As the car drove in the July summer heat, the interior was filled with the cute and tender voice of a
Lolita who explained the situation for about ten minutes, “So that’s the situation and it’s an issue which
breaks my mommy’s heart. So please don’t ask mommy about it.”
Benjamin rested his arm on the door and pinched his chin as he pondered, “You said that your brother
was lost just after you were born and he was lost here. Didn’t you grow up in the United States?”
“Yeah.” Stella blinked as she said.
“Can’t my brother be lost here even though I grew up in the United States?”
“Yes he could have.” Benjamin smiled awkwardly and continued, “Then what about your father? Didn’t
he get someone to look for your brother?”
“I don’t know. I very seldom see my daddy.” Stella shrugged her shoulders and said innocently.
“You seldom see your daddy?”
“Yeah, daddy is very busy. I can count with my fingers the times that I saw him. I have not seen him yet
this year. I almost forgot how he looks like.”
“Why did your father divorce your mother? Doesn’t he like you?” Benjamin was curious and suddenly
asked Stella.
“Who said that my mommy and daddy had divorced?” Stella was upset, folded her arms, and said, “My
daddy loves me. He always brings me a lot of things when he comes to see me. Although I don’t like
most of the things, they were very expensive.”
“Your mommy didn’t divorce?!” Benjamin remarked as if he heard a piece of explosive news and looked
at her with his eyes wide open, “Then why are you trying to bring your mommy and Joseph together?”
“Because I like Mr. Beckham and I want him to become my daddy.” Stella said it like it was, “My mother
only gets to see my daddy a few times a year and I notice that my mommy has more chemistry with Mr.
Beckham.”
Benjamin couldn’t help but be convinced by this reason.
On the other end, Joseph pushed open Noah’s bedroom door and saw that he was in a daze as he
hugged the thermos of snacks as he sat on the bed. As soon as Noah saw Joseph, he intentionally
showed that he was upset and didn’t welcome Joseph.
Joseph noticed Noah’s cold attitude and could only sit down beside Noah as he said, “Noah, she was
able to win over your heart with one container of snacks. Have you forgotten how many snacks I’ve
bought for you over these years? Aren’t you being unfair to your dad?”
Noah pouted angrily and started to write on the board, “The snacks made by her are very nice. Those
that you bought are not nice. She is very nice to me. Because of you, she doesn’t even come to see
me anymore.”
Joseph frowned when he saw what he wrote.
“I didn’t allow her to come to see you because she didn’t take good care of you and caused you to be
hospitalized. So, Noah, she is unsuitable to become your mother. If you want a mommy, I can find
another for you.”
Noah erupted as soon as he heard this and glared angrily at Joseph. His little face became red with
anger as he wrote down another sentence, “It’s not her fault. I was in the hospital not because of food
poisoning.”
Joseph took it as Noah was throwing a tantrum and said, “Okay, don’t find excuses for her. You may
eat the snacks but in the future, I won’t let you go out with her alone.”
Noah was so upset that he clenched his teeth and grabbed Joseph’s hands and bit it.
Joseph grunted in pain but didn’t dare to fling him off for fear of hurting him. He said angrily, “Noah!
What are you doing?”
Noah released his bite and furiously pointed to the sentence that he wrote on the drawing board.
Joseph didn’t think further about this but felt that Noah’s temper needed to be controlled.
“Tomorrow I’ll have Mark look for a few hobby classes. You may choose one to keep yourself occupied
so that you won’t spend your free time thinking of useless things.”
Noah was so upset that his face turned red and then threw a pillow at Joseph’s back and remarked
angrily, “Hmph!” Then he crawled under his blanket.
Stella stayed at home to monitor Hayden’s mood over the weekend.
She would become alert as soon as the phone rang. But the weekend was almost over and none of the
phone calls was from Joseph.
Finally on Sunday night, Stella could no longer endure anymore. She hid in the bedroom as she made
a call and said anxiously, “Grandpa, the situation between my mother and Mr. Beckham has become
very bad.”
“…”
An old and steady voice came over the phone, “Okay, just leave this to me.”
On the next morning, Hayden felt that the atmosphere was strange when she arrived at the hotel.
“Good morning, Ms. Downey.”
“Good morning.”
As she walked to the office, she felt as though numerous eyes were looking at her. She didn’t seem to
attract so much attention when she came to work every day. She was wondering if she had worn the
wrong pair of shoes or was there a smudge on her face.
“Ms. Downey, you’re here,” Jeff said.
“Good morning.” Hayden frowned as she looked at him, “What’s the look on your face for?”
“I’m obviously happy for you!” Jeff squinted mischievously as he stood at the door to her office, “You
still don’t know, come, don’t be too surprised when you see this.” Jeff said as he opened the door to
Hayden’s office.
The entire office was filled with roses of all kinds of colors. The fragrance immediately overwhelmed
her nose. There were roses everywhere like her office was a florist.
Hayden asked with her eyes wide open, “What’s going on?”
“Haven’t you seen it?” Jeff asked, “It must be the surprise from your husband. It’s going to be
Valentine’s Day soon! The flowers are very timely.”
Hayden frowned and was even more doubtful.
The staff at the hotel all knew that she had a child so naturally they would expect her to have a
husband. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, she had never tried to explain her situation. Thus,
when she received so many roses, everyone thought that it was her husband who gave her the
surprise.
But only she was clear that she didn’t have a husband. Even if she had one in name, he could not have
sent so many flowers to her from so far away.
Jeff pointed to a card on the table which said, “Ms. Downey, with appreciation.”
“Ms. Downey, the way your husband addresses you is very formal. How come he still addresses you as
Miss after you are both married?”
When she saw the mischief in Jeff’s face, she quickly hid the card and deplored, “Go and do your work,
it’s none of your business!”
“Hmph, don’t think that I want to be here.” Jeff sniggered and left.
Only Hayden remained in the office. She slowly opened the card and there was a simple message
written in cursive, “I apologize for the days of silence.”
Hayden was stunned as if she suddenly thought of something. The fog that enveloped her over these
days dissipated and she started to smile. Suddenly she felt the warmth spreading throughout her.
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