Absorbed in her meal, Amy did not notice the watchful eye from a nearby table. She stood up after she was done eating. “I’m going to the restroom.” Steven nodded. “Okay.” While Amy was washing her hands in the restroom, a figure approached her. A voice tinged with sarcasm rang out. “Amy! What a coincidence running into you here.” Amy looked up to see Cassie standing beside her and acting friendly. To an outsider, they might have seemed close. Surprised to see her, Amy nodded politely. “Yes. It’s quite the coincidence, Cassie.” “Are you here to dine as well?” Cassie asked with a big smile. Amy rolled her eyes on the inside. What else would she be doing at a restaurant? However, she kept her composure and nodded. “Yes.” “Cassie, is there something you need? If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you around.” As Amy turned to leave, Cassie called out to her again, “Wait, Amy! “I was hoping that we could talk. Is that alright?” Cassie wore a smile that made her seem genuin
Amy returned to the private room and pretended as if nothing had happened. “Mommy, you’re back!” Night and Star said when they saw her. Amy smiled. “Finish your food.” The children did not have large appetites and soon declared that they were full. “Since you’re done, it’s about time to head back,” Steven said as he stood up. Amy nodded in agreement. “Okay.” With all the toys Steven had brought, it was impossible for one person to carry them all. Night and Star each grabbed one, Amy held several, and Steven handled the rest. To an outsider, it might have looked like they were stocking up for a store. Amy could not help but comment, “Next time, don’t buy so much. This is such a hassle.” Carrying them there was one thing, but taking them home was another. It was a real inconvenience! Steven raised an eyebrow in disagreement. “No way. I can’t consider it a hassle when it’s for Night and Star.” Amy laughed. “Alright. Next time, you can handle it yourself then!” “That’
“Alright then. I won’t bother you anymore. Rest early. Good night.” “Good night.” After that, the call came to an end. Aiden kept his phone in his pocket, and his gaze immediately darkened. Cassie had repeatedly tested his limits. He found her truly repulsive at this point and decided that she had to be dealt with. There was a cold glint in his eyes as he thought about it. The next day, Aiden spoke to Nolan in his office, “Tell Cassie that I’d like to have lunch with her.” Nolan nodded. “Of course.” When Cassie received the call, she was thrilled, and she eagerly accepted Aiden’s invitation. As soon as she finished work at noon, she hurried to the meeting place. Cassie took a seat even before Aiden arrived. Her heart was filled with excitement. She looked in her compact mirror and checked her makeup repeatedly to ensure that it was flawless. It seemed Rose’s advice had worked. Just then, Aiden walked in with Nolan. Cassie quickly stood up. “Aiden, you’re here!
Meanwhile, Amy was unaware that Cassie was holding a grudge against her. The next morning, she woke her children up and got ready to take them to kindergarten. The children dawdled as they washed up. “Mommy, what are you going to do later?” they asked. As Amy helped Star with her jacket, she replied, “What else? After I drop you off at the kindergarten, I have to head to the villa on the mountain. There’s a lot going on with the herbs lately. I need to move some rare herbs from our old garden to the villa. I’m going to be quite busy.” Hearing this, Night blinked seriously and asked, “Mommy, since you’re so busy, why don’t Star and I help you?” Star chimed in eagerly, “Yeah, Mommy! Kindergarten isn’t fun anymore. It’s not as interesting as helping you work!” Their soft and sweet voices sounded incredibly endearing. Amy laughed and could not resist pinching their cheeks. “Are you sure you want to help, or do you just want to play there?” She knew their true intentions all
The butler stood by, and he was visibly alarmed by the sight of the injury. After a moment, he suggested, “Miss Green, perhaps we should go to the hospital to have that looked at?” The cut was quite deep. If it were any deeper, it might have reached the bone. In any case, dealing with it at home was not the best solution.“It’s safer to have it professionally bandaged at the hospital to avoid infection,” the butler urged. However, Amy shook her head and chuckled. “I’m a medical practitioner myself. Do I really need to go to the hospital? I’m not that delicate. Don’t worry. It’s nothing serious!” To Amy, this was just a minor injury. It was not severe enough to necessitate a hospital visit. Seeing Amy’s insistence, the butler did not push her further. However, he decided to inform Aiden about the situation. Not long after, Aiden arrived while Amy tended to the herbs in the back garden. “Miss Green, why are you still working with these herbs?” he asked. Amy looked up in
“There’s no surveillance here,” Amy spoke calmly. She paused before continuing, “The neighborhood is filled with familiar faces, and we haven’t had any incidents over the past few years.” Therefore, she never considered installing cameras. Aiden frowned when he heard this. “That makes things more complicated.” Amy did not respond; her mind was muddled. Aiden glanced at her and turned his attention to the ravaged garden. He narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the scene. “It looks like the perpetrator sneaked in when no one was around. The destruction is clearly deliberate.” Amy remained silent, but she seemed to agree with Aiden’s conclusion. Yet, she could not think of who would commit such an act. Was it Michael or Jenny? Amy clenched her fists, and her expression turned grim. Seeing her distress, Aiden did not press her with more questions. Instead, he turned to Nolan and instructed him, “Look around the neighborhood. See if there are any clues.” “Alright, Mr. Lewis.”
Later that evening, Night and Star walked out of their kindergarten holding hands. They immediately spotted Aiden waiting at the gate. “Mr. Lewis!” Their eyes lit up with joy, and they ran toward him happily. Night was somewhat reserved, and he stopped a few steps away from Aiden. However, Star was overcome with excitement, and she hugged him. “Mr. Lewis, did you come with Mommy to pick us up?” “Unfortunately, it’s just me today,” Aiden responded softly. A smile replaced his usually stern demeanor. Following his reply, the two children blinked in unison and asked, “Why isn’t Mommy here, Mr. Lewis?” “Your mom’s busy, so she asked me to take care of you for a while. Once she’s done, I’ll take you back home. Is that okay?” Aiden patiently explained before he looked at them for affirmation. Both children were already fond of him and eager to spend time with him. As such, they nodded without hesitation. “Of course!” Hearing this, Aiden’s smile grew a little wider. He had b
By the time they returned home, the sky had already darkened. “I packed some dinner for you and Mrs. Harper. I figured that you both hadn’t eaten yet.” Aiden said as he passed a package to Amy. Amy felt warm all over as she accepted the thoughtful gesture. “Thank you,” she said. His attentiveness truly touched her. She and Mrs. Harper had indeed been busy with the herb garden all evening. They had not had a chance to eat. Mrs. Harper expressed her gratitude too, “Thank you for taking care of Night and Star for us, Mr. Lewis.” “They were very well-behaved,” Aiden replied with a soft smile. At this moment, Night and Star hugged Amy and Mrs. Harper. They shared the details of their evening out with Aiden with great excitement. Star, in particular, was full of praises like a little fangirl. “Mommy, Mr. Lewis was so nice. He took care of us during dinner. “Night and I ate so much. Mr. Lewis even bought me a cake. It was so yummy,” Star continued. Night nodded in agreement.
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