Chapter 367 Obedient
Before Aurelia could reach the balcony, Nathaniel intercepted her halfway, grabbing her wrist and pulling her aside. "Aurelia, I'll take care of it."
Aurelia usually didn't lose her temper, but seeing her expression, Nathaniel thought she was about to scold the kids. He quickly pulled her aside, grabbed the cleaning tools, and cleaned up the mess. After sweeping and mopping, the floor was finally clean again.
Aurelia sat calmly in a chair, watching him clean up. Amber, who had somehow appeared next to her, leaned in and whispered, "Aurelia, Mr. Heilbronn seems different from before, how should I put it?"
Amber pondered, resting her face on her hand, "He seems to have a bit of a domestic vibe now. I thought he was the kind of rich guy who needed a servant to hand him toilet paper, but it turns out he can mop the floor too."
Aurelia rubbed her forehead; he wasn't disabled, after all.
Nathaniel finished cleaning the floor and took the kids to the bathroom to wash their hands. The two kids were almost covered in dirt.
Amber sat there, secretly observing. Watching Nathaniel carefully wipe Dorothy's hands with a tissue after washing them, she couldn't help but comment, "He's doing pretty well as a dad, knowing how to take care of the kids. With a bit more training, he could be a five-star dad."
Aurelia scoffed, "Just washing hands, and you're so impressed. I think your husband, apart from being busy with work, has no flaws and will definitely be able to take care of the kids in the future."
Amber pouted, "Forget it. He's such a chauvinist; I wouldn't dare expect him to help with the kids."
Amber nudged Aurelia with her shoulder, "But seriously, I think Mr. Heilbronn has potential. You have no idea how many expectant fathers I see every day in the maternity ward. Those men are just immersed in the joy of becoming fathers and don't understand the hardships of pregnancy. Ask them about precautions for pregnant women, and they know nothing. How can you expect such men to help with the kids in the future?"
Aurelia sighed sincerely, "It's really hard being a woman. What do you think marriage brings to women?"
Amber shrugged, "If you put it that way, it's just trouble: losing your figure, going bald, losing your freedom, endless anxiety."
As they chatted, Nathaniel, standing not far away, overheard a few sentences. Aurelia's question, "What does marriage bring to women?" made his expression serious. He began to reflect on what their three years of marriage had brought her.
He couldn't help but think that his poor performance during those three years likely caused her to develop a fear of marriage.
He wasn't good at expressing himself and often didn't bother to explain things, which led to many misunderstandings between them.
In today's society, young people were reluctant to get married, and those who were married often wanted to be child-free. In a marriage, women indeed bore a lot and didn't receive equivalent emotional value in return, so it was no wonder they feared marriage.
Most people thought having children was a woman's duty, especially the older generation. They didn't see childbirth as something great or deserving of sympathy and care.
Few men paid attention to the series of irreversible health issues women faced after childbirth, such as changes in body shape, organ prolapse, postpartum illnesses, and premature aging.
Nathaniel looked at the two adorable children and thought about how she had managed alone for the past four years, playing both mother and father. It must have been tough.
Even though Joe provided a solid support system, as parents, there were still many worries.
He remembered how Beatrice would hold Ashley all night when she was sick. Beatrice had said that mothers were the most anxious people in the world, worrying about their children not eating enough, eating too much, being too hot, or catching a cold.
Beatrice had told him, "Nathaniel, when you grow up, always remember to respect and care for your mother. It's not easy for her to raise you."
She had only taught him to care for his mother, never mentioning the need to care for his wife. His wife's pregnancy was his doing.
In just a few minutes, Nathaniel thought about many things.
After washing up, the two kids didn't dare go to Aurelia, fearing a scolding, and instead ran around Nathaniel. They couldn't say when it started, but they began to rely on this suddenly appeared father.
Having a dad around was nice; at least when Aurelia was angry and about to scold them, they had someone to rely on.
Dorothy ran ahead, with Jacob chasing her. The two kids treated Nathaniel's long legs like pillars, running around and hiding.
Nathaniel didn't get impatient and let the kids play.
Dorothy, not paying attention, tripped and stumbled forward, about to fall face-first to the ground, but Nathaniel caught her with one hand.
Nathaniel, looking worried, picked Dorothy up and checked her over, "Did you get hurt?"
Dorothy was startled but didn't fall. Normally, she would have gotten up and been fine. But his question made her feel wronged.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to hold back, looking like she had suffered a great injustice.
Nathaniel couldn't stand it. Seeing Dorothy's tearful face made him feel terrible. "Did you really get hurt? Tell Daddy where it hurts."
Dorothy blinked, and tears flowed. Kids were more likely to cry when they realized adults had seen them fall, especially if their dad was worried.
Nathaniel checked Dorothy again and found she wasn't hurt. He held her and comforted her.
Amber, sitting nearby, was stunned. Was this the same domineering CEO she knew? She was curious about how his subordinates would react to this scene.
The usually stern and cold CEO comforting his daughter, unable to hide his concern when she cried!
She patted Aurelia's shoulder, "Hey, do you think Mr. Heilbronn is the kind of dad who spoils his daughter?"
Aurelia thought about Amber's question and recalled his behavior with Dorothy. He did seem to have that tendency, but he also loved Jacob. Boys weren't as sensitive as girls, and their interactions were different.
Finally, Aurelia concluded, "He is the kind of dad who spoils his kids."
Dorothy cried for a while but was soon comforted. Now she clung to Nathaniel's neck, unwilling to get down, like a koala, fully dependent on her dad.
The father-daughter relationship seemed very close.
After all, blood was thicker than water, and the four-year gap was hardly noticeable.
Aurelia felt relieved. She had never experienced fatherly love, but at least her children did.
After having two kids, she had both worries and armor. As a mother, she only wanted the best for her children. But no matter what she did, she couldn't make up for the lack of a father's love.
Now she felt that her children's lives were complete.
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