When Briar returned home from the shopping, she was dead tired, but the joy of shopping without worrying about money washed away that tiredness.
Just how fast it came, it vanished as well.
After the shopping, Briar spent her time organizing the clothes and by the time she was done, the kids had returned home.
Knowing that they were back, she was too excited. She hurried downstairs and met them on their floor.
"Good evening, second mother!"
"Good evening, second mother!"
"Second mother, did you miss me?" Tiana playfully asked as she ran towards her.
Seeing these three kids she had been dying to hear from them calling her like that, a smile blossomed on her face as she scooped Tiana in her arms.
"How are you, kids? Was school fine?" she asked all of them at once as she carried Tiana easily in her arms.
Lyra smiled as she watched that scene.
Other things might be fake, but that love for them Briar had for them wasn't a lie. At least that was something good, right?
If she was faking it, then she was the deadliest person their family had ever met. Thinking like that, the smile on her face slowly faded as she listened to Tiana and Briar speaking.
'I might really need to look into this if I don't want to have such kind of thoughts every time.'
The conversation with her friends was starting to make her suspicious of everything, and it couldn't be helped.
After the kids arrived, Briar returned to the master bedroom and continued with her organizing. Later, the kids joined her and helped her to organize the remaining clothes.
When Lyra was helping, her gaze was on the lingerie section. She was curious whether the other had purchased sexy lingerie to seduce her father or not. But when she saw the familiar pajamas and night dress, though some of them were new, her lips twitched.
Were those even appropriate to wear when sleeping with a rich man like her father?
Even she barely wore something that old-fashioned.
Could it be that, second mother wasn't interested in her father?
Suddenly, worry started overwhelming her.
Briar had no clue that her choice of pajamas had saved her from suspicion. She believes that even when wearing a sack if a man is attracted to you, he would still make a move. Why should she wear those revealing nightwear?
Unless he buys them for her and makes her wear them, there is no way she is going to touch them. Besides, if they were found in her clothes, would she be suspected right away?
She might have come from a backward village, but that didn't make her stupid.
When all the organizing was done, the four of them went downstairs for dinner. With Logan not returning for dinner, it was just a moment for them.
When dinner was done, they all gathered in the living room watching TV. And just like always, Tiana and Briar were nestling on the carpet with the cushions in hand, as they enjoyed the drama currently playing.
Seeing the drama coming to an end, Briar raised her head to look at Lyra and Cade, the two young adults, and asked, "Did your school tell you when you are closing? They have been delaying this for a while now!" curious about this issue.
It was already the third week of August. They were supposed to close in the first week of the month and yet it had dragged all the way to the third week. The week was even coming to an end, and yet they hadn't received a message about the closing date.
Just how long was this second term going to be?
At least for Tiana, she was going to an academy. Her school already closed in time and all the studies she was having now were extra lessons.
But what about those two?
Just how much money did the school want to take from the parents for them to not even give the children a break?
When the two heard that, their lips twitched as they looked at each other.
After locking their gaze for a brief second, Lyra cleared her throat as she answered, "They didn't tell us yet, but they promised to do so on Monday, but I have heard rumors that we might open school late for the third term!"
Upon hearing that, Briar harrumphed as she rolled her eyes, a bit furious about how uncivilized this school was becoming.
"Umph! Won't it be too much if they let you open after resting for a few days?" even if she didn't go to school that long, they always open and close schools on time.
With three terms to go to school, nine months of it and learning nonstop. Would it kill them to have the kids rest for the designated three months?
What kind of knowledge did they still want them to absorb?
Lyra and Cade chuckled lightly, seeing how angry their second mother was.
When Logan arrived, he found the kids in the middle of pacifying Briar.
"Second mother, don't worry. They shouldn't be that cruel, right!"
"Heh, if they act like that, I will share with them life philosophy!"
"Yes, yes, yes. We will support you when the time comes!"
And since they were so into it, they didn't see Logan entering the house at all.
By the time they realized that something was wrong, it was Tiana who saw him first and called out excitedly, "Dad, you are back!" jumping on her feet, and scurrying towards him.
With how loud she was, how could the other three not hear it?
In the end, the shyest person among everyone became Briar. To have been caught doing something like that. She felt as if her face had been lost once again.
"Dad, welcome!"
"Welcome back, Dad!"
Lyra and Cade excitedly called out to Logan as they stood on their feet.
"L-Logan, you are back!" she dryly said as she stood on her feet to join the kids.
Logan returned their greetings with a smile on his face as he ruffled Tiana's hair. Unlike the oldest two, Tiana still liked playing very much. So, he could do things for her that he failed to do for his two eldest children when they were growing up.
Briar saw the briefcase in his hand, and something in her clicked.
They said that the earliest bird catches the worm. How about she tries that out?
"Logan, let me take that off your hands while you chat with the kids!" she generously said as she walked towards him, her gaze fixated on the briefcase.
Didn't housewives usually do this for their husbands when they came back from work?
Take their bags and jackets and let their husbands rest at ease.
Logan's brows upon hearing that, but he still passed the briefcase over, wondering what more tricks she was up to.
Lyra, on the other hand, her mind started working overtime again.
After getting the briefcase, she looked at Logan and his jacket. Without mentioning another word, Logan took off the jacket and passed it over to her.
With the jacket and briefcase in hand, she smiled at him and then the kids as she said, "Logan, you spend some time with the kids. I will sort these out!" before leaving the father to bond with his children.
Logan didn't have much time to spend with the kids, which was inevitable. After all, he was someone taking care of such a huge corporation and had so much on his shoulders. But the kids still needed their father, and she had done her best to make sure that they interacted as much as they could.
Not caring about what they would talk about, she hurriedly went to the fourth floor, went to his study and placed his briefcase there without opening it.
Those documents were capable of driving anyone crazy and she didn't want to be sent to the loony just because she was curious.
As for the jacket, she took it to the bedroom and put it on the hanger. Thanks to Selena, she knew about some of Logan's habits.
Logan always wears the same jacket twice, but not consecutively. He had worn this jacket today for the first time, which meant that there was still another chance.
So, she put it on the rack, on the side where such clothes were put.
Although Selena was gone, he was still following the same routine. It made her grit her teeth in jealous at the thought of it.
When she was done, she returned downstairs and joined in the fun.
They had fun for an hour before it was time for bed.
Briar followed her usual routine, dealt with Tiana first, and then went to check on Cade and Lyra.
Seeing the girl in her blankets already, but with her phone in hand, Briar didn't chide her. It wasn't time for sleep yet, so there was no need for her to act like an evil stepmother.
"Good night, and don't play long on the phone," Briar reminded as she looked at Lyra from a distance.
Lyra waved her phone at her, making Briar to chuckle.
"Don't worry, second mother, I won't play for long!" she playfully responded, sticking her tongue at Briar.
Briar's smile widened, seeing Lyra so playful like that.
"Um, I believe you. Sleep tight, I am leaving."
Lyra waved at her as she responded, "Good night to you too," and the door to the bedroom closed, leaving her alone.
Lyra's hold on the phone tightened as something flashed in her eyes, becoming lost in thoughts.