Chapter 549 If Only There Were a Daughter
Aurelia glanced at Dominic, who was wearing an apron and holding a spatula, clearly in the middle of cooking. He looked nothing like a business executive—more like a warm, neighborly father figure.
Dominic's attention was still on the stove. "Aurelia, please make yourself comfortable with the children. I've got something on the burner," he said, hurrying back into the kitchen.
Phoenix emerged carrying a fruit platter, reluctantly making his way to the living room. He couldn't shake the feeling that his image was completely ruined in Aurelia's eyes.
After setting the fruit on the coffee table, Dorothy stared at him with wide, curious eyes. The little girl had no filter—whatever crossed her mind came straight out of her mouth. "Mr. Sawyer, you really need a haircut!"
Phoenix looked thoroughly exasperated. "What do you know about it, kid? This is trendy. This hairstyle is all the rage now, understand?"
Jacob snorted from beside her. "Well, you're certainly going for that alternative look!"
Phoenix licked his lips in resignation. "How does a kid your age even know about alternative culture? I'm not even old enough to have lived through that era. Besides, your dad was the one who was into all that alternative stuff."
Aurelia nearly choked on her water. She could hardly imagine what Nathaniel looked like during his alternative phase—surely he didn't sport a mohawk? She looked at Phoenix expectantly, hoping he'd elaborate.
Phoenix ran his hand through his hair again, but thinking of Nathaniel's ruthless methods of dealing with people, he decided to keep his mouth shut.
"You'll have to ask him about that yourselves when you get home," he finally said.
Jacob remained skeptical. "My dad has way too much class to be into alternative culture. I think you're just making stuff up while he's not here."
Phoenix raised an eyebrow. Jacob was quite the little debater—just as sharp as his father.
"You don't believe me?" When both children shook their heads, he grinned. "I've been following your dad since I was younger than you two are now. You think I don't know all his embarrassing secrets? Come with me if you don't believe me—I've got proof."
Phoenix was bluffing, of course. When he'd started following Nathaniel, he was already in elementary school—a timid kid who was constantly bullied by his classmates.
Nathaniel had been in middle school then, several grades ahead. One day, while using the restroom, he'd stumbled upon a scene: a kid who was a head taller than everyone else being surrounded and picked on by a group of shorter bullies.
Nathaniel had initially watched out of curiosity, expecting the tall kid to eventually fight back. But Phoenix just took the abuse without retaliating, even from kids shorter than himself.
Finally, Nathaniel couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed two of the bullies, one in each hand, and pinned them against the wall. "Listen up, you little punks. I'm his friend. If I catch anyone messing with him again, you'll be spending the rest of the day locked in this bathroom!"
The elementary school kids were terrified, crouching on the ground in silence. Faced with an older, intimidating student who looked ready to knock them out with one punch, they all backed down immediately.
"We won't do it again!"
"We'll never bother Phoenix again!"
From that day forward, Phoenix was free from bullying, and somehow gained a protective older brother in the process.
Phoenix stood up and took both children by the hand, determined to prove to them that Nathaniel had indeed gone through an alternative phase.
The bedrooms were upstairs, and while Aurelia was intensely curious, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to follow.
She rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands in the bathroom, and headed to the kitchen to see if she could help.
Dominic had been bustling around the kitchen all morning. The beef stew was ready, and when he saw Aurelia enter, he quickly set down what he was holding and tried to shoo her away.
"Girls shouldn't be in the kitchen—the cooking fumes are bad for your skin!"
Aurelia smiled, feeling an inexplicable warmth between them. "Dominic, I cook for myself at home all the time. I'm not that delicate."
She picked up the vegetables from the counter and began washing them in the sink, diving right in to help.
Dominic watched her profile, momentarily lost in thought. He couldn't help wondering how wonderful it would be if she were still alive, if the girl in front of him were his own daughter.
"Mr. Sawyer, should I cook these greens separately or with the mushrooms?" When he didn't respond, Aurelia called out again, "Mr. Sawyer?"
Dominic snapped out of his reverie, startled by his own thoughts. Looking at Aurelia, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss. He was destined never to have a daughter in this lifetime.
"However you prefer," he said softly.
Aurelia paused, then smiled. "Let's add some mushrooms. I saw some in the fridge, and the children love them."
They prepared the rest of the meal together. Dominic's house had always been cold and empty throughout his life. He had loved only one woman, but that love had been unrequited, ending in regret.
Later, Madeline had arranged his marriage, but fate was cruel—his wife never made it out of the delivery room, leaving him only with a son. The tragedy had devastated him, and he never remarried. Partly because Phoenix was young and he didn't want the boy to feel displaced or hurt, he had remained single ever since.
He had been both father and mother, somehow managing to raise Phoenix to adulthood. This was the first time a young woman had been in his kitchen, filling him with hope and impossible fantasies.
If only he could have married Brenda. If only she could have given him a daughter.
A table full of home-cooked dishes was laid out, creating the atmosphere of a family dinner.
After washing his hands and removing his apron, Dominic said, "Aurelia, my cooking is nothing special, so please don't mind if it's not perfect. I thought having dinner at home would be more relaxed and comfortable than a restaurant, which always feels too much like a business meeting."
Aurelia pressed her lips together in a gentle smile. "Not at all. Your cooking looks amazing—it smells wonderful."
Dominic called upstairs, "Phoenix, where did you take the children? Come down for dinner!"
"Coming right down!" Phoenix's voice echoed from above.
Within minutes, he appeared with both children in tow. In just half an hour, the two kids had completely warmed up to Phoenix, calling him "Uncle Phoenix" at every turn and following him around like little shadows. Whatever method Phoenix had used to win them over had certainly worked.
As they sat down at the dining table, Jacob wore a mysterious expression, barely able to contain himself. "Mommy, Mr. Sawyer has silver bracelets in his room!"
Phoenix frantically reached across with his long arm to cover Jacob's mouth, breaking out in a cold sweat. The "silver bracelets" Jacob was referring to were actually toy handcuffs—a prop he'd used while filming.
When they'd needed them urgently, someone had rushed to an adult novelty store to buy a pair. After filming, the director had jokingly said, "Keep them as a souvenir."
And he actually had kept them, tossing them aside carelessly when he got home. He'd never had any use for the things, but when he'd been searching for something with the children earlier, they'd turned up. Jacob had been fascinated by them, asking, "Uncle Phoenix, what are these for?"
Unable to explain such adult matters to a child—and honestly not entirely sure himself what their appeal was supposed to be—he'd deflected with, "Those are silver bracelets."
Phoenix's eye twitched as he removed his hand from Jacob's mouth, only for the boy to shout even louder, "Mommy, Uncle Phoenix's silver bracelets even have keys!"
This outburst made Phoenix want to crawl under the table. He cursed Nathaniel silently—that devil had produced a little devil of his own!
Dominic shot him a withering look. "You're completely irresponsible, bringing all sorts of inappropriate junk into this house!"
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