Before his anger could even grow, it all disappeared when he heard Melody call him “Daddy”.
He picked up the little girl who ran toward him, and after spinning her around, he asked softly, “Did you
miss Daddy?”
“Yes!”
The little girl nodded vigorously. On the other side, Harold was still looking for a place to hide in the
car.
George pursed his lips and said, “You had the nerve to run away from home, but you’re not brave
enough to face the consequences?”
Harold buried his head under the cushion and said with a muffled voice, “Hmph. I am a scaredy-cat.
What’re you
going to do about it? Fight me?”
Adina was not sure whether to cry or laugh as she looked at them. “You think your Daddy can’t find you
if you hide under the cushion? Come out, darling.”
“No! I don’t want to come out!” Harold hugged the cushion and said stubbornly, “I want to stay here
today. I want to spend the night at your house!”
“Stay here, then. I’ll go back with Daddy,” George said after pursing his lips for a moment.
He sat up and was ready to get out of the car.
Harold finally moved and tugged at George’s sleeve.“ George, you-”
At last, George felt some relief. This kid still had some degree of conscience and was reluctant to send
his big brother out to face their father’s wrath alone.
“I know you’re the best, George. Just say that you dragged me to Mommy’s house today. Daddy likes
you the most, and he definitely won’t punish you. Just don’t tell on me, okay?”
George was rendered speechless.
He had truly overestimated Harold’s sense of morality.
“Okay, Hal,” Adina said weakly while holding her forehead. “I swear, I’ll convince your daddy to let you
two spend the night at my house, okay?”
George finally let go of the cushion.
Adina led the children out of the car. In the darkness of the night, the group of six stood face to face at
the entrance of the mansion.
Standing on one side was Duke , who was carrying their little girl.
On the other side was Adina, who was holding on to the three boys.
Harold was hiding behind Adina, and George looked guilty.
“What brought you here? Have you eaten yet?” Adina asked with a soft smile.
Since she wanted to let George and Harold stay, she had best put on a friendly attitude so that it would
be easier for her to negotiate later.
The two of them had parted on a sour note the day before, but Adina was all-smiles while talking to him
today, and it made all the lingering sadness that surrounded Duke’s heart vanish into thin air.
The corners of his lips curled up as he said, “I haven’t eaten yet. Can I impose on you for dinner?”
“Of course, you can.”
Adina pushed open the door to the mansion and stood to the side to allow the others to enter.
She took out all the ingredients from the fridge and planned to prepare a lavish dinner, as it was the
first time George and Harold were eating at her house.
She still had to bring out the gifts she had carefully prepared for the two little ones after they finished
their meals.
Adina was in a really great mood, but it quickly changed when she noticed Duke wandering into the
kitchen.
This man was freely walking around her house as if it were his own. How could he do that when he was
just a guest?
However, she would need to ask him for something later, and it was not really ideal for her to give him
the cold shoulder all the time.
She was focused on chopping up the ingredients , while Duke volunteered to wash the vegetables and
peel the potatoes. The atmosphere in the kitchen fell silent.
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