The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 76

Before Rebecca could say a word, Evan snickered, “Seriously? How old are you now and you still need Mom to help you with your bath? I’m embarrassed for you!”

Aiden, always the thoughtful one, chimed in, “Yeah, Mom’s our princess too. We’re supposed to take care of her, not the other way around.”

Ethan’s face fell instantly, and he muttered in defeat, “Fine, fine. I’ll wash up on my own.”

Seeing how crestfallen Ethan looked, Noah walked over and gave his little brother a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Hey, Ethan, I’ll help you scrub your back later.”

Ethan’s eyes lit up again. He grinned and replied, “Awesome! And I’ll scrub yours too!”

The boys, laughing and nudging each other, tumbled off toward the bathroom, leaving the house filled with laughter and cheerful voices.

Rebecca watched their retreating figures, a smile tugging at her lips as she shook her head. She got up to lay out their pajamas, a warm rush of affection swelling in her chest.

What a sweet kind of responsibility this is.

—

The next morning, sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, bathing the cozy bedroom in a golden glow.

Rebecca was still drifting in and out of sleep when a knock at the door jolted her awake. One of the housekeepers called from outside, letting her know that someone had arrived.

Still groggy, Rebecca pulled herself out of bed and shuffled downstairs. At the front door, she found George and Mrs. Thomson, arms loaded with shopping bags and boxes.

It was just the two of them, but they’d arrived in three cars—including a moving truck.

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Rebecca stared in surprise. “Dad, Mom, what are you doing here so early?”

Mrs. Thomson beamed at her, eyes brimming with affection. “We missed you, of course. That’s why.”

“Dad, Mom, you spoil me so much. I don’t even know how to thank you.”

Mrs. Thomson softly stroked her daughter’s hair, laughing gently. “Silly girl. I don’t need anything in return. All I want is for you to be happy. That’s enough for me.”

Watching his wife and daughter, George felt a rush of emotion. He knew that, for all his wealth, nothing mattered more than seeing his wife and little girl happy.

“Oh, and Rebecca, your dad’s got something else for you.” As he spoke, he pulled an unlimited black credit card from his pocket. “There’s more than enough on here for anything you need.”

Rebecca was stunned. She hadn’t expected George to just hand her a black card. She knew it was nothing to him, but to her, it was a heavy, heartfelt gesture of love.

She took the card, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Dad.”

He waved it off with a smile. “No need to thank me. We’re family.”