Chapter 425 Chloe is Pregnant
The parking lot was barely lit.
Gavin was all over Frederick's leg, acting cute and calling him "Uncle."
Frederick scooped him up.
Charlotte gave Gavin a head pat. Gavin planted a kiss on her cheek.
Charlotte had her dad's looks, and Gavin kinda looked like her too.
Gavin was all about Charlotte.
Charlotte couldn't resist patting him again.
Frederick, with Gavin in his arms, headed to the hall where his sister was waiting, her face showing that all-too-familiar guilty look.
Since they were kids, whenever she messed up, she had that same look.
Frederick tossed his car keys on the table and snorted. "Why the guilty face if nothing's wrong?"
Chloe was practically carrying his bag, almost ready to give him a back rub.
Frederick shot her a sharp look.
Charlotte chimed in, "Don't be so harsh!"
He set Gavin down, pinched Charlotte's cheek, and said, "You get to be the good cop, and I end up the bad guy."
Charlotte swatted his hand away.
Her look at Chloe was kinda complicated.
She knew Chloe had signed the divorce papers with Andrew, but Chloe had no clue about Andrew's current situation.
Both were people she cared about.
One was family, the other was Chloe, who'd been like a sister for years.
No one wanted them to be happy more than Charlotte did.
But she couldn't spill the beans.
Chloe tugged her hand and whispered, "Don't scold me, okay?"
Charlotte, a mom of three, had a super soft heart. She just smiled faintly.
Frederick watched the two of them getting along.
He gently patted his wife's back. "Dinner's gonna take a bit. You chat with her; I'll go talk to Dad."
Charlotte's gaze was tender. "Okay!"
Frederick and Patrick headed upstairs.
Closing the study door, Frederick leaned against it and lit a cigarette.
"Dad, what's the rush?"
Patrick didn't look too hot.
Frederick watched him quietly, then walked over and poured him a glass of water.
He cracked a joke to lighten the mood. "Still worried about Chloe? She's fine now. She won't have trouble finding someone else. Worst case, she stays with us; we can handle it!"
Patrick glared at him. He sneered. "You're optimistic! When Charlotte didn't want you, you weren't so chill. Who was it that got half-drunk, constantly whining that Charlotte didn't want you?"
Frederick, sharp as ever, slowly drank the water, finishing half the glass before looking up sharply. "Dad, what's really going on?"
Despite the difficulty, Patrick finally spoke, "Chloe is pregnant!"
Frederick's cigarette burned his hand, and he quickly put it out.
The two of them stared at each other. No one spoke.
Finally, Patrick couldn't help but say, "Frederick, you and your sister have had rocky relationships, breaking up and getting back together, but you haven't delayed having kids. Over the years, you've had quite a few."
Frederick was still in shock.
After a while, he finally came to his senses and frowned. "Dad, what did you say?"
Patrick repeated it.
Frederick was fuming. He grabbed a cigarette butt from the ashtray and lit it again. Patrick couldn't stand it and teased him, "Even if you and your sister have many kids, you don't need to be this frugal! We can afford another child."
Frederick sneered. "He's got some serious baby-making skills!"
Patrick was all mixed up inside.
He stood up and patted Frederick's shoulder. "Frederick, you're not bad either! I told you first. After dinner, you tell Charlotte. She's stuck in the middle; don't take it out on her!"
Frederick chuckled dryly. "I wouldn't dare!"
After their chat, they slowly headed downstairs.
Just in time for dinner. The family ate together, and Frederick kept sneaking glances at Chloe.
Chloe kept her head down.
Charlotte noticed.
On the way back, she started complaining as soon as they got in the car, "Chloe's having relationship drama, and you were so harsh!"
Frederick was in a bad mood.
But he was still gentle with Charlotte.
He fastened her seatbelt and chuckled dryly. "How was I harsh? I've always been like this."
Charlotte couldn't argue.
Frederick gently stroked her swollen belly and whispered, "That's because you have a comparison, so you think I'm harsh on her! But Charlotte, you gotta understand, I'm Chloe's brother but your husband. The roles are different, and so are the emotions involved!"
She pretended to look ahead. "Let's go home."
Frederick responded, "Let's go home."
When they got back to the villa, it was already 8 PM.
The servants had taken good care of the kids.
Johnny was reading children's books with Kingsley, and Lola, in a pretty dress, was playing the piano.
Frederick and Charlotte walked in.
Lola left the piano and ran to climb into her dad's arms. Lola was always the most spoiled.
Frederick kissed her. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes!"
Frederick carried her to the piano. "I missed you too! Keep playing the piano for me!"
Frederick patted her head, then turned to cuddle his younger son, finally taking Johnny to the study. As they went upstairs, Charlotte couldn't help but speak, "Frederick!"
Frederick paused on the stairs, looking serious. "I'm nurturing Johnny!"
In this matter, Charlotte couldn't change him, so she just gave Johnny an apologetic smile.
Johnny blushed and obediently followed him upstairs.
Charlotte sat down, intending to practice piano with Lola.
But she was worried about Andrew's condition and felt sorry for Chloe, making her emotions complicated.
Lola made several mistakes, but she didn't notice.
Lola slacked off and soon leaned into her mom's arms, curiously touching her swollen belly. After a while, Kingsley also came over.
Charlotte hung out with the kids.
At 10 PM, she went back to the master bedroom and found Frederick wasn't there. She went to the study to find him.
The study door was ajar, with a warm light shining through.
Frederick stood by the window smoking. He had the window open, so the room didn't smell too much like smoke.
Charlotte walked in.
Frederick was deep in thought and didn't notice her until a pair of soft hands hugged him from behind. He finally noticed and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Are the kids asleep?"
Charlotte responded softly.
She asked about Johnny.
Frederick said quietly, "He's a very smart kid! What a pity."
Charlotte gently hugged him, inhaling his pleasant scent, and softly asked, "You got something on your mind, don't you? Worried about Andrew?"
Frederick put out the cigarette.
After a long time, he turned around and gently embraced Charlotte.
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