Chapter 328 The Resilient Vivian
After they finished cleaning up, Susanna gave Lillian a big hug. "Were you freaked out sneaking out?"
"Nah, I had all my gear with me." Lillian went on about how she gave Sam and Vivian a piece of her mind.
Susanna couldn't help but laugh. She knew Lillian's fiery spirit; no way she'd let anyone mess with her.
She ruffled Lillian's hair and asked, "So, where'd you crash last night?"
"With Uncle Aaron and Sam. I even wet the bed this morning," Lillian admitted.
She felt a bit embarrassed, covering her face with her chubby little hands. "Mom, I'm not a baby anymore. Why did I wet the bed?"
"You're doing much better than before. As you get older, bedwetting will be history," Susanna reassured her with a gentle pat on the head. "About that uncle you mentioned, he's tight with Sam. You sure you're cool with that?"
Susanna continued, "What if Uncle Aaron has a girlfriend or a wife? Have you thought about that?"
Lillian was stunned and a bit downcast. "If that's the case, then forget it."
"I'm just messing with you. I asked him earlier; he's single," Susanna comforted.
Lillian immediately brightened up. "Mom, you gotta step up your game and get him."
A wry smile tugged at Susanna's lips. This wasn't a test; Aaron was different from any other guy she'd met. Most would have jumped at her offer by now. But Aaron had boldly declined, opting to make a promise of his own.
She was also a bit hesitant. "Lillian, do you have Uncle Aaron's contact info?"
"Yeah, it's saved in my smartwatch."
"Then ask him out for breakfast tomorrow morning."
"Me?" Lillian's big round eyes widened in confusion.
Susanna smiled slightly. "Just trust me."
Lillian agreed groggily and fell asleep with a sweet smile, thinking Aaron might be a good dad.
The next morning, Susanna was woken up by Lillian. "Mom, get up."
"Just a few more minutes."
"Mom, we're gonna be late. I already asked Uncle Aaron out. Hurry up," Lillian urged.
Hearing this, Susanna got up, looked at Lillian, and said, "Let's go wash up."
She regretted it a bit now. Why did she arrange breakfast? Couldn't it be lunch?
After washing up and changing clothes, Susanna and Lillian went to the hotel's restaurant. It was still early, so there weren't many people dining.
Susanna walked in with Lillian, looked around, but didn't see Aaron. He probably hadn't arrived yet.
Yawning, Susanna glanced at Lillian and said, "Help yourself to breakfast."
Sinking back into her seat, she reflected that it was only Lillian's enthusiasm that had prompted her to rise so early.
Lillian wandered around the dining area, eyeing the choices on display while sneakily stealing glances towards the restaurant entrance. Spotting Aaron as he entered, she waved enthusiastically, calling out, "Aaron, over here!"
As Aaron approached, he caught sight of Lillian in her princess-like attire, standing on tiptoe to greet him. A faint smile graced his lips as he strolled over. "Are you alone?"
"Mom's over there."
Aaron looked up and saw Susanna snoozing in a chair. He glanced down at Lillian, who barely reached his thigh. "What do you wanna eat?"
"I haven't decided yet. The table's too high; I can't see," Lillian grumbled.
She wasn't tall enough to see what was on the table.
"Come here." Aaron scooped Lillian up and asked softly, "What do you want to eat?"
Perched atop Aaron's strong arms, Lillian's world transformed before her eyes. From this newfound height, she beheld her surroundings with a sense of wonder and joy. Holding her small plate, she pointed at what she wanted with her chubby little hand. "This one."
Aaron carried Lillian around the restaurant. His extremely handsome appearance formed a sharp contrast with the little girl in his arms.
Susanna woke up to see Lillian in Aaron's arms, her expression a mix of emotions. The smile on Lillian's face hinted at her fondness for Aaron.
Aaron was rocking a light gray short-sleeve shirt and pants, looking way younger than when he wore a suit. He looked more like a celeb than a businessman.
Seeing this scene, Susanna suddenly felt a faint pain in her chest. She clutched her chest and quickly drank a glass of water to calm down. What was going on?
She hadn't felt this kind of heart palpitations in a long time. Could it be because she hadn't taken her meds recently?
Susanna didn't think much about it. She watched Aaron carry Lillian around the restaurant before finally coming to her.
"Mommy." Lillian returned with a full plate, smiling happily.
Susanna looked at the food on Lillian's plate and squinted. "So many sweets, that's not okay."
She took the plate and divided half of it. "You can only eat this much. Eat more veggies."
Lillian pouted, showing her dislike for veggies.
Susanna stood up and looked at Aaron. "Mr. Abbott, why don't we grab breakfast together?"
Aaron glanced at her and nodded, following her back to the food area.
Susanna picked veggies and eggs for Lillian and looked at Aaron beside her. "She can't eat too many sweets; it's bad for her teeth."
"Sorry, I haven't taken care of kids before," said Aaron.
"It's okay. Thanks, Mr. Abbott, for being so patient with Lillian. She talks a lot and is spoiled by the family. She must have caused you a lot of trouble the past few days?"
Aaron replied calmly, "No trouble at all."
If not for Lillian, how would he have crossed paths with the enigmatic woman before him? Despite her mysterious aura, he couldn't shake off a sense of suspicion.
"Aaron." Vivian's voice came from behind. She had set out to surprise Aaron with breakfast but instead stumbled upon him in the restaurant, accompanied by the intriguing Nova.
Susanna looked up to see Vivian approaching. Despite falling down the stairs just yesterday, Vivian was now lively and standing tall, leaving Susanna in awe of her resilience.
Vivian's head was wrapped in bandages, and her wrists and knees were covered with band-aids, giving her a sickly beauty.
When Susanna and Vivian locked eyes, only they understood each other's thoughts.
Susanna's red lips curved slightly. "Resilient as ever, I see," she quipped.
