Chapter 84 Comfort is Less Important Than Survival
Cecily glanced at the table with the two sets of dishes laid out. She couldn't exactly explain that someone had hastily left upon hearing that Darian would be coming.
Cecily didn't care much about what Darian thought. Nodding slightly, she confirmed, "Yeah."
Darian let out a scoff that carried an icy sharpness, his lips curling into a cold smirk. "Well, I didn't mean to interrupt. Rowan, let's go!"
As he was about to lead the young one away, Griffin quickly clung to Cecily's leg, his face set in stubborn refusal to leave. After finally getting back, he was not about to go anywhere.
Darian glanced at the little guy who seemed intent on sticking to Cecily's leg and muttered under his breath, "Spineless."
Seeing that Darian was about to take Griffin away, Cecily quickly interjected, "It's okay. Since you're here, eat with us. I can have dinner with my friend some other time." After all, the other person had already been scared away, and with so much food prepared, it would be a waste not to eat.
Darian simply responded with a crisp "Hmm."
Cecily couldn't shake the feeling that Darian had been waiting for her to say just that.
"Then Rowan, can we wait to bandage your wounds after we eat?" she asked.
Griffin nodded vigorously, thinking it was a great idea as he was practically starving.
Darian, eyeing the table laden with food, gave Cecily a sidelong glance. "Did you make all this?"
"The housekeeper did," Cecily said outright.
While bustling about in the kitchen, Aunt Mary happened to overhear the conversation and chimed in, "Ms. Cecily is being modest, I only helped wash the vegetables. She cooked everything herself, Mr. Darian, you should try it—Ms. Cecily's cooking is quite excellent."
Griffin served Darian a piece of fish, saying, "Mommy's cooking is really delicious."
"How would you know?" Darian's gaze shifted toward the little guy sitting next to him.
Cecily's hand paused for a moment.
As Darian's eyes moved between the two, suspicion flickered within them.
"You seem to know her pretty well?" Darian asked with a chilly tone.
Under Darian's scrutiny, both of their heartbeats quickened.
Griffin swallowed the meat in his mouth and scrambled for an excuse as he promptly replied, "Because Mommy cooked for me yesterday at lunchtime. Once you try her cooking, you'll also find it delicious."
Darian hummed in response; his skepticism possibly abated as he took a bite of the fish. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender inside, the fishy taste skillfully removed while preserving its succulent flavor. It truly was delicious.
Seeing Darian silent for a moment, Cecily tentatively asked, "Is it not good?"
Darian's slender fingers maneuvered his fork and replied, "It's not bad."
"Just not bad? I think Mommy's cooking is the best in the world." Standing on his chair, Griffin grabbed a piece of meat and stuffed it into Darian's mouth, insisting, "Try this."
Griffin's face was determined to elicit praise from Darian.
Taken aback, Darian finally admitted, "...It's delicious."
"Then have some more." Griffin beamed at Darian. "This is yummy, this is yummy, and this too..."
Cecily lowered her head, giving an inadvertent light cough as Griffin was being irrepressibly lively.
Realizing something, Griffin suddenly remembered his manners and sat back down properly in his chair, picking up his fork to eat his meal slowly and deliberately.
The meal passed with exceptional harmony, and once it was over, Cecily took Griffin back to her room to redress his wound.
After attending to everything and realizing it was getting late, Cecily pondered how to convince Griffin to stay overnight. Suddenly, the decision was made for her by the weather, as a rainstorm began pounding outside, accompanied by gusty winds sweeping through the neighborhood.
Seizing the opportunity, Cecily turned to Darian and said, "The weather report mentioned a severe storm tonight. It's not safe for you to take the child home in this weather. How about Rowan stays with me just for tonight?"
Darian glanced at the fierce rain lashing against the window and then fixed his eyes back on Cecily. "So, it's safe for me to drive back alone?"
Cecily was taken aback by his remark. His gaze clung to her, carrying an undertone of discontent, almost as if challenging the notion that his life was somehow less valuable than the kid's.
Attempting to clear the air, Cecily asked tentatively, "Would you... consider staying over as well?"
She suspected Darian had no real intention of staying at her house, but his pointed question left her feeling awkward about not offering.
Darian simply replied, "Hmm."
His response sent Cecily's mind into a frenzied confusion, 'Hmm?! What did that mean? Was he actually agreeing?' She felt a wave of frustration but then added, "I only have two bedrooms, one for my housekeeper and one for me. Rowan can share a bed with me."
Her message was clear: there was no guest room for him. He might as well head back home.
"That's fine, I can take the couch."
"The couch is too small. It won’t be comfortable."
"Better uncomfortable than unsafe."
Cecily was at a loss for words. She had nothing else to say.
In the end, both Darian and Griffin stayed the night.
After preparing for bed, Cecily and Griffin headed to her room to sleep. With Darian not around, Griffin could ask for a cuddle from his mother without any worries. "Mommy, I missed you."
Cecily made a silent gesture, then cuddled with Griffin in bed. "Let's call Rowan, shall we?"
"Yeah, let's call my brother."
Cecily dialed Rowan for a video call.
Rowan was delighted to see her and Griffin, but there was a hint of sadness in his happy eyes.
Griffin chattered away with Rowan, not noticing, but Cecily spotted it immediately and promptly said, "Rowan, Mommy will come pick you up in a few days."
"Really?" Rowan's eyes immediately lit up.
"Yes." She also hoped that both children could be with her, and now that Darian no longer doubted Griffin, bringing Rowan back wouldn't be an issue.
Cecily's decision made both little ones exceptionally happy.
They talked for a long time before they ended the call and went to bed.
Griffin was indeed sleepy and quickly fell asleep next to Cecily.
Cecily was about to turn off the light and go to bed when there was a knock at the door. She propped herself up and asked, "Who is it?"
"Ms. Cecily, it's me," Aunt Mary's voice came through.
Cecily walked over to open the door and saw Aunt Mary standing at her threshold. Upon seeing her, Aunt Mary said, "Ms. Cecily, that gentleman is your husband, isn't he?"
Although she had never met Darian, Griffin had called Darian "Daddy" and Cecily "Mommy," so Aunt Mary assumed Cecily and Darian were a couple.
"He's not. What's the matter?"
Seeing Cecily still denying it, Aunt Mary inquired further, "Did you and your husband have a fight? Oh dear, couples fight and make up before you know it. There's nothing you can't get past."
Cecily, looking at the warm-hearted Aunt Mary, rubbed her forehead and asked, "Aunt Mary, did you come over this late just to make peace?"
"Not exactly. I just saw him sleeping on the couch without a blanket. It's getting colder now that fall is here, especially on a rainy night like tonight, it's even chillier. He might catch cold sleeping like that. Ms. Cecily, are you sure you don't want to get a blanket for him?"
Cecily stepped out of the room and glanced toward the living room. Her focus had been entirely on Griffin, and she'd completely forgotten about Darian.
Not wanting Darian to freeze in her house, she fetched a blanket and asked, "Aunt Mary, can you take this to him?"
"Just go yourself, Ms. Cecily," Aunt Mary urged before hurrying back to her own room.
Cecily saw the look on Aunt Mary's face, clearly attempting to play matchmaker with these "argumentative spouses." Sighing in resignation, she picked up the blanket and walked over to where Darian was.
Her sofa was large enough for Darian to comfortably sleep on. His eyes were tightly shut, seeming to be asleep.
"Darian?" Cecily whispered his name softly.
Darian didn't respond.
"Darian?"
Still no reaction; he seemed to be genuinely asleep.
Cecily looked at the blanket in her hands, then at the sleeping form of Darian, and decided to see her good deed through to the end. She unfolded the blanket and gently covered him with it.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she bent down, her wrist was caught by a strong hand.
Darian's eyes snapped open, his dark and deep gaze void of emotion as he looked at her.
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