Chapter 1364 Innocent Smile
To be honest, Daryl had a soft spot for Thaddeus. He was charmed by such a lively, adorable, and chubby kid.
But Daryl was too scared to get close to Thaddeus, let alone show any affection. He could only act cold towards him on purpose.
Still, Thaddeus kept coming up to Daryl with his chubby cheeks and innocent eyes, making it impossible for Daryl not to like him. Yet, Daryl had to bury these feelings deep and hide his affection for Thaddeus.
Azalea noticed Thaddeus holding out a piece of candy, but Daryl refused to take it. She frowned and said, "Thaddeus, if he doesn't want it, just eat it yourself!"
But Thaddeus was too young to understand Azalea's words. He just wanted Daryl to have the candy, so instead of pulling his hand back, he pushed it closer to Daryl's mouth.
Seeing this, Daryl frowned, took the candy, and said flatly, "Thanks."
Thaddeus was overjoyed when Daryl accepted the candy and giggled at him.
Daryl's hand froze, holding the candy, as he looked at Thaddeus's innocent smile, feeling a mix of emotions.
After dinner, Daryl chatted with Azalea for a while before excusing himself to his room, claiming he had work to do.
The study was filled with smoke. Daryl sat in his swivel chair, smoked two cigarettes, then picked up his phone and hesitated before making a call.
"Mr. Fields, what can I do for you?" Douglas's voice came through quickly.
"Where did Elijah go this time?" Daryl asked.
"Mr. Elijah Fields took a flight to the state capital this morning," Douglas replied promptly.
Daryl's face darkened when he heard this. He hesitated before saying, "Got it."
Then he hung up the phone.
Cecilia had been gone for six months, and for four of those months, Elijah had been visiting the city where Cecilia lived, staying there for a week each time.
Daryl didn't need to think hard to know why Elijah went there. Cecilia came back to visit Thaddeus for three to five days every month. Wasn't seeing each other once a month enough? Did Elijah have to go there and spend another week with her?
The veins on Daryl's forehead bulged as he thought about this. He swung his hand and knocked the desk lamp to the floor.
Hearing the noise, Finn soon entered the room.
"What's wrong?" Finn asked, frowning at the broken lamp on the floor.
Daryl, sitting in his chair, pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Finn, it's nothing. I accidentally knocked over the lamp."
Seeing Daryl's dejected look, Finn quickly said, "It's okay. I'll get someone to clean it up right away. The lamp is glass, so be careful not to get cut."
"Got it," Daryl nodded.
Azalea's health wasn't great, and Daryl tried hard to control his emotions to avoid worrying his mother.
Finn understood, so she said nothing more and left. Soon, a servant came to clean up the broken lamp. Daryl waited until Azalea was resting before driving out.
The weather was gloomy, and snowflakes were falling outside.
Cecilia sat in a café. There weren't many customers today. Outside the window, people hurried through the snow, probably rushing home.
Winter came earlier and colder in this western city compared to Maple Valley. This was the first snow of the year here.
Despite the warmth inside, Cecilia didn't feel it. She had no family in this city.
Before, with Thaddeus around, she felt like she had a home. But since returning alone, she felt more and more like a drifter, with no sense of belonging.
Every night, she returned to her small rented apartment alone, feeling even more lonely. She could only fall asleep looking at Thaddeus's photos.
Fortunately, the café business had been booming over the past six months. Without Thaddeus, she could fully focus on the café. She created two new coffee brewing methods and several popular cakes, attracting many customers and increasing her income each month.
Her hard work and persistence finally paid off, perhaps the biggest achievement for Cecilia in the past six months.
But what comforted Cecilia the most was seeing Thaddeus grow day by day. He had learned to walk, albeit clumsily, and could occasionally say a word or two. His progress filled Cecilia with both joy and heartache.
She was thrilled by her son's progress but heartbroken that she couldn't be with him every day.
Every month, Cecilia took three to five days to visit Thaddeus in Maple Valley. During those days, they stayed at Susan's house, where Thaddeus played happily with Susan's kids. But he cherished his mother's company the most.
When the visit ended, Cecilia and Thaddeus found it hard to part. Every time she left, Thaddeus cried his heart out.
At those moments, Cecilia's heart broke. She wanted to take Thaddeus with her immediately, but she couldn't. Azalea's health had just improved, and she didn't want to cause her any distress. Besides, the Fields family treated Thaddeus very well. She couldn't be selfish. She just hoped Thaddeus could start kindergarten soon, so she could bring him to live with her.
Cecilia rested her chin on her hand, watching the snow outside, naturally thinking of Thaddeus.
By now, Thaddeus should be having dinner. In half a month, she could see him again. He must have grown taller.
As she was lost in thought, the doorbell rang. Cecilia looked up to see a customer. The customer ordered one of Cecilia's cakes. Seeing only Calliope behind the counter, Cecilia quickly got up to help.
Calliope made the coffee while Cecilia served the cake. Then they both returned to the counter.
Cecilia tidied up the counter and curiously asked, "Hey, where's Elowen? I haven't seen her all day."
Calliope grinned mischievously and winked. "Oh, she slipped out two hours ago. Her boyfriend's in town again!"
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