Chapter 160 Finding a Stepfather for the Children
Patricia returned home with Hunter after buying clothes. It was already nine o'clock.
She was exhausted, spread out on the sofa in the shape of a star, not wanting to move even her toes.
It wasn't just physical fatigue that tired her, but emotional weariness too.
Charles and Fannie were about to sleep, but when they saw Patricia return, they excitedly ran over and pounced on her: "Mommy, are you going to stay with us again tonight?"
Patricia, touching their little heads, said speechlessly: "What do you mean 'again'?"
Fannie pouted her lips, discontentedly saying: "Ever since we came back to Ivara City, you've been almost constantly with Randy, and it's been so hard to see you. So, isn’t my use of 'again' correct?"
Patricia, without a word, chose to remain silent.
Charles, seeing her lack of enthusiasm and seeming preoccupied, asked with concern: "Mommy, is something wrong?"
"Umm..." Patricia stared absent-mindedly at the ceiling for a moment, then asked: "Would you be able to accept a stepfather?"
Honestly, she was really conflicted.
She didn’t like Hunter, but she also didn’t want to lose him as a friend.
She was clear in her mind that whether she rejected or accepted, her relationship with Hunter would change and couldn’t be the same as before, as the most sincere friends.
Her sudden question caught Charles and Fannie by surprise.
They exchanged a meaningful look.
Charles spoke up first: "Did someone confess to you?"
Patricia was shocked, as though she had seen a ghost, at his accurate guess.
Hearing that her best friend had been confessed to, Jade’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Damn, even with two kids, you get a confession, and I don't have a single guy confessing to me? Are people into ready-made families these days?"
Patricia: "...??"
Charles glared at Jade, who immediately shut her mouth obediently.
Charles rolled his eyes at Patricia, "Please, it's written all over your forehead that someone has confessed to you. You'd have to be blind not to see it."
Patricia couldn't help but touch her forehead and mutter softly, "Is it really that obvious?"
Charles got back on topic, "Alright, spill it. Who's the blind one that confessed to you? Does he know you have two kids?"
Little Fannie was confused, "…??"
Patricia nodded, "He knows, and he said he doesn't mind."
Charles pressed on, "So, is he handsome? Is he as attractive as our dad? Is he wealthy? Do you have a photo? Show me."
Patricia replied honestly, "He's quite handsome and wealthy too!"
Jade couldn't help but burst out, "What does he see in you? You're divorced with two kids?"
Patricia was hit hard, "There's no need to be so harsh! Watch it, or I'll cut ties with you."
Jade knew she wouldn't really sever their friendship and said nonchalantly, "Just curious! Why would such a great guy go for someone who's been married before? Could there be some hidden flaw?"
Patricia didn't even want to engage with her anymore.
Charles also felt Jade made sense and asked with concern, "It's crude but true! Why would someone so outstanding go for a divorcee?"
Fannie was also very curious. Why had Hunter set his sights on her?
Seeing her silence, Charles asked again, "How well do you even know him? Can you trust him?"
Patricia didn't want to reveal Hunter's confession just yet and feigned a yawn as she got up, "Oh, I can't talk about this now, I'm so tired. I'm off to shower and sleep."
Knowing she was avoiding the topic, Charles didn't press her and said powerfully as she hurried away, "If that person truly loves you, I won't mind."
Patricia froze just as she was about to enter her bedroom.
Charles spoke earnestly, "I know Dad has hurt you a lot in the past, and we've never thought about getting you two back together, nor do we want you to be lonely for the rest of your life for our sake.
If you find a man who cherishes you and genuinely treats you well, Fannie and I want you to treasure him and not let him slip away.
Although we will look after you for the rest of our lives, it's still your husband who should spend the rest of your life with you.
We can give you our affection, but we can't fill the emptiness in your soul.
Right now, all your energy is focused on the three of us, and maybe you don't feel it, but once we grow up and get busy with our own careers and families, you will deeply understand what I'm saying today."
These words, they seemed unlikely to come from a child barely over four years old.
Patricia's nose tingled, her eyes brimmed with tears, and her heart felt as if it was tightly gripped by an invisible hand, wringing out waves of sourness that permeated her bloodstream.
Fannie thought her mother wasn't truly listening and joined in the persuasion, "Mommy, Charles is right! We don't want you to lose your own life for us. Just as you want us to be happy, we want the same for you."
As his words settled, tears finally found their way to Patricia's eyes, falling heavily, sinking into her collar.
She had always known Charles and Fannie to be sensible and obedient.
Yet, she had never imagined that these little ones could possess adult wisdom, thinking so far ahead.
Silently shedding tears for a moment, Patricia turned around, ran over, squatted down, and embraced Charles and Fannie tightly, chokingly saying, "Mommy understands what you mean, and I promise you, I will really consider it."
To prevent them from worrying, she indeed needed to seriously contemplate her own lifelong matters.
Charles and Fannie, one on each side, wiped away her tears for her.
Charles said, "Yes, you're already twenty-four this year. You can't just revolve around us; you need to have your own life! If you're undecided, let me and him meet, and I'll screen him for you."
Hearing this, Patricia's tears turned to laughter, and she took deep breaths to compose herself.
"Alright, my matters are not your concern! It's late; you both should go to sleep! I've been tired all day, and I need to take a shower and go to sleep too."
The two little ones nodded together, holding hands as they returned to the master bedroom.
Jade patted Patricia on the shoulder and said, "They're right, you really do need to consider things for yourself! If you have a boyfriend, remember to give me some wedding candies, so I can share in the joy."
"Mhm!"
Patricia nodded, beginning to reassess Hunter's confession.
And the result of that reassessment was insomnia.
Yes.
Patricia experienced insomnia again.
After dropping Charles and Fannie off at the kindergarten, she arrived at the hospital with dark circles under her eyes.
She had a heart bypass operation scheduled that morning and, to ensure the surgery went smoothly, she deliberately drank three cups of coffee before work.
Though she was energized, her complexion still looked extremely worn.
During her rounds, Martin instantly noticed something was off, his profound gaze suddenly narrowing, his face expressionless as he asked, "What did you do last night? Why do you look so listless?"
She had agreed to see him at Ellenstein Villa District that evening.
But she left him waiting alone all night.
And perhaps she had been joyfully spending time with another man.
The thought made him angry.
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