Chapter 339 Mr. Cook, I Hope I'm Not Disturbing You?
Sharon went quiet for a bit before saying softly, "Mr. Smith, I need some time to think this over. I'll get back to you once I've made up my mind."
Seb replied, "No rush. Your safety comes first."
After hanging up, Sharon let out a small sigh, her face showing a mix of emotions. Demetrius' safety was crucial, but she really didn't want to deal with Seb anymore. Ever since the kidnapping, she couldn't stay as calm around him. So, she figured it was best to keep her distance. After mulling it over, she made up her mind.
That evening, just as Sharon finished cooking, Zachary showed up.
Zachary grinned, "I could smell the barbecue as soon as I got off the elevator. Have you truly never considered opening a restaurant?"
Sharon shot him a smile and raised an eyebrow. "With flattery like that, your reward is to finish all the barbecue. Not a single piece left."
Zachary chuckled. "Deal."
Demetrius heard the chatter and came out of his room. The moment he saw Zachary, he ran over, beaming.
Zachary caught him, lifted him up, and said with a smile, "Demetrius, looks like you've been eating well. You're way heavier than when you were in the hospital."
Demetrius hugged his neck and pouted. "Mr. Cook, are you implying that I've gained weight?"
Zachary laughed, ruffling his hair. "No way! You're the cutest, no matter what. Plus, a little chubbiness is healthy for boys."
Demetrius grinned. "Then I want to eat more so I can grow up faster and protect Mom."
Seeing Demetrius clench his little fists, Zachary nodded. "I believe in you."
Sharon watched them, amused. "Alright, go wash your hands. Dinner's ready once you're clean."
She turned back to the kitchen to grab the utensils. When she came back to the dining room, Demetrius and Zachary were already at the table, hands washed, waiting.
Sharon handed the plates and forks to Zachary. "I'll get the last dish. You guys can start."
But when she came back, they were still sitting there, waiting. She raised an eyebrow. "What's up? Waiting for me?"
Zachary nodded, putting a piece of barbecue on her plate. "You did all the cooking. Of course, we should wait for you."
"Alright, let's dig in," Sharon said, taking a bite of the barbecue. Then Zachary and Demetrius started eating too. With every dish he tried, Zachary kept praising Sharon, which made her really happy.
"Is it really that good?" Sharon asked, grinning.
"Absolutely, your cooking is the best I've ever had," Zachary replied.
Sharon smiled. "Well, I'll have to cook for you more often then."
Zachary shook his head. "No need to overdo it. Just once in a while is fine. I don't want you getting too tired."
"Alright, then eat up," Sharon said.
Watching them, Demetrius lowered his eyes and ate quietly, his face showing a mix of happiness and worry. He was glad for his mom, but he also wished his dad could be there too. Even though Zachary was great, he still missed his dad. He knew his mom didn't like his dad and didn't want to be with him. But couldn't they all be together? That way, he could be with his dad, his mom could be with Zachary, and he could still be with his mom. All four of them would be happy. If Sharon knew what he was thinking, she'd probably be speechless.
After dinner, Zachary told Sharon to take Demetrius to the living room to relax while he cleaned up.
Sharon instinctively refused, "No need. You're a guest."
Zachary raised an eyebrow. "I'm also your boyfriend. It's only fair I do the dishes after dinner. I can't let you do everything."
Hearing this, Sharon had to nod. "Alright, I'll let you."
Zachary cleaned up the table, washed the dishes, wiped down the kitchen counter and table, and even mopped the floor before heading to the living room.
Sharon was playing with building blocks with Demetrius, racing to see who could build faster. Demetrius was quick and almost finished, with not a single block out of place. Meanwhile, Sharon's blocks were a mess, teetering as if they could fall at any moment.
Zachary watched them with a gentle smile, raising an eyebrow. "Sharon, need some help?"
Sharon looked up and met his smiling eyes. Just as she was about to speak, her blocks suddenly collapsed, scattering everywhere. Meanwhile, Demetrius placed the last block, completing his structure.
Sharon fell silent. She looked at Demetrius's neat and perfect structure, then at her scattered blocks, feeling a bit disheartened. She couldn't even beat a not-yet-five-year-old boy, which hurt her pride.
Zachary's smile widened. "You take a break. I'll play with Demetrius."
Sharon nodded. "Alright."
She always felt a bit outmatched when playing puzzle games with Demetrius, and it seemed like he enjoyed playing with Zachary more. His eyes had lit up when Zachary offered to play with him earlier. Sharon stood up, and Zachary took her seat, starting to help Demetrius pick up the scattered building blocks.
"I'll go cut some fruit for you," Sharon said.
She got up, walked to the kitchen, grabbed a watermelon from the fridge, sliced it up, and arranged it on a plate. Just as she was about to bring it out, the doorbell rang.
Seeing Zachary about to get up, Sharon said, "You stay and play with Demetrius. I'll get the door."
She walked to the door and peeked through the peephole, seeing Seb standing outside. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she opened the door.
"Ms. Roach, I came to talk to you about this morning..." Seb began.
Before he could finish his sentence, Seb's voice abruptly faltered. In front of him, Sharon was dressed in casual home clothes, her long hair tied up in a bun, revealing a smooth forehead. She looked beautiful, with flawless skin and delicate features. But what really stunned him was the scene in the living room. Zachary was playing with building blocks with Demetrius, both of them smiling. Sharon was holding a plate of watermelon, her expression serene. They looked like a warm, happy family, and his arrival had disrupted this warmth.
Seb's body tensed involuntarily, and his gaze gradually dimmed. He should have been the one in the living room playing with Demetrius. Five years ago, he failed to protect Sharon. Now, he missed his chance again. He didn't even have the right to compete with Zachary.
At the sound, both Zachary and Demetrius turned their heads towards the door. Zachary's smile faded slightly, while Demetrius excitedly got up and ran towards the door.
"Dad, why are you here?" Demetrius asked.
Seb reached out to catch the running Demetrius, lifting him up gently. "I came to see you and your mom."
Sharon pursed her lips and said calmly, "Mr. Smith, come in."
Seb walked in with Demetrius in his arms and looked at Zachary standing in the middle of the living room. "Mr. Cook, I hope I'm not disturbing you?"
Zachary met his gaze without hesitation. "Not at all."
As their eyes met, both had smiles on their faces. However, the atmosphere seemed to freeze, with an undercurrent of tension.
Sharon placed the watermelon on the table, interrupting, "Mr. Smith, Zachary, please sit."
Zachary looked at her gently. "Alright. Mr. Smith, is it okay if I stay while you talk? If it's inconvenient, I can step out."
Seb responded, "No need. It's not inconvenient."
Hearing their conversation, Seb felt a surge of bitterness and jealousy, his grip on Demetrius tightening unconsciously. Suddenly, Demetrius exclaimed, "Dad, you're holding me too tight!"
Sharon and Zachary both turned to look at Seb. Seb quickly loosened his grip, apologizing, "Demetrius, I'm sorry. I got distracted."
Demetrius shook his head. "It's okay, Dad. I'm not mad at you."
Seb said gently, "Alright, if I hold you too tight again, just let me know."
Demetrius nodded. "Okay."
Seb lowered his eyes, suppressing the emotions surging within him, and sat down opposite Sharon and Zachary with Demetrius in his arms.
"Ms. Roach, I came today to talk about this morning. I sent you messages, but you didn't reply. I was worried, so I came over," Seb explained.
Sharon picked up her phone and saw that Seb had indeed sent her several messages. However, since Zachary arrived, she hadn't checked her phone and missed them.
"Sorry, I didn't see the messages. I've thought about it, and I won't be moving back. I plan to move in with Zachary. As for Demetrius, if he is willing, he can go with you. After these recent events are over, he can decide whether to live with you or me," Sharon said.
After the kidnapping incident, Sharon realized that Seb's love for Demetrius was no less than hers. So, she wouldn't force Demetrius to stay with her but would let him choose for himself.
As soon as she finished speaking, the living room fell into silence. Not only was Seb stunned, but Zachary also looked shocked.
After several seconds, Seb frowned and said, "Demetrius definitely won't want to be separated from you. If you don't want to move back, I can assign more people to protect you and Demetrius."
Zachary raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Smith, I can also protect Sharon and Demetrius. If Demetrius wants, he can move in with Sharon and me."
Seb's icy gaze bore into him with a tangible pressure. An ordinary person might have felt their legs weaken under such a stare, but Zachary didn't flinch, meeting his eyes calmly.
Sensing the unusual tension between Seb and Zachary, Sharon frowned and was about to speak when Seb spoke first, "Mr. Cook, my child hasn't fallen to the point where he needs someone else to protect him."
Zachary's smile didn't waver. "Mr. Smith, it's not about falling to any point. It's about what's best for Demetrius and Sharon. If they feel safer with me, then that's what matters."
Sharon sighed, stepping in before things could escalate further. " This isn't a competition. It's about what's best for Demetrius. Let's just focus on that, okay?"
Seb took a deep breath, his gaze softening slightly. "You're right, Ms. Roach. Let's focus on Demetrius."
Zachary nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. Demetrius' well-being is the priority."
Demetrius, sensing the tension but not fully understanding it, looked between the adults. "Can we all just eat watermelon now?" he asked innocently.
The adults couldn't help but chuckle, the tension easing a bit. Sharon handed out the watermelon slices, and they all sat down, trying to find a way to coexist for Demetrius' sake.
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