Feeling relieved that she was finally starting to understand, Lucian flashed her a smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
“You two should get some rest too,” Elias reminded them after walking Sonya to the door. Lucian arched an eyebrow at him in response. “Got it. Be careful on the road.” Sonya waited until they were inside the car before expressing her guilt and regret.
“How could I have missed all the signs? I can’t believe Aubree is so cruel and heartless! Our poor granddaughter suffers a lot as is, and yet, Aubree still targeted her anyway…”
Elias turned to look at her after slowly starting the car. “That’s why I told you not to interfere with Lucian’s affairs.”
Sonya frowned and was about to say something in response, but Elias retracted his gaze as he continued, “Why do you think Lucian chose not to marry her after all these years? Why do you think Essie still refuses to accept her?” Sonya opened her mouth, but she couldn’t find the words to say in response to his questions.
The answers are obvious… Lucian still can’t bring himself to let go of Roxanne, and Essie has seen right through Aubree’s pretense long ago. My poor granddaughter suffered so much at Aubree’s hands for so long, and yet she couldn’t even tell anyone about it. I’ve always been trying to get Essie to spend time with Aubree, so it’s only natural for her to dislike me. I feel so bad for her…
“Why did Lucian want you to call Aubree just now?” Elias pressed on when he received no response from her.
Having been snapped out of her train of thought, Sonya replied reluctantly, “He just wanted me to see Aubree’s true intentions. Tell me, have I been making a complete fool out of myself this whole time?”
“Lucian is the only one who can decide who he marries. If you interfere, then he might end up marrying someone like Aubree. Do you really want to put the Farwell family in the hands of al woman like that?” Elias asked. Sonya simply snorted and kept quiet after that.
Roxanne glanced at the time after Sonya and Elias left. “It’s getting late. I should be heading back now. I can’t rest easy knowing that the kids are home alone.”
“I’ll send you home,” Lucian said with a frown. It was indeed rather late, and Aubree’s whereabouts were still unknown. It was possible that she would pop out of nowhere and try to take Roxanne’s life. Lucian didn’t feel safe letting Roxanne go home by herself.
Roxanne knew he was worried about her safety, so she chose not to turn his offer down. “Thanks.” After getting into the car, the two of them talked about Aubree as Lucian drove slowly toward Roxanne’s house.
“I wonder where Aubree is right now. I can’t rest easy until she’s behind bars…” Roxanne mumbled with a worried look in her eyes while gazing at the scenery outside.
Lucian slowed the car down a little as he reassured her, “We have solid evidence against her, so the police won’t let her get away with it. In the meantime, I will also do everything I can to find her. Until she is caught, I will have my men protect you and the kids in secret.”
Roxanne felt somewhat at ease when she recalled that Lucian had averted the recent crisis in time. “Thanks.” She also couldn’t help but question her own ability to ensure the safety of her kids.
Lucian’s eyes dimmed when he saw the look of self-blame on her face. “I should be apologizing to you. Aubree wouldn’t have targeted you and the kids if it weren’t for me. I failed to protect you all before due to my negligence.”
Roxanne frowned and was about to say something when Lucian continued, “From now on, I will increase the level of security around you and the kids. I’ll also try to come up with more ways to keep you all safe.”
“I just hope we can catch Aubree as soon as possible. Hopefully, she’ll repent her ways and change for the better after she’s behind bars,” Roxanne said. Lucian nodded, and the two of them continued chatting away.
It was already eleven by the time they arrived at Roxanne’s house. After spending the entire day working at the research institute and going through a roller- coaster of emotions in the evening, Roxanne was extremely exhausted..
As Lucian was driving really slowly, she got even sleepier along the drive and was barely awake when she got out of the car. “It’s really late. Be careful on your drive home,” she reminded him while struggling to keep her eyes open.
Feeling touched that Roxanne was still concerned about him even when she was so tired, Lucian reached out and gently caressed her face. “What’s wrong?” Roxanne asked, staring at him in confusion.
“I think I might have been traumatized by the incident earlier this evening. I don’t feel like letting you out of my sight,” Lucian replied. Roxanne let out a chuckle when she heard that. “Come on, stop joking!”
She couldn’t seem to believe that Lucian would get traumatized by anything. The next thing she knew, Lucian had pulled her into his embrace.
Unlike their hug outside the study, Lucian was being somewhat cautious when he hugged her this time. “How much longer are you going to make me wait?”
Roxanne was about to hug him back, but she paused when she heard what he asked and nervously pulled her arms back. Lucian tightened his hug when he noticed her response. “Are you regretting it?”
Roxanne had a hesitant look in her eyes as she asked, “I want to know what you think of Archie and Benny. Tell me honestly, did you only choose to accept them because of me?”
“You know me. Except for Essie, I have no patience for kids in general. But things are different with Archie and Benny. I’m not sure if it’s because they have your blood running through their veins, but I felt an odd sense of closeness with them the moment I first saw them,” Lucian replied without any hesitation.
He then released his grip on Roxanne as he continued, “I was prepared to accept them the moment I first saw them. It’s just as I said in the announcement. From now on, I will treat them as our children, which is no different from how I treat Essie.”
Roxanne felt a wave of melancholy sweep over her when she heard that. Lucian said he felt a sense of closeness with them because they’re my children, but in reality, they’re his children too… Who would’ve thought being related by blood would have such a strong effect on people?
Lucian has been proving his words with the way he treats Archie and Benny. If Sonya can genuinely accept Archie and Benny into the family, then I will tell Lucian the truth about their identities. I will let him know that Archie and Benny are our children!
Lucian had his arm around her waist as he observed the changes in her expression. While he couldn’t tell what she was thinking, the firm yet gentle look in her eyes caused his heart to skip a beat.
As Lucian slowly moved his hand up to her face, Roxanne went along with his movement and got closer to him. The s3xual tension between them increased as the two of them got closer to each other. Their lips were about to touch when a childish voice called out to Roxanne from above.
“Mommy! You’re back-” Archie quickly held a hand over Benny’s mouth to stop him from interrupting the kiss..
He then grabbed Benny by the arm and tried to sneak back into the room so they could pretend nothing had ever happened. However, Roxanne had heard him and tensed up all of a sudden.
Lucian frowned slightly as he tried to move in for a kiss, but Roxanne turned to the side at the last second, so he only managed to kiss her on the cheek. She then pushed him aside and shot him a glare in response.
Lucian looked up at the balcony on the second floor and called out to the three kids who were about to sneak away, “It’s really late. Why are you three still awake at this hour?”
Roxanne had wanted to stop him, but it was too late. The kids stopped in their tracks when they heard his voice. After exchanging glances with each other, Benny decided to step forward and wave at them from the balcony.
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.