Avery leaned against a soft pillow on the bed and comforted her daughter.
After the little girl had fallen asleep from exhaustion, Cayden gently lifted her and placed her in another bed beside them.
Zachary, who did not usually talk much, walked up to Avery, grabbed her hand, and asked in his tender and hesitant voice, “Mommy, I can't wait to grow up. I want to grow up fast so that I can protect you and make sure you never get hurt again.”
His words warmed her heart.
She gently stroked his tender cheek and quipped, “I just want you and Rory to grow up safely. My responsibility now as a mother is to take care of you, but once your dad and I become old, it'll be your responsibility to take care of us. Make sure you don't think of us as a burden then...”
“Of course not, Mommy.” Zachary clenched his fists and vowed earnestly, “You and Daddy took good care of us. When we grow up, we'll definitely take good care of you to show you how grateful we are for what you've done for us. I mean every word I say, Mommy.”
The little boy's innocent expression when he blinked his eyes could easily melt anyone's heart.
Zachary's eyes were almond-shaped, resembling Cayden's, but with the addition of Avery's profound double eyelids. They were not only clear and beautiful like his mother's but also sharp and refined like his father's.
All the exceptional genetic traits were fully manifested in Zachary.
“Okay, Mommy believes you.” Avery could not help but sigh. My son is already so charming at such a young age. What if he grows up to be a heartbreaker?
“Good boy. You're such a good boy,” Avery said as she ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Zachary could not help but blush.
“You trained him well.” Cayden grinned.
He believed Zachary and Rory had inherited Avery's excellent genes, and that was why they were such obedient and intelligent children.
As the family basked in their moment of togetherness, a sudden jarring female voice pierced through the cozy ambiance. “Well, well, well. Look who survived a car crash. But with your leg wrapped up like a mummy, are you a cripple now?”
The entire family turned their heads to look at the source of the voice.
Clad in a sophisticated dress, Allie entered the ward in heels while carrying the latest Hermès bag.
Repulsed by the scent of the disinfectant, she waved her hand in front of her nose to clear the air. “Cayden, you haven't been home for two days. I went to your office to look for you because I thought you were busy, but you weren't around. I'm shocked that you're here with this jinx. How could you avoid answering my calls because of her?”
Allie came over because Jeffrey found out from Xavier that Avery was involved in a severe accident, and he was worried about his great-grandchildren.
Initially, Jeffrey wanted to visit her but could not bring himself to do so upon recalling how Avery had embarrassed the Moore family during the engagement party. That was why he sent Allie over.
Allie did not come willingly as she had a prior facial appointment with her friends. She was indifferent to whether or not Avery could bear Cayden's child. After all, there would be no shortage of women eager to give birth to Cayden's child, as long as he gave them the green light.
Yet, she had no choice but to comply with Jeffrey's order.
Cayden's face darkened when he heard the disrespectful words directed toward Avery. “Mom, Avery is not only the mother to my kids but also your future daughter-in-law. I won't tolerate you speaking ill of her. If you continue to behave like this, I won't welcome you into our family.”
Meanwhile, at the banquet in the Lambert residence, Nicole was getting restless and uneasy like a cat on a hot tin roof.
That was because that man threatened her to transfer a large sum of money into his account within the next two hours.
She was far from being financially deprived. As a celebrity, money came in quickly and easily, and on top of that, being the only daughter of the Lambert family, she received a generous monthly allowance from her mother's business income.
However, transferring the money through her personal account could spell trouble.
At that moment, it was also impossible for her to leave the banquet.
George had already formed a negative opinion of her, and her early departure from his birthday banquet the last round had left a bad impression on him. If she were to repeat the same behavior at her grandmother's birthday banquet, it would likely give him more reason to criticize her.
She regretted not having planned everything in advance, and her increasing anxiousness only made it more challenging to find a good solution.
As Nicole stood in the corner of the banquet hall, feeling lost and helpless, a rugged man dressed in camouflage approached her silently.
He did not even bother to hide the emotions in his eyes.
Using his stealthy skills, the elusive man avoided all surveillance and covered Nicole's mouth and nose, dragging her into the restroom without raising any suspicion.
Nicole was almost rendered unconscious by the sudden attack. When she caught sight of Roderick, she was so frightened that her legs went feeble, and she almost screamed.
Yet, when she thought about the powerful backing that Roderick had, a sudden idea came to her mind. She quickly put on a grin, put aside her fear and disgust, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The CEO Gets What He Wants