Chapter 546 Can't Deny the Child
Clayton had run into Josie before, back at Daisy's wedding when he got back to the country.
Josie had said hi to him.
But now, Josie wasn't really part of the Wolfs anymore, and she had no clue what to call Clayton. Clayton felt kinda awkward too.
After a bit, Clayton reached out and pinched Josie's cheek.
It was all chubby and soft, super cute.
Clayton's heart just melted.
He reached out with his other hand and pinched Josie's other cheek, squeezing and rubbing.
With two quick slaps, Paul angrily knocked Clayton's hands away and turned around, holding Josie.
"Don't pinch Josie's face!"
Clayton shot back, "I'm her uncle!"
"You're not really her uncle; Josie wasn't born to Daisy."
Clayton was ticked off, but Paul had a point.
Clayton's phone rang, and he stepped aside to answer it.
It was Linda, asking when he'd be back.
"I'm spending New Year's Eve at a friend's place."
Linda was quiet for a sec, then her tone got all serious, "Tonight's New Year's Eve, Diana's first New Year's Eve at home. On such an important day, you're not coming back? Clayton, how can you still be so irresponsible!"
Listening to Linda's nagging, Clayton felt that familiar sense of pressure rise up again.
His eyes got all red.
He wanted to snap back but couldn't find the words.
He forced himself to push down the discomfort in his heart.
"Diana has you and Dad with her, isn't that good enough? I'll come back later."
With that, Clayton hung up the phone.
He looked outside the window, which was pitch black.
Diana had always been the center of his parents' world, even before she was found.
Clayton thought, 'Anyway, I've never been important, so what difference does it make whether I'm home on New Year's Eve or not?'
A knot of discomfort tightened in Clayton's chest.
He decided not to go back and insisted on spending New Year's Eve at Caroline's place.
Caroline had already prepped herself mentally and decided to treat Clayton as Paul's buddy.
Caroline brought out a bottle of wine. Paul couldn't drink, but Nicholas could have a couple of glasses.
To everyone's surprise, after Clayton got back from his phone call, he downed most of the bottle.
With that, Clayton got wasted. He pointed at Caroline, slurring his words.
"Caroline, from now on, you're my sister. I wanna recognize you as my god-sister."
Caroline was silent.
Paul slapped him on the head.
"Drunkard, you drank too much."
Clayton held his forehead. "I haven't had too much. I'm serious. I wanna recognize Caroline as my sister!"
Caroline said, "I don't dare recognize you as my brother."
"Why not?"
"Because Daisy is your sister, and I have a grudge against Daisy."
Clayton said, "Then I don't want Daisy as my sister anymore. I only want you."
Paul laughed and took out his phone, starting to record. He said, "It's not up to you to recognize Caroline as your sister. You gotta show some sincerity. Swear in front of the camera."
Clayton immediately raised his hand in front of the camera. "I swear, I will only recognize Caroline as my sister in this life! Daisy and Diana are not my sisters; I don't acknowledge them."
After saying that, he collapsed onto the table and passed out.
Paul poked him.
"Come on, man!"
No one expected Clayton to get drunk on half a bottle of wine.
So, Clayton had to crash there for the night, and Paul didn't want to go back to the hospital, so they decided to stay together.
Nicholas was munching on his food all fancy-like, but his eyes were glued to Caroline.
Even with Paul and Clayton around, Nicholas was pretty stoked 'cause this was their first New Year's Eve together since Caroline came back.
Nicholas flashed back to their first New Year's Eve when they were dating.
Back then, he had whipped up a whole spread in his apartment. He watched Caroline chow down happily, and later in bed, Caroline made him feel on top of the world.
After dinner, Paul dragged Clayton to the guest room. Paul also took Josie out to watch the fireworks, and Lisa tagged along with them.
The house was left with just Nicholas and Caroline.
Caroline pulled out the medicinal oil Simon had given her. "Let me massage your leg."
"Not tonight."
Nicholas grabbed Caroline's hand.
Caroline was taken aback.
Nicholas's hand was super warm, like a little furnace. Being held by him, it was so cozy that Caroline didn't want to let go.
"Sit down and watch TV." Nicholas pulled her to sit down.
Caroline said, "Simon said not to skip a single massage session."
"The treatment's been going on for a while. Skipping one session won't hurt."
Caroline was still worried.
"Your leg's been untreated for over six years. Now that Simon's finally helping, it can be cured. What if missing this one session messes everything up?"
This feeling of being cared for made him feel nostalgic.
Nicholas looked deeply at Caroline, his eyes like whirlpools, trying to draw Caroline in.
His voice was soft and gentle.
"Let Paul do the massage later, and you guide him. How about that?"
Caroline's heart was inexplicably struck. She seemed to get what he meant. He was feeling sorry for her.
Because massaging took a lot of strength, and after a while, Caroline's hands would get really sore.
The place in her heart that was struck seemed to spread a warm current all around.
Caroline obediently sat next to Nicholas. Her hand was still held by him. When she moved, he held tighter, refusing to let go.
The vibe was just right, warm and cozy. Without saying a word, they seemed to understand each other.
Over at The Watson Mansion, only Aragorn and Gummidge were dining. The TV was on, the program lively, but it couldn't shake off the loneliness.
Aragorn suddenly threw his utensils on the table.
"I'm done eating!"
Gummidge sighed.
She had called, and she had gone to Heights Hill Villa, but still couldn't bring Nicholas back.
Even Paul refused to come back.
The atmosphere was icy for a few minutes, Aragorn's face dark.
"Once Daisy gives birth, immediately announce to the public that the Watsons have an heir."
Aragorn thought, 'I don't believe that if Daisy gives birth to Nicholas's child, Nicholas wouldn't come home!'
Even if Nicholas didn't like Daisy, he couldn't deny his own kid.
Gummidge opened her mouth but said nothing, only sighing again in her heart.
The Lancasters were having a lively and joyful New Year's Eve, full of laughter and cheer.
But the Browns were even colder than the Watsons.
But all of this was the Browns' own doing.
At eleven o'clock, Josie couldn't stay awake any longer. Lisa took Josie to bed, and Paul, still recovering, also went to rest early.
So at midnight, it was still just Nicholas and Caroline.
As the countdown to the New Year ended, Nicholas turned around and suddenly cupped Caroline's face.
His thin lips pressed against her red lips.
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