Something tugged on Laurice's chest with the man's words. Her face cracked and revealed a sudden tear that fell from her left eye.
Laurice knew for a fact that her mood has been quite unstable since her arrival. And it actually surprises herself the most. Her unrestrained reactions to almost anything that is relative to her past was revealing her only flaw.
She initially thought she was well prepared to whatever consequences she was about to face for leaving the states but she was wrong all along.
Suddenly, Laurice jerked her head up towards the man whose gentle touch is creating ripples to her heart.
...
Sid abruptly wiped the tear on her face with his thumb and deliberately kissed her there on the cheeks rather affectionately. The woman's flushed face unveiled a warm glow as her expression gradually softened by his gentle touch. Sid's lips was undeniably melting the coldness in her heart and Laurice felt an indescribable sense of relief and bliss. She was grateful for this man for making her feel cherished. It was overwhelming. She originally thought men hated the drama but Sid was such a pleasant surprise. He seems different. She sure hopes she was right with this judgment of hers.
Laurice breathe heavily and said in a low voice, "You've done well." She gently patted him on the head afterwards.
She believed he certaintly was an amazing person. Little Louie was fortunate for having been adopted and raised by this man. Sid's revelation deeply touched her heart. Not so many people can do what he had done so far. Challenging himself to take on the role of being a father to someone else's son while everyone else are reluctantly abandoning their duties as parents - it was indeed praise-worthy. For a moment there, she quite envied the little child himself.
"Are you praising me?" Sid asked without tossing her hand away.
Laurice gave him a heartfelt smile and responded while she tousled his hair with her fingers. "Yes." She said simply. The man's now disheveled hair made him look rather alluring in her eyes. She sighed inwardly. There was certaintly no cure for his handsomeness.
Sid felt honesty in her approval and gained a new sense of confidence from within him. "Were you that touched that you even cried?" Sid prompted instead. He let the woman make a mess on his head since both his hands are occupied. He did not mind it all. In fact, he actually like being touched by her. But he was more interested with her reaction just now. He could somehow guess it relates back to her own family and he was hoping Laurice would opened up to him as well just like he did.
Laurice raised her eyebrows and replied with, "Hmm."
She let out a half chuckle and told him afterwards, "I was just quite ... jealous. Little Louie sure is lucky to have you as a father." Her eyes glinted a sense of insecurity and envy.
'I see. I knew it.' The man thought.
She doesn't need to add anything else anymore. He understood the meaning behind her words.
Sid pause as he pondered on her reply and retorted, "You can have me as well." Well, he already belonged to her anyway that is.
Laurice was stunned for a second and squinted her eyes at him and said, "I don't need another father." An inconspicuous smile crept at the side of her mouth seemingly teasing him.
Sid's lips twitched vehemently afterwards.
'A father?' He was only 30 years old for goodness sake!
The gap between their ages is minimal it was almost negligible. He was in his prime years and they suit each other quite well he believed. The 'wife' was apparently taunting him.
Sid appeared like he was fuming mad. He held her gaze and said in a firm voice instead, "I dare you to say that again."
Laurice groaned in protest.
'I was wrong!' She cried inwardly.
The male ego is definitely quite bothersome to deal with. She was worried her words might have upset the man so she tried to appease him by cupping his face and by giving him a peck on the cheek. That would pacify him, right?
"How's that?" Laurice asked hesitatingly, her hands shaking. Sid looked rather fierce and frightening. And when he specifically looked that way, it means he was brewing a graver repercussion.
...
It's the second time Laurice kissed him on her own free will. But her repayment only tempted him and fueled his own desire to receive more than just one kiss from her.
Sid replied to her instead while giving her a mocking glare, "You think that's enough?"
Laurice: " ...!!! "
She gulped in fear and distress. She fell silent for a moment afterwards, unyielding.
"Daddy, that's enough. Little Louie doesn't want to play anymore."
Sid: " ...? "
Laurice: " ...!!! "
A childish but angry voice echoed beside the 'couple'. He dragged his small body forward as he panted due to exhaustion from excessive playing. He was so mad that his 'mother' and father wasn't paying attention to him at all. They were both busy talking endlessly. He noticed all the other kids around him were already playing together with their parents and he neither have one beside him. He quickly left the playground and dragged his feet towards their direction.
Little Louie grumbled in jealousy and neglect.
"Mommy!" He called out. And added, "Little Louie want to swim with mommy." The child said as he approaches his 'mother'.
Laurice gently pushed the man on the aside as she tried to escape his clutches and alighted abruptly from the swing.
Sid: " ... "
Oh! Her darling savior has come! He came at the right moment. She needed a breather from the devil's clutches.
Laurice frantically received the child in her arms and uttered, "Yes! Yes! Let's go swim, sweetie! It's getting hot here outside!"
She noticed the child was already profusely sweating and was panting quite heavily as well. Butler Han handed over a towel to her as she requested and immediately wiped Little Louie's face, arms and back. She lifted Little Louie up and carried him afterwards while caressing his flushed plump face. The heat was obviously getting to him.
Laurice tilted her head to the butler again and said, "He needed a change of clothes." Butler Han nodded in response as he ordered the assistant from around the corner for another piece of clothing.
"Did you have fun playing, sweetie?" She asked the little child in her arms. It was a pity however that she didn't get to play with him awhileback.
Little Louie looked pitiful and melancholic. He responded sadly, "It would have better if i played with mommy instead."
Laurice's heart did a somersault upon hearing his reply.
"Oh sweetie, i'm sorry. Mommy was bad. Forgive me?" She replied guiltily.
Little Louie beamed with his 'mother's' repentance. How can he not forgive her. He was his own 'mommy!'
"You did nothing wrong mommy. Don't be sad." The child responded back and copied Laurice's conduct towards him. He places both his small hands on her cheeks and rubbed her gently.
His gesture created waves and waves of inexplicable joy and contentment in Laurice's stead.
'Wow!' She was ecstatic.
The child's sweetness was filling her heart to the brim. She almost squeezed Little Louie in her arms. He was so irresistably adorable, she was squealing from the inside. Right then, she realized she would not really mind mothering the child herself.
Sid: " ... "
Sid was getting all the silent treatment amidst this warm exchange between the two. It seems like he had a long way to go before building a strong connection with his two most significant persons.
...
Meanwhile, in a certain grand villa of a known aristocratic family located in the suburbs, a heated conversation is currently ongoing between two women of noble descent.
"What were you thinking bringing that child back?" An old but stern and menacing voice erupted inside the study room following an audible thud of a crane.
The atmosphere inside the room was frosty and eerie.
"She's ready to take the next step, mother." A woman's younger voice replied in equal tone. She remained calm and composed but felt a twinge of panic and anxiety which she deliberately concealed in her voice.
"Hmp!" The older woman suppressed a scornful laugh and indignantly displayed her disapproval.
The temperature around her dropped a few more degrees afterwards.
Her bitter voice broke the momentary silence that followed thereafter saying, "Ready you say? Let me be the judge."