In his embrace, Samuel could feel the tremor in Matthew’s chest, mirroring his own uneasiness and guilt.
He reached out to hug Matthew. Despite his fondness for Mommy, Samuel sensed that Matthew was genuinely uneasy and burdened at this moment.
“We’ll go find her.” Matthew made Samuel look into his eyes. “Will you come with us?”
“Yes,” Samuel answered without hesitation.
“But what about Simona? If Mommy and I aren’t here, she’ll create a fuss,” Samuel said, expressing his concern.
“Daddy!”
Simona spotted Matthew and hurriedly ran out of the house towards him. She extended her chubby arms and wrapped them around his legs. “Daddy,” she raised her head, pouting her pink lips. “Daddy, can you let go of Samuel and hold me?”
As she spoke, she widened her eyes and blinked. “Samuel is a grown-up now. He doesn’t need a hug. Hug me!”
Samuel was left speechless.
Matthew squatted down, gathering the little girl in his arms. She was wearing a pink dress today, her hair tied in a ponytail. Short strands of hair fell on her forehead, exposing her full forehead and watery, big eyes. Simona clung tightly to Matthew’s neck, rubbing her face against his. “Daddy, you’re home. Why isn’t Mommy with you? I haven’t seen her in several days. We’ve never been apart before. I miss her so much.”
Matthew looked into the distance, pressing his hands against his chest. He tried his best to maintain a calm tone. “I’ll take you to find her.”
“Really?” Simona grew somewhat excited. “Is Mommy playing hide and seek with us? So we need to find her, right?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa! I’m so happy!” Simona wriggled excitedly in his arms. However, Samuel wasn’t as thrilled as her. “It’s great to be a child.”
Simona heard this and turned to glare at him. “You were born just a few minutes earlier than me. You’re not that much older. Grandma even said you were the extra one.”
Samuel furrowed his brow, his face wrinkling. “Grandma said you were the extra one.”
Jessica emerged from the house, wearing an apron and placing her hands in front of her. “Come inside, you two. It’s time for dinner.”
“Grandma, Samuel is the extra child, right?” Simona quickly asked, wanting to prove that her words were true.
In her mind, whoever asked first would be proven right.
It was easy to read the little girl’s thoughts. She was simpler than her brother and didn’t overthink. Jessica playfully teased her with a smile. “You’re the extra one.”
Simona was unhappy, pouting. “Why isn’t Samuel the extra one? He’s so… mean!”
Samuel snatched Daddy’s embrace away from her.
Therefore, Simona decided that Samuel was mean.
Jessica cast a glance at Matthew and said, “It’s because, initially, there was only one baby in your mommy’s belly. Later, they discovered another one. So, isn’t the one discovered later the extra one?”
Simona wasn’t convinced. “That one should be Samuel. He’s the extra one!”
“But Samuel was born first…”
“I don’t care. Samuel is the extra one.” Simona shamelessly played at being cute, wrapping herself tightly around Matthew’s neck. “Daddy, is Samuel the extra one?”
Matthew lifted her up and ruffled her hair. “Neither of you is.”
“Come on. Let’s go for dinner.” Jessica held Samuel’s hand.
“I want to take both of them on a trip. Dolores misses them,” Matthew took advantage of the lively atmosphere and informed Jessica that they were going out.
Jessica agreed, saying, “Okay.”
She sensed something was amiss, but she thought she might be overthinking.
Seeing how much the kids, especially Simona, adored Matthew, Jessica wished that he could form a family with Dolores. So, it wouldn’t hurt for them to spend more time together and develop a familial bond.
“When will you be back?” Jessica asked.
Matthew had no idea when he would find her. He replied, “Not decided yet. I want to take them out for some fun. I don’t want any interruptions, so we won’t contact anyone here.”
Jessica nodded, saying, “I understand. When are you leaving?”
“Tonight.”
“That’s so soon.”
“Yeah.” Matthew didn’t provide an explanation. He didn’t want to waste any more time.
“Go ahead and have dinner. I’ll pack the kids’ clothes.” Jessica removed her apron and headed to the children’s rooms.
Matthew took the children to wash their hands. Simona clung to him, reluctant to be put down. Matthew held her as he washed her hands and returned to the dining room, seating her on his lap.
The way she addressed Dolores had changed once again.
In Coral’s opinion, since Dolores had given birth to two children, she should now be addressed as the Missus of the Nelson family.
Matthew picked up some food for Simona, humming as he did so, his gaze fixed on his plate.
He had no desire to discuss Dolores at all. The more he spoke about her, the more likely it was for others to sense something amiss.
Coral had always taken care of him, so she knew him well. She realized that he didn’t want to discuss the matter with that tone, so she sensibly refrained from pressing him further.
“Daddy, eat this,” Simona said, picking up a piece of broccoli with her spoon and offering it to Matthew.
The little girl blinked, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Matthew opened his mouth and ate the broccoli. Despite lacking any appetite, he made an effort to chew it.
“Do you like it?” Simona smiled happily. “Mommy’s broccoli is even more delicious!”
Matthew’s expression turned solemn. The constant mentions of Dolores by the children made it evident how deeply they loved her.
Samuel glanced at his sister, pressed his lips together, and lowered his gaze. He ate a few more bites of food before setting down his chopsticks. The absence of Mommy had taken away his appetite.
“I’m full. I’ll go check if Grandma finished packing,” he announced, slipping down from his chair and heading to his room.
“Samuel, why did you eat so little?” Simona looked at her brother. Despite their constant arguments and fights, they cared deeply for one another.
“I’m full, Simona,” Samuel smiled at her.
After dinner, Boyce arrived with his men and cars. Knowing that Matthew planned to take the kids along, he had prepared a caravan for them to ensure their comfort during the journey. Additionally, there were three off-road vehicles and seven skilled men who were trustworthy and experienced in combat.
When Boyce saw Samuel, he remarked, “Matthew, he looks so much like you. Look at his eyes and nose.”
“What about me? Do I look like Daddy?” Simona asked, tilting her head.
Boyce squatted down, observing the little girl attentively. She had fair skin, bright eyes that sparkled like stars when she blinked. He reached out to pinch her cheek, but before his finger reached her face, his wrist was seized. Looking up, he met Matthew’s cold gaze.
Boyce was confused. “I just wanted to pinch her cheek. I know she’s your daughter. How can you be so uptight?”
Wasn’t it normal to ruffle their hair, pinch their cheeks, give them kisses, and hug them when teasing children?
Moreover, he had no intention of kissing or hugging her.
Matthew shook off his hand. “Don’t touch her with your hand.”
Simona was a girl, and he felt uncomfortable with anyone, especially a man, touching her face.
He held his daughter in his arms and took his son’s hand. “Let’s go if everything’s ready.”
With those words, he walked away.
Boyce stood there motionless, still confused. He glanced at his hands, which were not dirty, and couldn’t understand why Matthew was so guarded against him.
He hurriedly caught up with Matthew, saying, “Wait, Matthew. I need to talk to you.”
He wasn’t a malicious man, so why was Matthew so wary of him?
“I understand that you love your kids. After all, you’ve finally become a father when you’re older. But you can’t be so touchy…”
Matthew turned around, his eyebrows furrowed. “Excuse me? Did you say I became a father when I’m old? I don’t consider myself old.”
Boyce clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Oh, you’re not old.”
Internally, Boyce criticized Matthew, thinking to himself that at over thirty, almost forty, Matthew was undoubtedly old in his opinion.
Walking over, Boyce made a suggestion. “In the future, I’ll have a son. Let’s arrange an infant matrimony, shall we?”
Boyce had a mischievous thought, imagining a scenario where he would have a son who would grow up to marry Matthew’s daughter. It amused him, and he couldn’t help but giggle at the idea.
Matthew’s face darkened suddenly.
Boyce quickly reacted, realizing his comment had struck a nerve. He rushed to get in the car before Matthew could react.
Simona blinked in confusion. “Daddy, what is infant matrimony?”
Matthew was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond. He gently stroked her hair and guided her into the car. “He’s just talking nonsense, sweetheart. Let’s forget about it.”