“I’ve thought about your suggestion.”Duke was very close to her. When he spoke, she could feel the warmth of his breath.She moved to the side uncomfortably before she turned and slowly asked, “What’s your decision, Mr. Winters?”“I can be your boyfriend, but…” Duke firmly said, “...I’m not good at acting. Unless, you agree to let me be your real boyfriend.” What?Real boyfriend?Adina was stunned.She looked up at him. “Mr. Winters, you don’t have to act or do anything. You just need to be my nominal boyfriend to convince the judge.”“Do you think the judge can be easily fooled?” Duke smiled faintly and looked at her. “You need me to be your boyfriend in order to win custody, and I also need you to be my girlfriend to keep my mother off my back. Since both of us have a need, why don’t we try to be a real couple?”Adina found herself speechless.There were so many women around this man. Did he really need her to keep Mrs. Winters off his back?Besides, pretending to be his
Duke held Adina’s hand tightly, and she was unable to move away.She gritted her teeth and said, “You said that we just needed to act like a couple in front of your mother. You’re going against the agreement!”Duke’s expression was indifferent. “Harold and Mel want us to be together. Do you want to disappoint them?”Adina turned around and looked over. She saw Harold and Melody standing together and talking. The children’s eyes were as bright as the lights in the night sky.Her heart melted for some reason.Her initial intention of letting Duke be her boyfriend was also for the children’s sake.“Uncle Duke, what are you doing?”Alden walked over, and his face was full of anger. He pushed Duke away with great strength. “Let go of my mom!”Duke did not want to fight a child, so he released Adina’s hand.“Mom, is he harassing you?” Alden bit his bottom lip and looked mature as well as headstrong, which did not fit his age.“No, Uncle Duke didn’t harass me.” Adina stroked his hea
“What about me? What about me? Can I call Aunt Adina ‘Mommy?’” Harold raised his head and asked.Duke carried the girl as he nonchalantly said, “As long as Aunt Adina’s fine with it, you can call her whatever you want.”Harold widened his eyes and looked at Adina, while he excitedly but carefully asked, “Aunt Adina, can I?”Adina felt dejected, but she suppressed the feeling as she smiled faintly and said, “Of course, you can.”“Yeah! I have a mommy too! I’m so happy. I have a mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” Harold circled Adina and shouted as he ran around her.Adina looked at him gently. When she looked up, she saw the two other children, George and Alden, standing one step away from her.Alden had a complex mind, so he might not accept her relationship with Duke that easily. She would slowly explain it to Alden once they went home.As for George… “Georgie, come here.” Adina waved at him.George felt conflicted as he walked over.He had changed his mind toward Adina slightly, but he
Adina lowered her head, and her exquisite chin accentuated her perfect jawline under the light.She was wearing a white shirt, and her collar was unbuttoned. It revealed the clavicular line of her collarbone and her fair skin, which was undulating slightly.Duke struggled to look away.Over the past twenty years, his mind had always been clean. Even if a naked woman stood in front of him, he would not be bothered to look at her.But the ridiculous thought of taking Adina’s clothes off invaded his mind at that moment.He thought he was a righteous man, but right then, he finally realized that he was no different from a playboy like Trent.He had just never met a woman whom he was interested in previously.“I’ll help you put on the apron.”Duke took out an apron from the cabinet and helped Adina to put it on.Duke’s musky scent was faintly discernible, and it surrounded Adina like an invisible net.When she first smelled him, she was terrified. But after she got used to it, she
“Daddy, Mommy likes to eat potatoes,” Melody suddenly spoke. She supported her chin with both hands and looked at Duke for a while before she glanced at Adina.Adina suddenly felt embarrassed when her own daughter stared at her like that.Her intention was to look after Harold and George. Why were the children watching her be “in a relationship”?“I washed the potatoes. You can see how they taste.”Duke placed a piece of potato on Adina’s plate.Adina could only lower her head and take a bite of the potato. She felt that all the five people at the table were staring at her.She raised her head before she awkwardly smiled and said, “It’s delicious.”She was the one who cooked it, so obviously it was delicious. Did it have anything to do with this man’s washing?Dinner ended in a lively manner.Adina thought about Alden’s feelings, so she informed them that they were going home.Harold pushed Duke outside. “Daddy, send mommy out. Don’t forget the goodbye kiss.”His voice was j
The piano music resounded in the courtyard.Adina held Alden’s hand and softly said, “Every child should have a father as they grow up. Look at Mel. She has smiled more than she ever has in the last four years now that she has a father figure—”Halfway through her sentence, Alden interrupted her. “So, you’re with Duke because of Mel and me?”When Adina saw the way he was acting, she knew that this child must have reached a dead end again.She stroked his hair. “No, I just find that Duke is really a good person. He’s responsible and caring toward children.”Alden looked down.Duke was a man who had made two women pregnant at the same time. How responsible could he be?How could such a person be good enough to be his and Melody’s father?But he had to admit that Melody had almost recovered from her autism because of Duke.“Mom, I support all your decisions,” Alden slowly said. “I’ll always support you.”…… It was 9.00 pm, and people were coming and going in Sea City’s airport
In the car, Dew kept talking about the changes in Sea City over the last two years, while Mrs. Winters quietly listened to her with an elegant expression. She would ask questions from time to time, and the two of them got along well.Soon, the car stopped in front of the Winters family villa.A servant walked over and respectfully pulled open the car door.Right after Mrs. Winters put one of her legs down, a cool kid rushed over. “Grandma, I miss you so much!”Harold rushed into Mrs. Winters’ arms, and his voice was soft.Mrs. Winters’ cold expression instantly became much gentler. “Hal, you’ve grown taller. You seem chubbier too. Are you finally satisfied with the chefs at home?”Harold was about to talk about the delicious food that Adina prepared when he saw another person step out from the passenger seat.His expression instantly darkened. “Why are you in my house again, you evil witch? Papa Brown, chase her out. I said I don’t want to see her anymore!”He yelled in anger,
Dew’s tears instantly flowed.She covered her lips and sobbed as she said, “The kids have been growing up in the Winters family, and I rarely come over, so it makes sense that they’re not close to me. Aunt Mable, don’t punish Hal anymore. The more he’s punished, the more distant he is from me. I better return to the Daugherty family home. I’ll come back tomorrow to celebrate your birthday.”“Stay,” Mrs. Winters said indifferently.She wanted to see what was going on between Harold and Dew.Dew lowered her head and flashed a prideful smile.It had been four years, and she was finally able to stay overnight in the Winters family villa. It looked like she had taken the right step.Right then, the door of the study on the second floor opened.Duke heard the noise, so he walked downstairs. “Mom, what happened?”He cast an indifferent glance at Dew.Mrs. Winters looked sideways at Duke and stoically asked, “What’s going on with Harold? Has his attitude toward his mother been this te