“Why are you here? Didn’t we agree on you staying away for two days?” Corralling her thoughts, she regarded Lucian before her in mystification.
On the way back from Miralaea, Madilyn suggested that they avoid meeting each other for the next two days on the off chance that someone might spot them together. That was also Roxanne’s plan, but she didn’t expect Lucian to pay her a sudden visit.
The man at the door quirked a brow, his tone teasing. “Shouldn’t you allow me in first if your want to avoid being seen with me? If I continue standing here, and the media gets a snapshot of me…”
A flash of panic flittered across Roxanne’s eyes, and she hastily turned sideways to allow him in. Thereafter, she carefully peeked out. It wasn’t until after she had darted her eyes around and found nothing amiss that she closed the door. At the sight of her all tense and wary, Lucian assured in a deep voice, “Don’t worry. I had the bodyguards do a sweep of the area.”
Only then did Roxanne truly rest easy. The project was getting back on track these few days, so she really didn’t want a repeat of her experience a few days ago.
Lucian’s arrival appeared to thrill Archie, Benny, and Estella greatly. They didn’t even bother eating anymore but crowded over to him intimately. Deep within her, Roxanne still found it pretty. unbelievable.
She had always thought the man’s character would be off-putting to Archie and Benny, Unexpectedly, he was extraordinarily patient with them. In fact, the boys almost liked him as much as they did her.
As astonishment flooded her, she also couldn’t help feeling relieved. Since they like him so much, I don’t have to worry that they won’t be able to accept the reality when they learn about their identities in the future. Roxanne took a set of tableware for Lucian. “You haven’t had dinner, right? Let’s eat together.”
After her interactions with him the past few days, her attitude toward him had also done a one-eighty. She was no longer as awkward before him. Nodding, Lucian sat down across from her.
“Is something the matter that you came over at this hour?” Roxanne asked once more. Lucian glanced at the children around them before murmuring, “We’ll talk about that later. Let’s eat first.”
Clocking his expression, Roxanne bobbed her head in understanding. She didn’t press him for an answer anymore. The family of five was finally together again. That made the three children so happy that they were all smiles even as they ate.
After dinner, they knew their parents had something to discuss, so they tactfully went to the back garden to play.
Roxanne took the tableware into the kitchen. Initially, she thought that Lucian had something important to say and planned to take him to the study to talk.
To her surprise, Lucian was standing at the kitchen door with his head lowered as he rolled his sleeves up when she whirled around. Before she could wrap her mind around it, the man had already strolled over casually. Picking up the bowl she had washed, he wiped it dry. Seeing that, Roxanne was again startled.
That action of his gave her the illusion that they were a couple who had been married for a long time. Moreover, the picture of the high and mighty CEO of Farwell Group entering the kitchen gave others the impression that he had stepped down from his pedestal.
Sheer shock deluged her. Conversely, Lucian nonchalantly started speaking of the purpose of his visit. “My father wants to go to the kindergarten to take Essie home tomorrow.” As his words drifted into her ears, Roxanne abruptly snapped back to reality. “Have you agreed?”
She remembered him saying back then that his consent was required if his parents wanted to take Estella away. “Yeah. He seems to have misunderstood the relationship between you and my mother. For that reason, I think he should have a look for himself,” Lucian replied.
Although his father didn’t spell things out, he knew the man suspected that Estella was only hostile toward his mother because of Roxanne’s instigation.
Since Elias had such a concern, he didn’t mind allowing his father to see where exactly Estella’s aversion to Sonya came from. Roxanne nodded in acknowledgment. “Got it. Essie might be reluctant to leave me for the time being. Anyway, I’ll talk to her.” At that, Lucian cast her a grateful look. “Thank you.”
Lowering her gaze, Roxanne chuckled airily. “They were the ones who raised Essie in the first place. It’s normal for the elderly to miss. their grandchildren. However, Essie is pretty stubborn. I’ll do my best to coax her.”
Despite saying that, she was actually worried inwardly. For some reason, Estella was exceedingly averse to Sonya. Hence, she was afraid that the latter would upset the little girl.
Seemingly seeing right through her, Lucian softened his voice and promised, “I’ll get my mother to see reason slowly. I’m sorry you have to put up with her.”
When Roxanne heard that, she stilled imperceptibly. A glimmer of elation flashed. across her eyes. I thought he would, at the very least, maintain a neutral stance between me and Sonya. I honestly didn’t expect him to side with me. It turns out that I’m not the only one working hard when it comes to his mother’s attitude toward our relationship.
For a moment, she didn’t quite know how to describe her feelings. Some time passed before she gradually composed herself. Lifting her eyes to him, she whispered, “Thank you.”
Lucian stared at her intently. “I should be the one thanking you for your willingness to persist until now despite my mother’s attitude toward you.” After he had said that, his gaze darkened al shade. Guilt stained his eyes. “If she realizes. her mistakes in the future, I think-”
Before he had finished speaking, Roxanne had already chortled aloud. “As long as Mrs. Farwell can divest herself of her prejudice toward the boys and me, I’ll be more than glad to be a family with her.”
She sounded incredibly sincere, her voice devoid of any pretense. Locking gazes with her earnest eyes, Lucian couldn’t help leaning toward her bit by bit. Meanwhile, Roxanne was inexorably taken aback when she sensed his approach.
By the time she gathered her wits about her, the man had already captured her lips. His hands spanned her waist, leaving her with no way of escaping. Fortunately, Lucian merely kissed her briefly. Shortly after, he dropped his hold on her.
Upon seeing that Roxanne was still in a daze, Lucian couldn’t resist lifting his hand and caressing her face. “You…”
Roxanne was stupefied for several seconds before she belatedly snapped back to her senses. Mild embarrassment showed in her eyes.
While the man had sneaked up on her countless times when they were in Miralaea, she could more or less postulate the reason after the fact. But this time, I didn’t do anything. Why did he simply kiss me? Innocence was written all over Lucian’s face. “Sorry, I lost control.”
At that answer, Roxanne’s eyes went wide in fury. However, she couldn’t really censure him. either. All she could do was turn around as though nothing had happened and put the washed tableware aside..
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.