Alexander’s POVMy gaze shifts between my children, overwhelmed with love and gratitude. "Absolutely, Daisy. We'll make sure she knows just how much she means to us, but you also have to help Daddy win mommy's heart, OK?"Daisy looks surprised and clueless as she asks her brother, "Win mommy's heart. What does that mean?"She seems genuinely curious, making me laugh and I notice her brother laughing too. He knicks her on the head and clicks his tongue, "To make her like Daddy, of course. You're a baby so you wouldn't know all that. Dummy!""You... Daddy, Daniel called me dummy!" Daisy scowled and retaliated by knocking him on the head too. He however doesn't stop laughing at her and stuck his tongue at her as he chanted, "Dummy... dummy... you're a dummy..."His words only infuriates the girl as she continues to insist. "Take that back, I'm not a dummy!" She seems really offended.They launched into a playful banter, chasing each other around the room. I don't stop them knowing they
Alexander’s POVDaniel shifts uneasily before responding, "Daddy, Daisy... she had an accident in the kitchen. She tripped on a jar, and now everything is a mess."My heart skips a beat, worry coursing through me like a jolt of electricity. "Is she hurt?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly.Thankfully, Daniel reassures me, "No, Daddy, she's not hurt. But her clothes are all dirty now."Without hesitation, I rise from my chair, the urgency in my movements clear as I inquire further, "Take me to her. Let's go to the kitchen."Daniel nods, and we make our way swiftly through the office corridors toward the kitchen, where chaos awaits. As we arrive, my eyes meet a distressing scene. There lies Daisy on the floor, her face contorted with tears, her clothes stained crimson. Sauce has spilled, creating a disheveled mosaic across the floor and adorning Daisy's once-pristine attire.Concern floods every fiber of my being, and I quickly rush to Daisy's side. Kneeling down, I gently cradle her t
Sophia's POVIt's been about an hour since Jake and Tyler left. They were a huge help, and now everything in the house is all set and looking even better than before. I take a moment to relax, and my mind starts to wander to Alexander, who now lives next door. How am I going to face him or see the kids? We signed an agreement to stay out of each other's lives, and I agreed to keep my distance from the children after they were born. But I really want to see them. Even before I found out they might be mine, I loved spending time with them. I'm feeling really nervous and anxious as I think about it.Just as I'm lost in my thoughts, my phone rings, and I see my father's name on the caller ID. Surprised and excited, I quickly answered the call, not expecting to hear from him. He has been recovering well, and receiving a call directly from him is a pleasant surprise."Hey, Dad!" I exclaim, a hint of joy evident in my voice. "I didn't expect to hear from you. How are you feeling?"My father'
Tyler’s POVMy heart skips a beat as Sophia's voice echoes through the phone, exclaiming Alexander's name. Shock floods over me, momentarily rendering me speechless. In this very moment, Jake swings open the door, sensing the tension in the air and joining me in the room."What happened?" Jake's voice is laced with urgency, mirroring the intensity of my own thoughts. I take a deep breath, desperately trying to steady my racing mind, and finally manage to respond, "That guy, Alexander, is at Sophia's place."Jake's eyes widen, and his entire demeanor shifts to a state of high alertness. He turns to face me, his expression serious. "Should we go there?" he asks without hesitation, ready to jump into action."Hold on," I reply, my voice tinged with impatience. I strain my ears, hoping to catch even a fraction of the conversation between Sophia and Alexander. However, my attempts to eavesdrop are abruptly interrupted when Sophia bids her farewell and abruptly ends the call.A sigh escape
Sophia’s POVAs I open the door, I am surprised to see Alexander standing at the doorway, the two kids in his arms. Daisy is completely asleep, and her head is on his shoulders, the ponytail of her hair drooping on his chest, and her brother stirs up when he hears the door open. He rouses and looks up from his father’s embrace, reaching out to rub his eyes dizzily. I also notice the puppy he is carrying in his arms; it is the puppy from that day at the supermarket.I am stunned by their sudden appearance, but I can’t help but think inwardly about how they are so cute. Not to mention how they all really seem like a family, and Alexander really looks like a father; I just never thought that he would really look like a father figure.Which brings me back to reality – why is the whole bunch at my doorstep? I am about to ask when I hear Jake’s voice in the background, reminding me that I am still on a call. I quickly say to the receiver, “I’ll call you back later, Tyler,” I say before han
Sophia’s POVHe helps him pull his outer coat off and tucks him in bed at the other side, leaving me space to sleep in the middle before turning to leave for the living room. But just as he is about to leave, Daisy stirs on the bed and wakes up.She looks dazed at first as she looks around her, wondering where she is. But after a moment when her gaze lands on me, her mind seems to clear up, and she rubs her eyes.“Auntie Sophia, you’re here. Where is my daddy?” She asks, preparing to step out of the bed, but I quickly step forward to stop her from getting down.“Alexander,” I call out. “Daisy is up.”He soon returns into the bedroom and approaches us, squatting at the side of The bed as he touches her face. “Baby, you’re awake?”“Yes.” She quickly bobs her head adorably, and my heart melts at the sight of it. She holds her father’s face and looks at it carefully. I am shocked by her next question as I can’t fathom how she figures that out just by looking at his face.She asks, “Daddy
Sophia’s POVAlexander looks at me with brows raised in surprise while the two kids pause before Daisy jumps in delight. “Thank you, Auntie.”I smile, wondering why she is so happy. It is just for a night, and he won’t even sleep together with them.I ask, looking at Alexander, who has now stood up from his earlier position. “Should we move them to the guest room then?”He shakes his head, however. “Can’t they just stay with you?” He turns to them and asks, “Don’t you want to stay with Auntie?”I think they would not want to, considering how they were so persuasive for their father to stay around. But they bob their heads negatively as they respond, “We’ll stay with Auntie Sophia.”Alexander nods, clearly pleased, and I can’t help feeling that he has deliberately tossed them to me to get a break. But I am not even offended in any way. In fact, I am pleased. It is a chance for me to get to know the kids better.I smile as the clock chimes nine. “It’s late already. You should get to bed
Alexander’s POVI’m sitting on the bed, looking around the room. It’s built just like the setting of the guest room in my apartment. It feels strangely homely, as though it’s my own room. But there’s this vague anxiety at the thought that Sophia is so near.I can’t help but remember the moment I shared with her earlier. I could tell she was affected by my presence, and I was tempted to kiss her right then. But who knew she would run off so suddenly?I reach out to touch my lips, imagining how her lips would feel on mine. I remember them to be soft and supple when I kissed her the other night. I loved it, and I really want to kiss her again. Maybe some day when the kids are not near and she isn’t so cold to me anymore.Speaking of cold, I can’t help but rub my arms. The ventilator is on, and the night breeze keeps blowing in, making it cold. She was so startled earlier that she ran out, forgetting to hand me a blanket.I grab the remote from the side table and switch off the ventilator