing to lose.
Audrey paid no attention to the lanterns. With a frown, she immediately dove into the sea of lantern parts and began to make a new one.
“Honey, it’s time for dinner,” Anthony called out to me right then.
“Okay!” I then turned to the kids. “Come on, let’s wash your hands and have dinner. We’ll continue after that.”
“Wait, Mommy! I’m not hungry yet. I’ll eat after I’m done with this!” Audrey said. Her attention was fixed on the lantern.
As for Shaun and Gregory, they had put down the lantern parts and were ready to go.
“No, Audrey. You have to behave. Daddy and your brothers are hungry. Are you going to let them starve as they wait for you?” I put on an angry face and tried to trick her into having dinner. “If you’re not hungry, I’ll ask Daddy to give your dessert to your brothers.”
Hearing that, Audrey thought for a moment and quickly darted toward the washroom. “I’ll go wash my hands! I’m the fastest!”
Her shameless act amused us all.
Suddenly, Anthony came to my side and pulled me toward the dining table. He opened the lid of the bowl in front of me once I was seated and instantly, a wave of heat hit my face.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Dessert. Haven’t you guessed it?” said Anthony with a smile.
“It’s a lie to persuade Audrey to have dinner. I didn’t know that you made one.” I took a glance at the bowl and pursed my lips. A moment later, I placed the lid back in its place. I really didn’t have the appetite to eat it now. “Why don’t you give it to Audrey? I had high tea with Emery just now, and I’m still full. I think I’ll have some salad for dinner.”
Anthony raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
He had a small appetite, and the kids’ attention was on the lanterns, so dinner ended in less than thirty minutes.
After that, the kids continued with the project in the living room with Anthony helping them. As for me and Summer, we went upstairs for a shower after accompanying them for a short while. Both of us were worn out.
As I got out of the bathroom, I sensed a weak, sweet smell in the air. I followed the scent into the bedroom and saw a familiar bowl on the dressing table.
Anthony, in his pajamas, walked toward the dressing table from the wardrobe and sat on the chair. He then spread his legs and patted his right leg as a gesture for me to go over to him. “Come.”
What is he up to?
I smiled. I raised my hand to my head to support the towel wrapped around my hair and went up to him. “What is it? Are you going to help me with a mask?” I asked after sitting down on his lap.
Anthony merely smiled. He reached out to the bowl and lifted the lid. He then scooped a spoonful of the dessert and tasted it. After making sure the dessert was no longer hot, he turned the spoon to me and said gently, “It’s not hot. Open your mouth.”
I glanced at him and ate it. Instantly, I felt a surge of warmth in my stomach. “Mmm… It’s good!”
Anthony was a successful businessman and a good cook. His dishes were all nicely done and so was the dessert. It wasn’t too sweet, and it had a nice aroma.
Anthony smiled with satisfaction upon seeing my reaction. He pulled my hand to the bowl and said, “Drink it yourself.”
Anthony caught the towel as it was falling and dried my hair with it. I then picked up the spoon and fed myself the rest of the soup, gulping it down eagerly although I was not hungry at all.
Then he switched on the hairdryer and started blow-drying my hair, holding my hair with one hand while carefully maneuvering the hairdryer with the other. His reflection in the mirror seemed to show that he was completely immersed in the activity and thoroughly enjoying himself.
I continued drinking the soup till I simply could not take another spoonful. As I lowered the flask, I peered at his reflection again, only to see that he was now smiling stupidly to himself, the way people do when they were secretly pleased about something.
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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