Chapter 291 Dagmar Arrives

“Chicago, how come you've stopped talking about Darwin?” Fiona casually asked while holding Chicago's hand on their way home.
Chicago glanced at her, "Mommy doesn't like Darwin, so I stopped mentioning him."
"Did I ever say I didn't like Darwin?" Fiona asked guiltily.
Chicago thought for a moment, then shook her head, "Not really, but you don’t let me see Darwin, right? Doesn’t that mean you dislike him?"
"Do you still want to see him now?"
Kids are known for being forgetful. What if Chicago had already lost interest in Darwin after such a short period?
"Of course!" Chicago replied without hesitation, then sounded a bit sad, "But Darwin hasn’t been looking for me lately."
"Maybe Darwin is tied up with something? He should reach out to Chicago soon," Fiona mused, recalling the photograph she'd received, "Oh, that reminds me, we received a package for you and your brother today, it looks like it’s from Darwin!”

"Really? Really?" Chicago's eyes sparkled immediately, "Show me, show me, Mommy, quick!"

Fiona smiled warmly, squatting down to show Chicago the photograph.

The gifts were not yet unwrapped.

Just two neatly decorated boxes.

"It's for you and your brother, so Mommy thought it'd be best if we didn't open them here, but I've had them sent over," Fiona said softly.

Chicago was over the moon.

"Chicago, don't you think it would be nice to prepare a little something in return for Darwin’s gift?" Fiona suggested.

"Uh-huh!" Chicago nodded vigorously.

"You were drawing the other day, a lovely picture with Mommy, your brother, and Darwin in it. How about you finish that painting and give it to Darwin?” Fiona coaxed gently.

"Can I really do that?" Chicago thought it was a fantastic idea.

Absolutely fantastic!

"Of course!" Fiona nodded.

"Mommy, you like Darwin now, don't you?" Chicago hugged Fiona’s neck, her warm little body clinging to her.

"I never disliked him, sweetie," Fiona stroked her little head.

"So can I play with Darwin next time? Can you join us, Mommy?" Chicago opportunely asked.

"Absolutely!" Fiona replied cheerfully.

On the way home, Chicago hummed a tune, joyfully bouncing along and greeting every flower and blade of grass by the roadside.

In Fiona's memory, Chicago was always happy.

But perhaps never quite this happy.

Once home, Chicago kicked off her shoes and dashed inside calling for her brother.

She hadn’t gone far when she was suddenly scooped off her feet and lifted high into the air.

Chicago, baffled at first, then realized who it was.

"Dagmar!" she exclaimed with uncontained joy.

Fiona moved closer, trying to take Chicago back from Dagmar’s arms.

“Just got off the plane and came straight here," Dagmar replied with his usual gentle demeanor, looking as if he hadn't aged a day.

The only change was his attire; he had swapped his lab coat for a sharp business suit.

Fiona moved closer, trying to take Chicago back from Dagmar’s arms.
Over the past few years, Dagmar had been successfully managing the Rhoads family's medical business empire.

He was getting busier by the day, as was Fiona. Moreover, she had been deliberately avoiding spending too much time with Dagmar. She was aware of his feelings for her, but she never wanted to hold him back, always hoping he'd pull himself out of the mire of her life and start a new chapter on his own.

The last time she'd seen Dagmar was during the Spring Festival. He'd come to the island to spend New Year's Eve, but left the next day to join his parents. In the months that followed, a lot had happened. Her issues with Darwin had become internet fodder, and Dagmar must have learned about it, too.

"Let me hold you for a while," Dagmar said, clinging to Chicago. "Chicago, did you miss me?"

"Mhm!" Chicago nodded, though his feelings were mixed. He didn't miss Dagmar too much, but to say otherwise would hurt his feelings. And then there was...

Suddenly feeling melancholy and anxious, Chicago recalled how Grandma Rhoads had always talked about getting Dagmar and his mom to marry. Chicago had thought his mom disliked Darwin, so he'd let go of the idea of having Darwin as a dad. But today, his mom seemed to have changed her mind. Yet, now Dagmar was here too.

Dagmar and Darwin...

Chicago had always been decisive, and without hesitation, his loyalty leaned toward Darwin. He appreciated Dagmar and planned to show him respect in his old age. He was lost in his thoughts when Charles sauntered in from the dining room.

"Chicago, you're covered in mud. Aren't you going to take a bath?" Charles asked.

"Right. She's been playing all morning, even wrestling with a big dog on the ground..." Fiona intervened. Taking Chicago from Dagmar's arms, she handed him to Wendy, "Go clean him up."

Chicago rolled his eyes and muttered in protest as he was being carried away, "Mom, I wasn't fighting with the dog, we were playing a game!"

Fiona was both amused and exasperated.

After Chicago left, Charles ambled upstairs.

Dagmar's unexpected visit had forced the postponement of some medical exams by a week.

Once all the kids were gone, only Dagmar and Fiona remained in the living room.

"How's your injury?" Dagmar broke the silence with a soft inquiry.

Fiona nodded, "It was nothing serious."

Dagmar smiled, "Darwin did a good deed for once. I saw the video. If he hadn't pulled you back and shielded you with his body when he tackled you to the ground, that explosion would have been fatal."
"Dagmar..." Fiona looked at him.

"Haven't had breakfast yet. Got anything to eat?" Dagmar asked, heading towards the dining room.

Fiona sighed softly.

She even thought that talking to Charles or folks from Chicago wasn't as hard, but telling Dagmar that she had decided to reconcile with Darwin was excruciating.

She followed behind Dagmar.

Watching him hang his coat on the rack, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs, she noticed the wound on his wrist–a scar that would never fade.

Fiona felt a lump in her throat.

The staff brought Dagmar his breakfast.

He sat at the counter, eating with an undisturbed elegance.

Fiona sat across from him: "Are you here on a business trip?"

Dagmar shook his head: "I came to see you."

Fiona was taken aback.

"Also, to review the operations of the Rhoads family hospital in Armie Country," Dagmar said, his eyelids lowered.

Fiona pursed her lips: "Dagmar..."

Dagmar looked up at her: "You're going to tell me you've decided to get back with Darwin, right?"

His tone seemed no different than usual.

It was as if he was discussing something utterly mundane.

"Yeah." Fiona nodded, "I know that in the past..."

"The past?" Dagmar cut her off, a slight smile curving his lips as he watched her.
The Substitute's Revenge: From Secretary to Queen
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