Roxanne’s heart ached when she saw the girl’s disappointment, but there was nothing she could do besides giving her a merciless rejection. Patiently, she explained to the girl, “Essie, you’ll have your own mommy, and once you have your mommy, you’ll find out that liking mommy and liking me don’t feel the same.”
Estella tightened her fists stubbornly and looked at Roxanne with tearful eyes. “I only like Ms. Jarvis!”
“You won’t—” Roxanne said in resignation when she saw Estella’s tears.
However, before she could finish her sentence, the girl gave her a heart wrenching look.
Her gaze seemed as though it was capable of seeing through people’s souls, and that made Roxanne stiffen.
In the next second, Estella let go of her shirt and ran outside.
“Essie!” Roxanne cried out when she returned to her senses. Right as she was about to run after the girl, the man beside her had already sped off after her.
Staring at Lucian’s back, Roxanne ran for two steps, then stopped hesitantly.
Essie dashed off because of me. If she sees me again, will she feel worse? Should I… not show up around her for a while for now?
The boys had never thought that things would turn out this way either. They froze for a few seconds before they recollected themselves.
When they saw their mother’s pale face, they decided not to go after Estella. Instead, they went to their mother’s side silently and muttered, “Mommy…”
They could see that their mother seemed sad as well, but they did not know how to console her. They held their tongues after that and merely kept her company at the side.
Roxanne gradually came back to her senses a while later. She lowered her gaze to look at the boys and whispered, “Should I not have rejected Essie just now?”
The boys shared a look, but neither knew what to reply to her.
If Mommy hasn’t accepted Daddy, then it’s nothing unusual for her to reject Essie. But who knew Essie would be that disappointed and run out without a word?
Truth be told, Roxanne was not expecting an answer from them. After saying that, she hung her head in silence as waves of panic and frustration washed over her.
She could see that Estella was hoping for a mother with the way she had raised that sudden question.
She wondered how Estella’s mother could bear to abandon the girl.
Roxanne was already distressed enough when Estella had gone missing previously.
She’s not familiar with her surroundings. I wonder if she’ll lose her way like she did the last time.
Archie and Benny could see the anxiety on their mother’s face. They consoled her, “Don’t worry, Mommy. Mr. Farwell will surely find Essie.”
Roxanne’s eyes flicked toward the boys, and she forced a smile.
“We’ll help you comfort Essie once Mr. Farwell is back with her.”
To distract their mother, the boys changed the topic back to the earlier phone call. “It’s getting late. Didn’t you promise to meet Mr. Damaris? If you don’t leave now, you’re going to be late.”
Roxanne’s mind was preoccupied with Estella. She only recalled that Jack and Hector were still waiting for her in the research institute at the boys’ reminder.
She cast a glance at the doorway, still worried about the girl’s safety. “Mommy, just go,” the boys urged. Right then, Jack called. Roxanne picked up the call as she furrowed her brows. “Sorry, I’ll be there in a moment,” she said apologetically.
Hearing that there was something amiss with her voice, Jack asked in concern, “Did something happen?”
He was already worried when he heard Roxanne abruptly telling him that she was going to be late by half an hour. Just as Roxanne was about to say something, she heard Hector’s and Colby’s voices.
She hesitated. Then, with a nonchalant chuckle, she said to him, “Nothing. I’ll be right there.”
Jack asked a few more questions in concern, but Roxanne dismissed them all.
She wanted to wait until Estella was back, but she had already made Hector wait for her for such a long time; she could not delay the appointment any longer.
After ending the call, Roxanne crouched down and ruffled the boys’ hair. “Apologize to Essie for me when she’s back, okay?”
The boys nodded compliantly.
Roxanne only stood up and left after seeing the boys’ agreement.
Meanwhile, Lucian found the girl crying quietly. She was hiding in the garden.
Even after he arrived, Estella was still crying.
“Essie, Daddy’s here.” Lucian sighed and lowered himself until he was at eye level with the girl. He reached out and patted her head.
Estella shook his hand off unhappily and sobbed as she shifted to the side.
Complicated feelings seeped into Lucian’s heart as he took in the girl’s melancholic look and remembered the way Roxanne had rejected her ruthlessly earlier.
Lucian had never thought that Estella would spring that question on Roxanne and that Roxanne would reject Estella so straightforwardly.
He was glad that he had not told Estella the truth of her birth yet.
Otherwise, he had no idea how sad she would be to hear the rejection from her own mother.
Estella was still sulking, and there was nothing Lucian could say. All he could do was stand by her side.
He had thought that Roxanne would run after them soon.
After all, he knew that Roxanne truly liked Estella despite her earlier rejection.
Yet, even after some time had passed, Roxanne still did not show up.
Lucian’s expression gradually darkened.
Estella shared similar thoughts. She had been waiting for Roxanne to come after her and console her, but Roxanne did not come. Eventually, Estella stopped crying.
“Daddy,” the girl muttered sadly as she looked up at her father, “does Ms. Jarvis not like me?”
Why else would she not come and console me?
Lucian’s eyes darkened when he looked at her. He suppressed the displeasure he felt toward Roxanne and reassured her, “It’s my fault. Ms. Jarvis hasn’t accepted me yet. That’s why she rejected you.”
Still, Estella’s eyes were red. “But why isn’t Ms. Jarvis coming to see me?”
The last time she had gone missing, Roxanne had been the first to find her.
Lucian gently patted her head and said, “Maybe Ms. Jarvis hasn’t found you yet. Let’s go back and wait for her.”
Estella nodded obediently upon hearing her father’s words. Lucian lifted Estella into his arms before returning to Roxanne’s place. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw Roxanne’s car reaching the gates of the residential area.
Lucian could recognize Roxanne’s car right away, and the moment he did, the temperature around him dropped. Essie was sobbing so badly because of her, but the only thing on her mind is her appointment with Jack. Is work that important to her?
In the living room, Archie and Benny were about to open the door to look for Estella after the long wait. To their surprise, right as they opened the door, they were greeted by the sight of their grim father with Estella in his arms.
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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