The room was quiet, save for the gentle breeze blowing in through the window.
It was not cold and was actually invigorating.
Zachary sat by the bed to watch Lulu sleep.
Without her lies or pretenses, Zachary found serenity-if only time could stop here.
He glanced at Star in turn-was she sleeping soundly as well because she knew her mother was right beside her?
It was certainly better for children to stay by their mother’s side.
As he pulled the blanket over them, Lulu stirred and opened her eyes, then stared at the figure before her quizzically.
There should not be anyone here… was it Ken?
Still, she soon sat up when she saw who it was.
“M-Mr. Slate?!” she exclaimed as her head cleared, straightening her clothes as she got out of bed. “Shouldn’t you be away for a month? Why are you back so soon?” Worried about her modesty again, she buttoned her blouse.
Zachary studied her and kept his voice deliberately cool. “I said I wanted to see Star every day. You didn’t answer my video call.”
Lulu quickly apologized. “Sorry, I fell asleep…”
Zachary then glanced at Star. “You’re the babysitter. I don’t want you to be out of reach ever again.”
Lulu hung her head. “It won’t happen again. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Zachary nodded. “Cook me something. I’m hungry.”
Lulu glanced at Star, who was still sound asleep.
Seemingly not realizing Zachary had caught on to her real identity, she asked with professional politeness, “Yes. What would you like?”
“Anything’s fine-I’m not picky. Just make it quick since I have to go back after this,” Zachary said, avoiding looking at her.
His cold tone was deliberate, but it would certainly be better to be direct. As Lulu left the room and closed the door, he turned to stare coolly. He sighed softly—how great it would be if he could convince her to let go of the past and accept living with him and taking care of Star together?
He sighed again, and Star squealed in her sleep as if sensing her father’s unease. Zachary patted her belly. “It’s alright, Star. Go to sleep.” He was relieved to see Star sleeping soundly again and left the room.
He paused at the kitchen when he saw Lulu working, watching silently for a long while. Lulu’s voice eventually brought him to his senses. “Mr. Slate? I’m done with pasta with stir-fried tomatoes and scrambled eggs.”
Zachary nodded. “Thanks.”
He washed his hands and sat down at the dinner table, not quite tasting the food as his emotions were all over the place. Lulu left as soon as she was done cooking.She would avoid staying in the same room as Zachary, and, ary, and he could m certainly sense her distant reaction to him.
After finishing his pasta, he told her, “I’m going now.”
“Yeah.” Lulu nodded. “Don’t worry, Mr. Slate. I won’t be out of reach again.”
Zachary looked inside the mansion, watching Lulu carrying Star while ve keeping her back to him.
“Take good care of my daughter,” he said and turned to leave.
Vivian just happened to return when he reached the door, looking ashen.
Still, her eyes lit up as soon as she saw chary, and she ran up to him, reaching straight for his hand You were home, Mr. Slate?” S
Zachary sidestepped her by reflex and asked coolly, “Where have you been? I told you to help with the housework, didn’t I?”
“I was helping someone on an errand,” Vivian said. “I’ll clean the house right now.”
With that, she rushed into the house and quickly moved to clean the plates and kitchen utensils on the table. However, before she could take them to the kitchen, she dropped the plates in her hurry. Hearing the loud crash as everything shattered into tiny pieces, Lulu hurried out of her room with Star in her arms.
As she saw Vivian quickly try to clean up the mess, she stood watching in the distance in silence.
On the other hand, Zachary was frowning-how was Vivian supposed to help in any way? She was all thumbs.
Still, he stood motionless, deciding to tell Vivian to leave right away if Lulu said she did not need her.
Lulu clearly disliked Vivian and could not stand her, but she refused to say it, even if she hated staying under the same roof as Vivian.
Instead, she asked, “Weren’t you busy with work, Mr. Slate?”
Zachary asked in return, “Do you think she can really help you?”
“I’m sure you had something in mind when you chose her, Mr. Slate,” Lulu replied. “I’m just a babysitter-I won’t presume to sway your decision.” Zachary snorted coolly in turn.
In the end, he had to give in-Lulu had clearly made up her mind to not ask him. Moreover, this was his mess, and he should be the one who fixed it. “How noble of you. In that case, I have nothing to say either.”
Vivian noticed just then that Zachary was not watching her at all, and she deliberately cut herself, yelping, “Ow! It hurts!”
As Zachary strode away, she lunged at him, “Mr. Slate, look! My hand is bleeding…”
Though she appeared miserable, neither her damsel-in-distress act nor her witty scheme were working Zachary merely pursed his lips and growled, “Get yourself a band-aid.”
He glanced at Lulu as he spoke, but Lulu’s on Stention was placed. Set him as if she did not care.
at all or how he treated Vivian.
He knew she was now cold and tough, but he just could not help probing, ending up getting disappointed on every turn.
On the other hand, Vivian thought Zachary cared. “Mr. Slate, were you worried about me?”
Zachary, who was already irritated, snapped coolly right then, “Why would I be worried? Idiot.”
With those words, he strode off, leaving Vivian frozen stiff!
She turned toward Lulu. “What did Mr. Slate say just now?”
She must have heard him wrong-why would Zachary call her an idiot? How was she an idiot?!
Lulu, however, smiled. “He said you’re beautiful.”
“Really?” Vivian was skeptical.
“Yeah,” Lulu replied.
Anyone would prefer to hear nice things to themselves, and Vivian was no exception as she started to convince herself of that fact.
“Mr. Slate definitely likes me,” she said. “He wouldn’t have let me stay here otherwise and would’ve gotten another cleaner instead.” “Exactly.” Lulu smiled.
Vivian then winced and came to her senses. “Oof, my hand really hurts You clean up this mess-I’m I dead tired, and I need to sleep.”
With that, she rushed to her bedroom.
For Lulu, it was better to have Vivian sleep than have her loiter around the house.
At this point and considering Zachary’s attitude toward Vivian, she had the feeling Zachary had a few screws loose.
He knew Vivian was incompetent and could not help with housework but insisted she stayed.
Did he just want to mess with her? When did he become so laughably childish?
Suddenly, Star woke up and started bawling, her cries so sharp it could tear a heart apart.
Lulu hurried to her room and scooped her up in her arms.
Star stopped crying right then as if flipping a switch, her cheeks still wet with tears as she leveled Lulu a look of grief.
One would think she was being bullied with that look, and yet she was so adorable hearts would melt.
Gently wiping her tears, Lulu asked, “Are you hungry?”
Star could not respond or understand and stayed pouting.
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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