Chapter 334 Meeting Gift
Dorothy lay in Aurelia's arms for a while, calming herself before taking in the arrival hall, which felt like stepping into a winter wonderland.
She remembered that the last time she came here with Joe, it wasn't this beautiful.
Dorothy smiled with her eyes squinting. "Mommy, Imperick is so beautiful, even prettier than Coral Bay. Why don't we live in Imperick?"
Children were simple-minded; they said what they like directly, unlike adults who considered many factors.
Aurelia glanced at Nathaniel's pained expression and whispered in Dorothy's ear, "Dorothy, Daddy decorated all of this. If you like it, we can make our home look like this too."
Dorothy turned to look at this unfamiliar daddy again and whispered in Aurelia's ear, "Mommy, will Daddy live with us?"
She hadn't decided whether to accept this daddy yet. After all, he hadn't been tested. He only passed in appearance; for other aspects, she needed to discuss with Jacob before making a decision.
Dorothy's voice wasn't loud, but Nathaniel, who was paying close attention to them, heard everything. His eyes flickered, and the next second he heard Aurelia comforting Dorothy, "Daddy and Mommy are separated now, but both Daddy and Mommy love you and Jacob very much."
Dorothy felt relieved after hearing Mommy's answer. Before this daddy passed the test, she didn't want him to move into Mommy's house, in case he bullied Mommy.
With her worries gone, Dorothy was captivated by the Elsa princesses everywhere. She wriggled out of Aurelia's arms, exploring the hall as if it were an exhibition.
The hall had fewer people now, and Dorothy wandered around, reluctant to leave.
Aurelia glanced at Nathaniel, her eyes filled with comfort. Some things were inconvenient to say in front of the child. Suddenly having a daddy appear was something even an adult needed time to accept, let alone a child under five.
Nathaniel understood her look. Despite the sadness, he saw the bigger picture. The four years he missed couldn't be made up in a day. He responded to Aurelia with a smile.
He didn't realize that his smile looked more like a forced grimace.Dorothy picked up a small figurine and fiddled with it for a long time, then looked up at Aurelia.
Aurelia nodded and told her, "Those are from Daddy; you can take them."
Dorothy hesitated but eventually put it down. Mommy had told her not to accept things from strangers easily. Now, Daddy was still in the "stranger" category in her mind. So, she couldn't take things from Daddy.
Aurelia didn't force her; she understood that Dorothy had her own thoughts and needed time to adjust.
She glanced at her watch; it was already lunchtime. The children must be hungry too. "Dorothy, let's go back and find Jacob first, then have lunch together, okay?"
Dorothy reluctantly looked at this dream castle and said, "Okay."
Nathaniel's car was parked outside. Today, he had drove his grandfather's nanny van, which had more space than his usual car. The van was filled with toys and an array of snacks, all strawberry-flavored. Aurelia looked at the pile of snacks occupying a seat, all related to strawberries.
He must have been quite busy last night, gathering all these strawberry-flavored snacks. Aurelia couldn't help but think about how spoiled the two kids might become in the future, probably getting whatever they wanted.
Nathaniel originally planned to book a family restaurant, but he couldn't favor one over the other. He couldn't leave his son at home and take his daughter out for a meal.
Three hours ago, he called Betty, asking her to buy fresh ingredients from the market, based on Aurelia's tastes and what the kids might enjoy.
Betty had specifically learned cooking skills. When Aurelia was picky about food, Reed paid for her to take cooking classes, where she learned to make a variety of home-cooked dishes, desserts, and drinks, all prepared with care and deliciousness.
Nathaniel had confidence in Betty.
The car drove directly to Aurelia's house and stopped.
Aurelia thought Nathaniel wouldn't send them back so quickly. Having just reunited, she figured he would want to spend more time with the kids. She was quite surprised when they arrived at the house.
What she didn't expect was to find someone cooking in her kitchen.
Hearing the car, Betty came out with a smile that deepened the lines on her face. "Aurelia, Dorothy, you are back. Are you hungry?"
Aurelia was momentarily taken aback to see Betty, then quickly realized it was Nathaniel's doing. Betty's enthusiasm left her unsure how to respond.
Aurelia turned to Nathaniel, and they exchanged glances. Nathaniel hesitated at the doorway. "Aurelia, may I come in?"
At this moment, Dahlia pulled her suitcase and walked in first, while Betty, seeing the couple's current interaction, felt a bit awkward.
Aurelia didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. "Come in."
Nathaniel entered the house, feeling an unexpected thrill. He had just held Dorothy but had yet to see Jacob in person.
Aurelia held Dorothy's small hand and walked ahead, with Nathaniel following closely behind.
Nathaniel visited this house once before and had a vague memory of its layout. As he stepped inside, he glanced around, searching for Jacob.
Unexpectedly, instead of seeing his son, Nathaniel found himself pinned to the ground by an ungainly robot that had slid over. The robot was so strong that he couldn't break free, firmly restraining him.
Hearing the commotion, Aurelia turned around and saw Nathaniel, tall and imposing, lying on the ground, held down by a robot. She had never seen Nathaniel look so undignified.
Jacob had explained the robot's prowess to her a few days ago but hadn't demonstrated it. She was shocked, thinking this wasn't good.
If the father and son started fighting the first time they met, how could they get along in the future?
At this moment, there was no sign of Jacob in the living room. Aurelia shouted upstairs, "Jacob, come out!"
Her tone was very serious.
Jacob was sulking alone upstairs. He had heard the car and knew Mommy had brought his sister back. He quickly ran to the balcony to look and saw Nathaniel.
Mommy not only didn't drive him away but also invited him in.
In a fit of anger, he commanded the robot to give Nathaniel a welcome gift, to see if he would dare to enter Mommy's house easily again.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
