9. Emily Martin

"How old are you?" Frank asked spontaneously.

Emily furrowed her brows. Instead of answering, she just shook her head. "Sorry, Sir. Mommy said we shouldn't share personal information with strangers."

"But you already told me your name."

"That's a form of responsibility. Who knows, your knee hurts and you want to sue me. You can come here again and look for me."

Frank was amazed. That answer was too mature for Emily.

‘That stupid secretary couldn't have given birth to such a genius baby. It must be just a coincidence that they have the same last name.’

While Frank was lost in contemplation, Emily nodded respectfully. "Now please excuse me, Sir. I have to meet my brother. I'm afraid he'll bump into someone else if he keeps looking for me."

With sparkling eyes, Frank stared at Emily's tiny back away. Her thick hair swayed beautifully to match her steps. For the first time in history, Frank Harper was interested in a child.

"Isn't that toddler very cute?" Jeremy whispered, looking in the same direction. "She managed to steal the attention of the coldest CEO in the world. Would you like to look for her mother, Sir? I think she's a single mother. Emily didn't mention her father at all."

Hearing the joke, Frank's brows furrowed again. Taking out his sunglasses from the pocket, he stood up.

"Are you insulting me? Even though her child is cute, she's not on my level. See? She can only afford to give her child cheap clothes. The child's grandmother still has to work. Their life must be difficult. And if it's true that she's a single parent, that means she's either a widow or naughty woman. Why would I marry such a creature when my fiancee is almost perfect?"

After putting on his glasses, Frank straightened his suit. His schedule is tight. He couldn't waste any more time. Emily shouldn't take up five of Frank Harper's precious minutes.

"Now, any news from Ben?" Frank asked as he started walking.

"Yes, Sir. He invited you tonight to the Prince and Princess Resto."

Frank raised an eyebrow. The place was too feminine for him. The majority of visitors there are young couples with their children.

"Isn't there a better place?"

"That's his family's restaurant, Sir. Another option is Ben's own bar. Do you want to change it?"

Remembering the incident four years ago, Frank shook his head. "No. Prince and Princess Resto, right? We'll go there after finishing all the visits."

***

The twins sat side by side on a bus. Sunglasses make their tiny faces look even more adorable. It's no surprise that the focus of other passengers was on them.

"Your grandson is very beautiful and handsome, Madam," a woman sitting next to Susan praised.

The grandmother smiled. She was used to hearing those compliments.

Wherever Louis and Emily were, they never went unnoticed. Even though their appearance was simple, they always shone, especially if they took off their glasses. People would not blink at the beauty of that rare gray twinkle.

Like their grandmother, Louis and Emily also considered the admiring looks around them to be normal. The twins weren't bothered at all. They only needed to whisper so that their chat did not become public consumption.

“You're not making up stories, are you?” Louis narrowed his eyes even though Emily couldn't see it.

"I am not lying. The man really looked like a CEO. He was dressed coolly and he was followed by ten bodyguards! Whatever he said, they immediately obeyed."

Louis pensively listened to his twin sister's explanation. In his heart, he regretted not being able to witness the presence of that cool guy.

“Do you know his name? We can confirm whether he is the CEO or not on the library computer," Louis whispered hopefully.

However, Emily shook her head innocently. "I didn't have time to ask. I was too afraid that he would hold me responsible.”

"Then, let's just ask Grandma."

Emily's eyes suddenly rounded. "No! This is our secret."

"Why? Are you afraid of being punished for hitting a visitor?”

Emily glanced at Susan Martin. His grandmother was busy chatting with other passengers. “The man has gray eyes, just like us. Maybe he's our Daddy."

“Emily! We have agreed not to discuss about Daddy. "If Mommy finds out, she will be sad," Louis rebuked while shaking his sister's hand.

Emily's shoulders suddenly went limp. Her head was bowed. She remembered very well the feeling when she was hugged by that strange man. It was so calm and warm even though it was filled with tension. She forgot that their father was a bad person who abandoned his children. The man in the library wouldn't forgive her if he was their father.

Every time Louis and Emily asked, Kara always said that their father was in heaven. At first, the twins believed it. However, as time went by, they realized that it was not true. Kara never showed her father's grave or his photo. Their father disappeared without a trace so they believed Kara didn't have the heart to tell them the truth.

“Louis, Emily, we're here. Come on!”

Emily flinched. Pulling her glasses down her nose, she glanced out the window. It wasn't a stop near their house. "Where are we going, Grandma?"

Suddenly, Kara appeared and waved. She was already wearing a yellow dress that was as bright as the sun. A pink dress and a small blue suit were hanging on her hands.

Knowing that they were going to party, Emily's sadness immediately disappeared. After changing clothes in a public toilet and making sure their grandmother got a taxi, the three of them went to the restaurant of their dreams.

“Grandma must be sad. She was supposed to join in the party, but instead, she had a stomach ache," Louis looked back.

“Don't spoil the party, Louis. We can pack a menu for Grandma later," Emily said before shaking the hand that was holding her tightly. "Is that true, Mommy?"

Smiling sweetly, Kara nodded. "Yeah. We can order the most delicious menu for Grandma."

"Okay! Then, let's have fun!”

Louis let go of his mother's hand and ran. Seeing her son's enthusiasm, Kara rushed to carry Emily and chase him. As a result, when they arrived at the restaurant, they were short of breath. They had to catch their breath first before entering the gold-painted door like a gate to a fairy tale.

Seeing the interior which resembled a palace, Emily couldn't stop being amazed. Each large, towering glass window was decorated with red curtains. The gold carved pillars were no less amazing. What Emily liked most was the hanging lamp in the middle of the room. Its shape was like strands of sparkling rainwater reflecting light.

“Look at those candles, Emily!” Louis pointed towards the table they were going to sit at. “Isn't it similar to the one in your favorite story?”

"Yeah! That's Lumiere. Then Mommy is Belle and Louis is the Beast." Emily covered her laughter with one hand.

"No way! You can't equate me with the Beast. I'm too handsome.”

Emily folded her arms and shook her head firmly. “Look at your clothes, Louis! It's blue, the same as the one Beast wears.”

Louis looked at Kara with an annoyed expression. “Mommy, why did you choose blue for me? Emily made fun of me."

After lifting Louis into a chair, Kara stroked his round cheek. "Why are you angry? Didn't the Beast finally become a handsome and kind prince?”

Remembering the end of the story, the frown on Louis' forehead disappeared. He felt proud of the suit he wore. "That’s true. I am a changed Beast, Emily. I am a brave prince.”

After taking care of her son, Kara turned to face Emily. It turned out her little daughter was busy dealing with her hair. It got caught in her crown.

"Mommy, we have to fix my hair. Let’s go to the toilet." Emily pleaded with a worried expression.

Emily had high standards for appearance. Kara should rush to carry her.

"Louis, can you wait here? If the waiter comes to deliver food, greet him politely."

"Don't worry, Mom. I'm not going anywhere." Louis folded his arms on the table. Her tiny legs swayed to the rhythm of the music.

However, just a few seconds after Kara disappeared from sight, a group of men in black suits entered the restaurant. After they formed a line beside the red carpet, a man in a blue suit appeared. He stepped forward proudly while putting his sunglasses in his pocket.

Louis was amazed to see the charismatic guy. His eyes sparkled and his neck is elongated. "Wow, he's so cool! He's more suited to being a Beast than me."

Suddenly, Louis remembered Emily's story about the CEO who visited the library earlier. Suspecting that it was the same man, he slumped down from the chair. Without thinking, he went to follow the man to the VVIP room.