Chapter 63: Is it Because of Nora
Nora settled into the passenger seat and introduced the kids to Noe.
"Alex, Billy, Samantha, this is Mr. Noe. Say hi."
"Hi, Mr. Noe!" the kids chimed in unison.
"Hello, there," Noe managed to say.
It was Noe's first time meeting the kids, and he was momentarily spellbound. How could kids be so adorable? Not to mention, they bore a striking resemblance to the CEO of his company!
"Mr. Thomas, are you Mommy's friend?" Billy inquired, his eyes scanning the car's interior curiously.
Noe, snapping back to reality, was about to answer when Aaron, from the backseat, interjected, "He's my assistant."
Billy turned to Aaron, his eyes widening. "Mr. Thomas, do you remember him? Does that mean you got your memory back?"
Aaron arched an eyebrow, glanced unconsciously at Nora and Alex, and nodded slightly.
In the impressionable eyes of the children, maintaining the aura of being invincible was essential.
Both Nora and Alex looked at Aaron, but neither contradicted him.
Running her hand over the leather seat, Samantha asked in her baby voice, " Mr. Thomas, are you rich?"
Aaron responded with a humble-brag, "I am."
"And you'll pay for Mommy's fee, right?" Billy reminded, ever the pragmatic one.
Aaron chuckled, "Of course."
Something else popped into Samantha's head. "Mr. Thomas, now that you remember everything, does that mean you're leaving?"
Aaron's heart melted a bit as he looked into her big eyes.
"No, I'm not going anywhere—my legs aren't healed yet."
"Oh, so you're staying longer?"
"Yes, staying," Aaron reassured.
"Awesome!" Samantha chirped, chattering away to Aaron with delight.
Up front, Noe listened to the laughter and chatter filling the car, a look of surprise flitting across his face. It seemed that the CEO had taken quite a liking to the three little ones. Wasn't he the one who always hated noise by his ear?
Strangely enough, he felt like he was taking a family of five out for a day trip.
"Sir, shall I drive you all home now?" Noe started up the car and inquired.
Nora naturally agreed with a nod.
In the backseat, Samantha blinked her large eyes. "Mommy, Mommy, let's go out for a fancy dinner to celebrate Mr. Thomas getting his memory back!"
Nora was speechless for a second. Her daughter was indeed a little foodie, always finding excuses to eat.
"Samantha..." she began.
But before Nora could decline the offer, Aaron quickly intervened, "Sure, I’m treating today."
"Yay! Gonna have a fancy dinner with Mr. Thomas!" Samantha clapped her hands and swung her little legs excitedly.
Nora opened her mouth to object but then decided to keep quiet. She had spent the whole day working at the hospital and was quite tired. The thought of having dinner prepared for her was a relief.
"Just so you know, even if we eat out, don't forget about the punishment from this morning," she reminded them sternly.
All three kids turned to look at her, each of them sucking in a breath.
Billy scratched his head and muttered softly, "Mommy's got an elephant's memory."
He thought they might escape the morning's punishment!
The car made its way to a fancy restaurant called Heaven Restaurant, known for its exclusive cuisine. Built like a garden oasis, with small cottages and intimate seating, the ambiance was one of understated elegance.
Edric had invested in this upscale eatery, and Aaron had called ahead to let him know they were coming. By the time they arrived, the restaurant manager was at the door to greet them with respect and escorted them to a private room.
The three little ones followed Nora obediently, looking around curiously. Their cute features caught the attention of the staff, who couldn't help but sneak glances.
Nora, holding Samantha's hand absentmindedly, caught a glimpse of a partially opened private room door. Inside, two men sat across from each other—Paul, her best friend Jenny's boyfriend, was one of them. He was pressing his hand against the other man's face, a gesture that struck Nora as odd and intimate. The other man looked familiar. After a moment, Nora recognized who he was.
Kim, the rising star with a growing fanbase, was just breaking into the scene.
"Mommy, what are you looking at? Why aren't we going?" Samantha gazed at her quizzically.
The people ahead halted and glanced back at them.
Nora shifted her attention away, "Nothing much, let's go."
Their manager guided them into an upscale private lounge.
The lounge was elegantly decorated, offering not only dining but also a variety of entertainment options for the guests.
With Nora's go-ahead, the trio of kids scampered off to play on the computer.
Aaron requested the manager to bring out several signature dishes, and added some of Nora and the kids' favorite sweet-flavored dishes.
"The dishes should be slightly sweet, not too salty. Finish with a couple of desserts," he instructed, closing the menu in a soft voice.
Nora glanced at him, her eyes twinkling. Their preference for sweets over savory treats was something that stayed in his mind.
Not long after, Edric arrived. Clad in a muted purple matte shirt complemented by black trousers, he looked effortlessly suave.
Upon seeing the three adorable kids, he couldn't help whistling in delight.
"Where did these little angels come from? Even cuter than in pictures!"
Edric’s handsome looks and charming attentiveness quickly shortened the distance between them.
Nora gave a light laugh.
Her crisply sweet 'angels' made Edric shower them with praise.
But then, Nora caught the key point in his words, "Pictures? Edric, you've seen their photos?"
"Yeah, I sneaked a peek," Edric explained with a wink at Aaron. "If I didn't know how committed Aaron is to keeping himself pure, I'd suspect these cuties were his own."
That comment nudged Noe to nod in agreement.
Indeed, if their CEO wasn't known for his restraint, one might entertain such doubts.
"Ordered yet? Go all out today, I'm treating," Edric announced.
"I wasn't planning on paying anyway," Aaron shrugged.
"Thomas, you could be more gracious. After all, I’ve been through thick and thin with you?"
"Edric, I think it's time you zip it."
"If I did, you all would miss out on a lot of fun, right? Come on, kids, tell me your names."
Watching Edric charming the kids, Nora's lips curved slightly.
Edric seemed to genuinely enjoy the company of children.
If only he weren't such a flirt, he'd be quite a catch.
Nora pondered for a moment, then pulled out her phone to message Jenny.
"Jenny, are you back from your business trip?"
Soon enough, Jenny messaged, "Just got back, I'm beat."
Nora took a sneaky photo and sent it her way.
"Hanging out with your boss for dinner," she texted.
Jenny's call came in shortly after.
Nora's lips curved into a smile as she stepped into the restroom to answer the call.
"Jenny."
"Nora, what's the deal? How come you're having dinner with my boss? And not just him, that guy in the wheelchair kinda looks like Aaron, doesn't he?" Jenny's voice was laced with urgency.
Nora replied, "Jenny, forgot to tell you, the mysterious guy I saved, it's Aaron."
Jenny was speechless.
After some chit-chat, Nora changed the subject, "Does Paul know you're back from your trip?"
"Yeah, he knows."
"And he didn't ask you out for dinner?"
"Said he has a meeting with a client!"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
