Meredith breathed in softly with slight sorrow and said, "Goodnight, Nia. All the best for your competition tomorrow!""Mommy, I will do my best."It was after they saw the child close both her eyes that Meredith and Josiah turned around and left.Josiah looked at Meredith, who was looking a little down, and comforted her with a smile, "Our daughter has grown up. She is starting to learn to be independent. You should get used to it earlier.Meredith turned her head to the side and looked at him. "How do you know what I'm thinking about?""Edith, haven't we known each other for a long time?" Josiah smiled miserably. "If I don't even know what you're thinking in your head, then what right do I have to say that I love you."Meredith was speechless. His words did not make her feel touched. Instead, she had a sense of uneasiness as if her mind had been seen through.However, she did not say that out loud, she just said calmly, "Ever since my mother passed away, I was busy working,
"This cocktail is very sweet," Meredith said after taking a sip."It's actually more like a syrup than alcohol. But the mixture tastes not bad." Josiah also took a sip and moved his glasses closer to Meredith. "Come, let's cheer."Meredith did not reject it and touched her glass with his. The singer started singing on the stage. Probably it was already quite late in the night, the entire place had only two guests which were Meredith and Josiah.The singer chose to sing a soft ballad. Meredith used a hand to support her face while she gazed at the young male singer. She did not even hear anything Josiah said. Thus, Josiah followed her sight and found her gazing at the young and handsome singer. Suddenly, jealousy creeped out of him."Edith." He waved his hand in front of her. "Why are you looking at another person when the father of your child is right here?"Meredith stopped dazing and coughed, "I just think that he is a good singer.""You can just listen to his voice if you thin
"Actually…there's nothing wrong if a woman wants to be taken care of by a man," Josiah said."Only when that man is willing to take care of that woman, right?" Meredith replied."Yes." As if it was not obvious enough for Meredith to understand that Josiah was referring to himself in that context.Meredith just smiled and continued drinking the cocktail. Although she did not get drunk, her body was slowly starting to feel warm. She patted her warm cheeks lightly and shook her head, "Oh no. I can't drink anymore. I'll get drunk if I drink more.""Don't worry. You won't get drunk," Josiah assured."But I'm worried." She held her face and shook while mumbling in a low voice, "What's going to happen if I'm drunk and accidentally sleep with you again? Charlie'll be very sad and angry.""Edith, you're starting to talk nonsense again," Josiah sighed helplessly.He reached out his hand and toucher Meredith's face. "Don't keep on minding how Charlie will feel. He's not that resentful as y
Meredith squinted her eyes and gazed at Josiah with blurred eyes. "You like kids?"Josiah thought she was referring to those kids to whom he provided accommodation. "No, I only like Nia."The reason why he fully sponsored the piano competition organized by the Love Youth Training Institutions was that he wanted to make Meredith and Nia happy."I mean your own kids," Meredith said."Yes, of course, I do," Josiah answered."Then why don't you find yourself a wife and have your own kids if you like kids these two years?" Meredith asked.Josiah looked at her and was speechless. "Meredith Leighton, do you still need to ask when you already know the answer to that question?It was then Meredith realized she was asking a dumb question. However, two years was not a short period of time. He could actually wait for them when she and Nia were completely missing without any news. Guessed he really did care about her and Nia.Meredith crackled but it was a desolate type of laugh."What are
"I don't want to go back…" Meredith turned her body to avoid Josiah's hand.Josiah admired how innocent and silly Meredith was right now. Her safety was no longer her concern but she looked so cute just like Nia.Josiah leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Didn't you just say you need to go back early tonight because Nia's competition is tomorrow?"As expected, Meredith was responsive when she heard about tomorrow's competition. She tried hard to sit up straight. Then she nodded her head while getting up on her feet. "That's right, Nia's competition is tomorrow. I need to go back."Just as she tried to walk, her legs got tangled by the table and fell into Josiah's arms."Be careful, let me carry you back," Josiah offered."No. I'm not drunk," Meredith rejected."You're not drunk. Just tired." Josiah did not care that she rejected his offer. He pulled her and placed her on his back and used both of his hands to support her legs. Then he walked to the entrance to leave the b
Josiah looked surprised when Meredith asked that question. He smiled faintly. "Do you think I'll do anything? Or should I ask, can't you feel it yourself if I did anything to you?"Meredith was lost in words. As she expected, she should not ask that question at all.Josiah saw the embarrassingly look on her face and knew he should stop teasing her. "Don't worry. I did nothing other than piggyback you back here and placed you on the bed.""You did not say good night to me?" Meredith asked without thinking much."Oh. Of course, I did," Josiah replied.There was more Meredith wanted to ask but she was too shy to ask. 'Argh, screw it. It doesn't matter if it was real or a dream. I'll just pretend I don't know anything.'She got off the bed and walked to the bathroom. After she freshened up and changed her clothes, the waiter was just there to send breakfast when she was walking downstairs."Come and eat your breakfast." Josiah waved at her."You haven't had your breakfast? Did Nia
Meredith did not expect Josiah was referring to that time. Moreover, she did not expect him to be there and recognized her and Nia. However, it was all in the past and she had no mean to look back on it.On the other hand, Nia was surprised. She asked, "Really? Did I perform together with Mommy before? When did that happen?""It was three years ago. You have forgotten about it," Meredith said."How was I?" Nia asked.Suddenly, Meredith looked at Josiah. Only the audience knew how was the performance.Josiah nodded with compliments, "Very good. All the audience was stunned and astonish. So were me and Great Grandma. Great Grandma even said she wants to bring you back immediately.""Really?" Nia giggled, "Then why didn't Great Grandma bring me back home?""Because Daddy disallowed," Meredith answered plainly.As expected, Nia asked again, "Why did Daddy disallow Great Grandma?""Because Daddy was an idiot back then," Josiah gave a fuzzy answer. Then he quickly changed the topic,
The competition started and many kids performed quite well. Of course, they were nothing compared to Nia, who could already play very well when she was three years old.Nia held the trophy and ran into Josiah's arm. Josiah carried her up and turned one round and praised her, "The other kids did well but Nia did the best!""Thank you, Daddy!" Nia kissed Josiah's cheek and also Meredith's Cheek. "Mommy, thank you too.""Good girl. Shall we go out to the sea to celebrate you winning first prize?" Josiah asked."Oh, yes!" Nia cheered and looked at Meredith, "Mommy, can you go?"Although Meredith was not feeling comfortable, she did not want to ruin Nia's mood, so she nodded and agreed, "Yes, sure.""But…" She looked at Josiah, "I'm not the one who is scared of water. You should ask your Daddy if he is okay with it.""What? Daddy is afraid of the water?" Nia asked surprisingly.Josiah knew Meredith was talking about the time he nearly drowned when he was a kid. He smiled. "A little.