Aiden glanced at Star and recalled the request she had made in her sweet voice. With a flicker in his eyes, he said, “About the kindergarten matter that Star mentioned—” Before he could finish, Amy interrupted him. She nodded with a chuckle. “Oh, children say many things. You shouldn’t worry about it. I’ve already spoken with the teacher. I’ll handle it myself, so there’s no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Lewis.” She knew that Star had probably approached him about attending the parent-teacher conference. However, it was a matter that she considered strictly familial and not something to trouble Aiden with. However, he shook his head to clarify, “Miss Green, that’s not what I meant. I was trying to say that if needed, I can make time to go.” This caught Amy off guard. She never expected Aiden to agree to such a request. The children also blinked in surprise. “Really? Is it true, Mr. Lewis?” Standing nearby, Nolan wore a look of astonishment. He never expected Aiden to agree
Unaware of Star’s cunning plans, Amy was pleased to see her daughter behaving so obediently. She assumed that Star had taken her words to heart. “Alright. Since you understand your mistake, you can go and play!” That evening, Amy received a message from Aiden. [Is the parent-teacher conference tomorrow?] Amy nodded to herself and quickly sent him the details. [It’s tomorrow morning. We need to get there early. The teacher mentioned that there will be activities.] Aiden promptly replied. [Okay.] The parent-teacher conference was essentially a series of child-parent interactive activities organized by the kindergarten. It involved games and bonding activities, nothing too challenging. Amy also sent Aiden the schedule and concluded with a note of gratitude. [Mr. Lewis, I’m sorry to trouble you again.] Aiden quickly responded. [Miss Green, as I’ve said, there’s no need to be so formal with me.] The next day, Aiden arrived at Amy’s doorstep bright and early in the mornin
“Before we start the activities, we need all the children to warm up to get their limbs moving.” The teacher gathered the children together and started the exercise routine as music played. Despite their young age and underdeveloped physical coordination, the children tried their best. They moved awkwardly and amused the parents who were watching. Aiden watched from the side as well. Unbeknownst to him, he had an affectionate and tender look on his face. After ten minutes, the warm-up session concluded. “Alright. We’re done with the warm-up. The first activity is the three-legged race, which will test the teamwork between parents and children. Please draw lots to decide the order of the race and your groups.” Amy was grouped with Star, and they were scheduled to compete later. Meanwhile, Aiden and Night were grouped together, and they would compete earlier. “Now that we’ve sorted out the groups and the order of the race, parents, please lead your children to our event site.
Still a bit shaken, Amy remained in Aiden’s embrace. She looked up to find his familiar face and felt a stir in her heart. “I’m fine. Thank you.” The incident had happened so fast she had yet to fully process it. After a moment, she caught her breath and realized that she was still in Aiden’s arms. Quickly steadying herself, she attempted to step back and felt embarrassed. “Mr. Lewis, thank you for your help.” Aiden pretended to be displeased. “Miss Green, we’re supposed to be husband and wife right now. Being so formal might give us away!” He emphasized the words “husband and wife” a little louder than necessary. Amy instinctively looked around and noticed that everyone was watching. She nodded and quickly shut her mouth, while Aiden’s smile grew wider. He then made sure that she was steady on her feet. “Are you sure you’re okay? You weren’t scared?” Amy shook her head. “I’m fine. But where’s Star?” She almost forgot about her daughter in the confusion! Just then,
Aiden did not expect Amy to do that, but he did not stop her. He watched as she diligently picked out the carrots and onions from his plate. Seeing how focused she was, Aiden was moved. It was a sentiment he was not familiar with, as this was the first time someone had shown him such care. Minutes later, Amy finished removing all the onions and carrots. She even shared half of her own food with him. “There you go. You can eat now.” Aiden looked at the plate before him and could not describe how he felt. After a moment, he managed to speak in a slightly hoarse voice, “Thank you.” He picked up his spoon and began to eat. The kindergarten’s lunch was simple but tasty. Soon, they were done eating. After lunch, it was time for the children to nap, while the parents were free to relax. Some stayed inside, while others sat in the playground. They engaged in lively conversations as they enjoyed the leisurely atmosphere. Amy and Aiden chose a bench under a tree. A gentle breeze ca
After the teacher finished speaking, applause echoed in the classroom as the parents marveled at Night and Star. Night and Star were so young, but they were already performing at a third-grade level in math. Their intelligence was nothing short of astonishing. Everyone automatically started praising Night and Star. “Miss Green, how did you raise Night and Star to be so smart?” “Yeah. Do you have any educational tips you could share with us? My kid is such a handful. He drives me crazy every day!” “Exactly. Mr. Green, perhaps you could give us some advice too.” Amid their praises, Aiden felt a surprising sense of pride—it was a feeling more gratifying than signing a multi-million-dollar deal. Amy smiled and responded with a few modest words. After their chat ended, the parent-teacher conference finally came to a close. “Our parent-teacher conference has officially come to an end. Since there are no classes today, the children can leave with their parents.” Star pouted
Amy and Aiden toured the aquarium with the children. Night and Star were captivated as they pressed their faces against the glass. They marveled at the array of fishes in the massive aquarium. “Wow! Mommy, look how big that fish is!” “Daddy, look over here!” As the four of them stood together, they looked like a real family. Amy smiled at the endearing way her children addressed her and Aiden. In the end, she did not correct them. After walking through a long glass corridor, they arrived at a performance area for beluga whales. The sight of the belugas excited Night and Star even more. Both children grabbed Amy and Aiden’s hands before they rushed to the middle seats. “Mommy, look! Belugas!” “Wow! They’re so big.” Amused by their enthusiasm, Amy urged them, “Okay, calm down. Why don’t we sit and enjoy the show.” Shortly after they sat, the performance began. A magnificent beluga whale leapt out of the water and created a spectacular splash that delighted the childre
Aiden’s words acted like a tranquilizer and inexplicably calmed Amy down. She nodded in silence and continued to watch the deep-sea images. However, she did not notice that their hands remained clasped together until the lights came on. When she finally realized it at the end of the session, she quickly withdrew her hand. “Sorry,” she muttered. Feeling mortified, she wished that she could just disappear into a crack in the floor. Amy lowered her head and dared not look up at Aiden’s expression. She felt like she had acted ridiculously. However, Aiden looked at her with a faint smile and did not find the situation awkward. “It’s fine.” Then, he turned to Night and Star. “How did you like it?” Their excitement was evident. “The ocean is truly amazing!” Night said. Star nodded and blinked as she chimed in, “Yes, yes. Daddy, we saw so many interesting fish! I even saw a huge shark that suddenly came right at me!” She seemed quite proud with her exaggerated expression and head
Eddie explained, “The shoot’s primary focus is to capture the essence of the wedding gown collection through couples’ portraits, interactions with the children, and scenes depicting a wedding ceremony. “This is a big project, so we’ll start with the wedding ceremony scene. Madame Coco mentioned that you aren’t a real couple or professional models, so do you have any ideas on how to handle the interactions, or should we go with the team’s plan?” Eddie asked and looked expectantly at Amy as well as Aiden. The two of them exchanged glances, and Aiden calmly said, “I’ll follow your lead.” Feeling the weight of responsibility, Amy realized that there was no turning back. She nodded. “Let’s go with your team’s plan. You’re the experts, so you know what works best.” “Alright, then. Let me explain the first sequence for the wedding ceremony series,” Eddie began detailing the scene. After a few minutes, he finished explaining and asked, “So, can you handle that?” “Yes. I think it’
Despite Grace’s reassurances, Amy still felt uneasy about the situation. However, she did not voice her concerns. After all, she had already agreed to Madame Coco’s proposal and tried on the wedding dress. It was not her style to back out at the last minute. It was nearing lunchtime as they discussed the details. Madame Coco suggested that they all dine together, so they all went to a restaurant. Once seated, Madame Coco asked Amy to order. Amy wanted to refuse since she felt that it was more appropriate to let the others decide. However, Grace passed the task to her, and she ended up selecting a few dishes. “Aiden doesn’t like cilantro, so please omit it from the fish, and let’s keep the seasoning light on these two dishes,” Amy mentioned Aiden’s preferences naturally. Aiden and the children did not react, as they were used to it, but Grace’s eyes shone with interest. Seeing how she knew Aiden’s tastes and dislikes so well, it did not seem like they were just friends. Ma
The next morning, Grace arrived at the hotel early to pick everyone up. Madame Coco had already briefed her team at Coco, so the meeting was seamless. “Due to traffic, Madame Coco is still on her way. She asked me to help you with trying on the wedding outfits first,” the lead coordinator explained and gestured for them to follow her. Amy, Aiden, and the children nodded and followed her to Madame Coco’s studio. The studio was huge, and it occupied the entire floor. It was also equipped with top-notch facilities. However, what truly stunned Amy was the wedding gown displayed at the center of the room. The pure white dress was breathtaking under the lights. The tiny pink diamonds that shimmered on the skirt added a touch of unique elegance and made it even more valuable. Next to the gown was a black tailcoat. The contrasting black and white complemented each other perfectly. The attention to detail was remarkable. While the tailcoat was all black, it was adorned with dark p
“You and your friend have the exact looks, presence, and figures that I’ve envisioned for my models,” Madame Coco continued to enthuse. “Your interactions are so loving, and with your two angelic children, you embody my idea of a perfect family.” Amy felt overwhelmed and glanced at Aiden for help. “I’m not particularly interested, but if you want to do it, I’ll support you,” he said calmly. “I don’t really want to.” Amy shook her head. Their relationship was already complicated, and posing in wedding attire seemed even more awkward. The children, however, were excited. They saw this as a perfect opportunity to bring Amy and Aiden closer. Sharing a glance, they silently agreed on their plan. “Mommy, I want to do it.” Star clung to Amy’s arm as she pleaded sweetly. Night joined in and looked up with wide, hopeful eyes. “You know, Mommy, we’ve never taken formal photos together,” he added softly. Amy fell silent, and a wave of guilt washed over her. It was true that she had no
Aiden fell silent for a second and spoke evasively, “You’ll find out in time.” This meant that he did not want to discuss it at the moment. Grace was exasperated but amused. She already had an idea of what was going on. “Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll just have fun with my niece and nephew.” With that, she quickly caught up with the rest and chatted happily with them. Aiden felt regretful as he watched them. He wondered if he might have spoiled things by bringing Amy and the children to his meeting with Grace. Unaware of Aiden’s thoughts, Grace took great care of Amy and the children during mealtime. Her enthusiasm overwhelmed Amy a bit, but she did not think much of it. Grace had been friendly since the moment they met. As they chatted, the conversation naturally turned to their following plans. “Where are you planning to go this afternoon?” Grace asked Amy. Amy instinctively glanced at Aiden. Seeing this, Grace raised an eyebrow in curiosity and looked over at him as we
After they wandered around for a while longer, Aiden received a call from Grace. It was time to pick her up. “I’ll be there soon,” Aiden said and ended the call. He put away his phone and said to Amy, “Let’s go. Aunt Grace is ready.” However, Amy felt a bit anxious. “Should I buy her a gift?” Seeing how nervous she was, Aiden teased, “Do you know what it means for you to bring a gift?” “What does it mean?” Amy asked without thinking too deeply about it. Night and Star were speechless when they saw her naive response. They felt like there was still much to do. Unaware of their expressions, Aiden continued to playfully provoke Amy. “It means that you’re my girlfriend.” Amy choked on her own saliva. After recovering, she quickly clarified, “That’s not what I meant, Mr. Lewis. Don’t misunderstand.” “I know,” Aiden replied and nodded calmly, with mischief in his eyes. Amy understood what he was implying and felt amused as well as annoyed. But a strange feeling also spread
The Picasso Church was one of the most famous attractions in the bustling city. It was a busy place with a large flow of people and many vendors. As Aiden and Amy arrived with Night and Star, their striking looks drew attention. However, they did not mind it and began browsing through the stalls, which sold handmade accessories, souvenirs, and clothes. The children found everything fascinating, while Amy was attracted to some culturally rich items. “Mommy, look how pretty those dolls are,” Star suddenly said as she pointed at some dolls on a vendor’s table. The dolls were painted in bright colors, and they had cute expressions. They came in various sizes, and each looked more charming than the last. Amy approached the vendor and asked, “How much for one of these?” “The big ones are five hundred, and it’s a hundred for the smaller ones,” the vendor replied. There was a cunning glint in his eyes as he sized them up as foreigners. “That expensive?” Amy was startled by the pric
Amy knew better than to tell Aiden about the social media posts. So, she glanced at the children with a calm smile. “It’s nothing serious. We were just playing around.” Aiden was skeptical, but since Amy did not want to discuss it further, he refrained from pressing her. He gently patted the children on their backs and reassured them, “She’s just messing with you. Go on over to her.” Night and Star hesitated as they looked back at Amy, whose smile they found suspiciously sinister. A shiver ran down their spine, and they sensed that things might not end well for them when they got back. So, they clung to Aiden and began to wheedle him. “Mr. Lewis, I want to sit next to you.” “Um, can I sleep with you tonight?” Night and Star spoke at the same time, with Night adding the question about sleeping. He had more foresight. He knew that with Aiden around, Amy might not say much. However, she would not let them off the hook once they were back at the hotel. Realizing this, Sta
Right after Aiden shared a photo on social media, his phone started to blow up. It looked like he was making an announcement when he posted the beautiful snapshot by Night. [Wow. Are you making it official?] [Are you guys dating? She’s really beautiful.] [Aiden, when will you bring her to meet us?] Aiden glanced at the messages but chose not to respond. The children also saw the photos that Aiden had shared, including the one of him and Amy. They were overjoyed and more convinced than ever that Aiden had feelings for her. However, not everyone was happy. When Cassie saw the public photo on Aiden’s social media page, she was both shocked and angry. Was Aiden announcing their relationship? Her jealousy was uncontrollable. Aiden’s parents also saw the photo and became furious. Rose could not hold back her anger. “What is he trying to do, slap us in the face? We just released news about finding him a wife, and he’s posting photos with this woman?” Edward kept quiet, but h