Later in the evening, Aiden prepared to leave, and Amy got up to see him off. Just then, she sneezed twice in quick succession. Her nose felt a little stuffy as she rubbed it in discomfort. Aiden noticed this and frowned. “What’s wrong?” The children looked over with concern too. “Are you okay, Mommy?” “It’s nothing, just a ticklish nose.” However, Amy felt trouble brewing. It was likely from the cold shower she had hastily taken earlier. Regretting her decision, she thought about how foolish she had been; the seasons were changing, and temperatures were dropping. Fooled by Amy’s act, Aiden did not suspect that anything was wrong and soon left. Immediately after, Amy took some medicine to prevent a cold. ... Amy had intended to make breakfast for the children the next morning. Unfortunately, she woke up feeling groggy and miserable. By then, she realized that she had indeed caught something. However, she still managed to get up and leave her room. The childr
After listening to Mrs. Harper, Aiden realized that Amy truly did not have an easy past. It left him feeling uneasy inside. Noticing the shift in the mood, the children sighed like adults. “If only there was someone to take care of Mommy.” “Yeah. If someone took care of Mommy, she wouldn’t have to work so hard.” Hearing what the children said, Aiden frowned slightly. Did the children actually want someone to step in as their stepfather? He mused internally but kept a neutral expression. He remembered that it was not his place to get too involved, or else, he might give himself away. Changing the subject, he stood up and said, “I’ll check on Miss Green. If her condition is serious, I’ll take her to the hospital.” “Thank you, Mr. Lewis.” Mrs. Harper nodded. Then, Aiden headed to Amy’s bedroom. The children followed him quietly and peeked from outside the door. Mrs. Harper saw this but chuckled softly without stopping them. Although Aiden was aware that they were peeki
“I’ve eaten. Mr. Lewis brought a lot of yummy stuff,” Star said sweetly and tried to make a good impression on Aiden. Mrs. Harper nodded and added, “After Aiden heard that you were sick, he came over early in the morning. He even did a set of math problems with the kids.” Hearing this, Amy looked at Aiden. Noticing her gaze, Aiden calmly said, “Star and Night were worried about you. Since no one else was available, I came to check on you.” Nolan’s lips started twitching. Aiden had pushed back that morning’s work just to come over. When he heard how trivial Aiden made it sound, he felt that Amy would not appreciate his kindness. While Amy did not know about this, she was still grateful that Aiden had come to look after the children and Mrs. Harper. “It was kind of you to come today, Mr. Lewis.” “It’s no trouble at all. This is a small matter. You, however, need to get better soon.” Aiden looked intently at Amy, and she nodded. They chatted for a while longer before A
When Amy woke up, it was already the middle of the night. She stared at the white ceiling above and immediately knew that she was in the hospital. Thinking about her situation, she sat up in bed and saw Aiden asleep on the couch, with Star in his arms. Meanwhile, Night was sleeping on the adjacent couch. Amy was touched by the sight. Clearly, she was in the hospital because Aiden had brought her there. She got out of bed quietly and tried to carry Star so that Aiden could sleep more comfortably. However, as soon as she moved, Aiden woke up and instinctively grabbed her wrist. His grip made her wince in pain and furrow her brows. Realizing that it was Amy, Aiden quickly let go and felt embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t realize it was you.” “It’s okay.” Although Amy claimed to be fine, she rubbed her wrist behind her back and wondered how strong Aiden was. She almost thought that her wrist would break. She suddenly did not know what to say when she looked at him. As
Under the warm yellow light, Aiden focused on Amy as his gaze gradually deepened. Suddenly, he raised his other hand and pressed it against her forehead. “It looks like your fever really has gone down.” As he spoke, he withdrew his hand but could not resist rubbing his fingers together. It was as if he was savoring the softness of her skin. Amy was momentarily startled because she did not expect such a gesture from Aiden. Her cheeks began to turn red, and her heart skipped a beat. However, she quickly suppressed the fluttering in her heart and said with a smile, “I told you I was okay. I’m a medical practitioner. Wouldn’t I know?” Aiden gave her a teasing look. “In that case, how did you manage to get yourself sick?” “Uh…” Amy was at a loss for words. After a moment, she regained her voice and defended herself, “Even though I’m a medical practitioner, I’m not all-powerful, am I? No one can completely control when they get sick. We can only prevent it at best.” “Bu
Due to her worries, Amy hardly slept throughout the night. As dawn broke, the children woke up and saw Amy playing with her phone at the bedside. They immediately approached her. “Mommy, you’re awake.” “Mommy, how are you feeling?” Looking into her children’s concerned eyes, Amy’s heart melted. She put down her phone and gently ruffled their hair. “I’m fine. I’m sorry for worrying you,” she said softly. “It’s fine as long as you’re okay.” Star snuggled into Amy’s arms. On the other side, Aiden had also woken up. He watched the family interact and chose not to interrupt. Instead, he took out his phone to contact Nolan and arrange for some breakfast to be delivered. Soon after, Nolan arrived with breakfast. During the meal, Aiden looked at Amy with concern and asked, “How do you feel? Do you need to stay in the hospital for another day?” “There’s no need for that. I’m completely fine now,” Amy replied and shook her head. Seeing this, Aiden nodded. “In that case, I
Amy had no idea that Rose was aware of her situation. Having just recovered from her illness, she planned to rest at home for the day and not visit the mountain villa. Night and Star were exceptionally well-behaved all day. They took care of her instead of causing any concern. In the evening, Wendy learned that Amy was sick, so she visited her with some fruits. Sitting down, she looked at Amy reproachfully. “You were sick, but you didn’t call me to help take care of you?” Before Amy could reply, the children spoke up excitedly, “It’s okay, Wendy. Mr. Lewis took care of Mommy.” “Yes. With Mr. Lewis here, Mommy was fine.” Hearing this, Wendy’s eyes lit up, and she immediately grilled her best friend, “What’s this about?” Amy glanced at the two children helplessly and slowly began to explain what had happened the day before. “Night and Star saw that I was sick, and somehow, they ended up calling Mr. Lewis. My fever wouldn’t go down, but luckily, he was there to take me to
“What’s wrong with my health?” When Aiden heard Amy’s question, he raised his eyebrows even though he clearly understood her concern. Amy rolled her eyes at him. “You know the state of your own health. I can tell without checking your pulse that you’ve pushed yourself to the limit today.” As she spoke, Amy frowned unhappily. “Be honest. Did you skip resting and go straight to the office?” Aiden rubbed his nose sheepishly, and his guilty expression gave him away. Seeing this, Amy knew the answer and huffed coldly. She glared at Nolan. “Nolan, aren’t you supposed to monitor Mr. Lewis’s schedule?” Nolan felt unjustly accused. He spread his hands and looked aggrieved. “I’m just an assistant. How can I control Mr. Lewis’s actions?” The children laughed at his comical demeanor. Amy chuckled and shook her head. No longer dwelling on the matter, she invited Aiden to the room for treatment. Due to lack of rest during the day, Aiden fell asleep during the treatment. An ho
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