Chapter 427
The night grew darker.
Haley finally cleaned up the messy living room. She glanced at Ivan, who was sitting calmly on the sofa reading a book and rubbed her nose in frustration.
It was already ten o'clock at night. Why hadn't that man left yet? Should she tell him to leave?
The four children seemed to be getting more and more excited. She didn't know when they would fall asleep tonight.
Haley struggled for a while but ultimately decided to put the children to bed first before dealing with Ivan...
"Keith, Owen, Todd, Angela, it's time to tidy up," she said with a gentle firmness, her smile unwavering as she stood by the play mat. "You need a bath, so we should head upstairs."
Owen clutched his Transformers and didn't even glance up as he negotiated, "Just five more minutes, Mom, please!"
Haley paused, her smile lingering in a silent response.
This was already the third 'five more minutes'...
Angela also followed suit. "Five more minutes, please."
Angela was a child of few words, but when she spoke, her voice had a tender quality that could soften the hardest of hearts.
Haley's gaze shifted to Todd and Keith as she inquired, "Would you two like an extra five minutes as well?"
Todd gave a small nod. "I want to make sure Angela's okay. Owen can sometimes be a bit too much," he said, his protective instinct evident.
Keith echoed the sentiment. "Yeah, Owen doesn't always know his own strength. I'll watch over them."
Owen fell silent, a trace of guilt coloring his silence.
He loved Angela. There was no way he would pick on her. Those two were talking nonsense and deliberately accusing him of something he would never do!
Ivan chuckled, his lips curling up slightly. "Owen can never sit still. You won't be able to sleep peacefully tonight with him around.
Haley pursed her lips and smiled gently. "It's okay. If they want to play, I'll play with them too."
In any case, she wouldn't let go.
"Taking care of four children alone can be overwhelming. You don't have to force yourself to do it," Ivan said calmly. How about this? I'll stay and help you take care of them."
Haley's eyes suddenly widened. She immediately shook her head vigorously. "You don’t have to do that!"
That man always looked at her with an aggressive gaze like a hungry wolf.
She must be crazy to let this man stay overnight at her home.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Ivan's eyes.
He stood up calmly and said, "Alright then, it's getting late. I'll head back."
He took two steps towards the door and turned around. "Will you say goodbye me?"
Keith and Owen ignored him and happily played with the building blocks.
Todd glanced at Ivan and waved his hand faintly.
Only Angela ran over in her bare feet, grabbed Ivan's hand, shook it, and whispered, "Goodbye, Dad."
"You’re such a good girl, Angela!"
Ivan kissed her on the face and walked out of the villa.
He felt extremely fortunate to have a daughter among his four children; otherwise, he would have been even more miserable.
After Ivan left, the villa suddenly felt empty.
Haley took a shower and went downstairs. The four children were sleepy. She bathed Angela first, then Owen.
As for Keith and Todd, those two had matured early and had been able to bathe themselves since they were three years old.
When she finished taking care of the children, it was half past eleven at night.
Haley was so tired that she felt like she was falling apart. She collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
However, she heard crying in the middle of the night.
Angela slept alone in one room while the other three little ones slept in another room.
Haley followed the crying and saw Owen sitting on the carpet at the doorway, crying with closed eyes. As he cried, he shouted, "I want milk, milk..."
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