Chapter 408 Mom and Dad!
Natalie froze, and her eyes were as wide as saucers as she and Oliver stared at each other in bewilderment.
Oliver's hands hung in the air, stiff, as if he was terrified to so much as breathe on the tiny, delicate creature nestled against him.
"Natalie, what on earth is going on?" Oliver was the first to shatter the silence.
"How would I know? She’s not calling me 'Daddy,'" Natalie responded, half-wondering if she was dreaming. She was perplexed by the fact that Oliver was looking to her for an explanation.
"Daddy, I found you!"
The little girl in his arms lifted her head, revealing a pair of big and sparkling eyes. Her cherubic face could melt the coldest of hearts, and her hair was tied into two pigtails. She seemed to be no older than two, the very image of a doll.
Without thinking, Oliver leaned back, gesturing toward the little girl, and asked Natalie, "Why does she look so much like me?”
Natalie was speechless. ‘How would I know? Is this really the time for such questions?’
Worried about accidentally hurting the child, Oliver stayed motionless, his hand still up in the air.
It was understandable for anyone to be shocked by a random child calling them 'Daddy.' However, Oliver's level of shock was beyond normal even as he attempted to look calm.
Natalie put her cutleries aside before she stood up and navigated around the dining table.
The little girl held onto Oliver's leg firmly, refusing to let go. However, when she looked up at Natalie, her face brightened as she called out, “Mama!”
Natalie felt her heart skip a beat and instinctively stepped backward.
The expressions of onlookers were a mix of confusion, shock, and disbelief.
Everyone had assumed the girl was the result of Oliver’s clandestine affair, preparing themselves for a sensational scandal. Unexpectedly, the child’s mother turned out to be Natalie? However, why did the couple look like this was the first time they had seen their daughter?
Shaking off the initial shock, Natalie locked eyes with Oliver's intense gaze. His expression clearly said, “Explain yourself?”
"Mama?" The girl tilted her head, scrutinizing Natalie with curiosity.
Did she mistake Natalie for someone else? No, that could not be it.
"We ought to find a more private place to sort this out," Natalie proposed, rubbing her temples as felt her head ache.
The girl's eyes darted between Oliver and Natalie curiously. After a moment, she reached out with her tiny hands and said, “Hug!”
Once the child released him, Oliver quickly stood up, taking a cautious step backward as though he feared she might attach herself to him once more.
Despite the bizarre circumstances, Natalie found herself chuckling. Oliver's hasty retreat seemed to have hurt the little one's feelings as her eyes filled with tears, ready to overflow.
Natalie quickly picked her up, and she quickly clung to Natalie’s neck as though she was afraid of being left behind. She whispered into Natalie’s ear, “Daddy is a bad man!”
Natalie felt overwhelmed.
…
Within half an hour, the rumor mill at the Windsor Group was working overtime, broadcasting the news that Oliver and Natalie had an incredibly adorable daughter.
Emily, always in tune with the latest gossip, heard the rumblings and bombarded Natalie with phone calls.
"Natalie, you have a child? But how and when?"
"Hold on!" Natalie interjected, her voice tinged with irritation, "I don’t have a child, and I’m just as puzzled as you are. I have never gotten pregnant and given birth before. Let me figure this out, and I’ll explain it to you later.”
After ending the conversation, Natalie silently observed the little girl sitting on her lap, then shared a look of bewilderment with Oliver, who was seated across from her.
"Mommy!" the child whispered to Natalie, "Why does Daddy look so different from the picture?”
Her speech was a little clumsy but remarkable for someone of her age.
"What picture?" Natalie asked.
"The picture Mommy showed me," the child answered.
Both adults looked perplexed.
"I showed you the picture?” Natalie pointed to herself for clarification.
The child shook her head. “No, Mommy showed me. You’re Mama Natalie!”
The couple was enlightened.
It was common for children to mistake strangers for their parents, so this misunderstanding did not seem unusual.
"Where did you learn that accent?" Oliver asked, feeling relieved now that the situation was getting clearer. He reached out to pat the child’s head.
The child protectively held her pigtails and said with a slightly reproachful expression, “Don’t mess it up!”
Oliver found himself chuckling in response.
‘This girl is really quite cute… If only she looks like Natalie…’
Oliver quickly shook his head and chided himself, reminding himself that the girl was not his and Natalie’s child.
The girl was really adorable.
"Sweetheart, where’s your mother?" Natalie asked, holding the girl gently.
"Mommy went to get a prize!" the child responded, her answer as mysterious as it was charming.
"And who brought you here? Can you tell us how we might contact your family?" Natalie continued, seeking more information.
The little girl gestured toward both Natalie and Oliver, declaring, "Family."
"I'll see if anyone has reported a missing child," Oliver stated, taking out his phone.
"I'm hungry," the child quietly said, touching her stomach.
Reminded of Lucas when he was younger, Natalie asked, "How old are you?"
The girl proudly raised two fingers. Then, she said, "I'm Tina!"
Natalie said, "Can you get some formula and… Forget it, I’ll go…”
Natalie doubted Oliver’s ability to shop for a toddler. She placed Tina on the sofa and paused momentarily before asking, "Can you look after her for a short while? If it's too much, I can ask one of the female staff from the office to assist."
Oliver could not admit he was incapable of handling a situation, particularly not in Natalie's presence. His voice carried a hint of displeasure and disdain as he said, “Why would you think I need help?”
Natalie silently rolled her eyes and said, “Keep an eye on her. Make sure she’s safe. Don’t frighten her. Make sure she doesn’t fall.”
Oliver dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. The idea that he was frightening to the child was absurd to him.
…
Their office building was ideally situated in the heart of the city, mere moments away from a vibrant shopping district. It was convenient to run errands.
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