It took Grandfather quite a while to recover from the shock of what was said. “What! How could this happen… So, is there any news about the child now?”
Old Mr. Foley had met Sasha before. In his memory, she was two years older than his own great-granddaughter, and she was cute, pretty, and well-mannered-a likable little girl. How could she have gone missing?
When Oliver heard his mother say that Sasha had gone missing, a serious expression filled his young face. “Mom… Is Aunt Kate doing better now?”
Cheyenne patted her son’s head and sighed. “She just came out of the operating room. Although there’s no danger to her life, she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. Tonight is the most critical time for her. After dinner, I’ll personally stay by her side.”
“So, I won’t be home tonight. You guys have to listen to Great-grandpa. Cierra may wet the bed… Before sleeping, don’t give her any sweets, and certainly no water.”
Hearing this, Cierra, who had always been prone to bedwetting, crossed her arms and unhappily protested her mother’s words. “It’s not me who wets the bed! Mom, don’t speak nonsense with Great-grandpa. I’m a princess, and I care about my reputation!”
Upon hearing Cierra’s words, Cheyenne showed her disdain and picked her up, lightly poking her daughter’s cheek with her finger. “You little thing, you’re clearly a dirty mess, and yet you have the audacity to call yourself a princess. Look at your dress, your shoes… all covered in mud, and your hands too!”
“If you can’t clean yourself properly during your bath tonight, I won’t mind using disinfectant to wash you.”
Hearing that her mother would actually use disinfectant on her, the little princess was frightened, feeling like Cinderella, and was convinced that her mother must be a wicked stepmother!
Oliver looked at his listless sister and couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, covering his mouth.
Everyone in the family doted on his sister, and only when his mother was around would Cierra be quieter.
“I understand, Mom. Don’t worry, I will listen to Great-grandpa,” Oliver assured, taking responsibility for taking care of his sister and ensuring they go to bed on time.
Cheyenne happily kissed Oliver on the face, and his ears turned red, trying to maintain a dignified and composed demeanor.
Wiping off the place where his mother had kissed him, Oliver made a face of disgust. “It’s all saliva…”
“Hehe! You little brat, how dare you dislike your own mother’s kiss? What if you get married in the future? Come here, I’ll give you another one,” Cheyenne teased.
Oliver ran away, not letting his mother catch him, but Cheyenne insisted and managed to plant a kiss on his little face.
Looking at the shrunken version of Kelvin’s face in front of her, she secretly gnashed her teeth and pinched him a few times after the kiss. “You rascal, you have the leisure to hide in Onistead while leaving me alone at home, hmph!”
Oliver knew his mom mistook him for his dad again and couldn’t help but find it amusing. “Mom, I’m your son Oliver! If you want to pinch someone, wait until Dad comes back and pinch him!”
Cheyenne awkwardly withdrew her hand. Her son was too mature and not as fun as little Cierra.
“Brat, I didn’t even use much force. Alright, you go play upstairs for a while, and Mom will take your sister for a bath.”
Upon hearing that it was time for a bath, Cierra, uncooperative, tried to escape. However, Cheyenne quickly lifted her by the collar, half-carrying and half-dragging her toward the upstairs, leaving Cierra’s legs dangling in mid-air.
“Mom… It’s not urgent to take a bath. We’ve run out of disinfectant at home,”
“Enough! If you don’t clean properly, I’ll throw you into the trash can. How can a little girl like you be so unclean and still wet the bed? I was never like you when I was your age!”
Once again, the topic of bedwetting came up, and Cierra felt genuinely aggrieved. She didn’t have any memory of wetting the bed at all. She would sleep until morning without a fuss.
Bathing Cierra alone took Cheyenne more than half an hour. After cleaning her, she dressed her in a white ruffled nightgown.
“That’s better. My daughter, the daughter of Cheyenne, is indeed beautiful. Yes, just like me.”
Hearing the first half of the statement, Cierra thought her mom was praising her and shyly nodded. It wasn’t until the end that she realized her mom was praising herself indirectly. Hmph!
After shooing both children upstairs to play, Cheyenne hastily fixed herself a simple dinner and then drove off, leaving quickly.
On the Second floor, Cierra and Oliver leaned over the carpet to watch their mom leave. Both of them involuntarily pouted.
“Dad’s not home, and Mom has to go to the hospital to take care of Aunt Kate. Brother… we’re left-behind children now.”
Before the words had even finished, Cierra was pulled back by her little ear.
“Silly sister, it’s different-we still have Great-grandpa at home. Don’t worry, Mom is just going to be away for one night. She’ll be back in the morning. Tonight, I’ll take care of you.”
“I know. So, Great-grandpa is a ’empty-nest elderly’ mentioned in the news. Shouldn’t we find him a partner, too? The lady in the picture is very beautiful. He will definitely like her,” Cierra said earnestly.
“Pfft!”
What picture?
Oliver suddenly recalled the magazine he had seen under the sofa one day, with beautiful ladies dressed in very little clothing. He glimpsed at it and quickly put it back. Did the foolish sister see it too?
Meanwhile, at Onistead, Kelvin, weary after a day out, returned home, having visited the Hood family before driving back from the outskirts after dark.
Channing might have had company matters to attend to, as he wasn’t home, and the butler had already prepared dinner per his instructions.
Eating alone was somewhat lonely, and Kelvin looked at the empty long table, missing the lively days at home.
“I wonder how Cheyenne and the kids are doing.”
With little appetite, he pushed the food away after a few bites and asked the butler to clear the table. He then borrowed his father-in-law’s study to organize the data he had obtained.
As soon as he sat down, he received a video call from his father-in-law.
“Grandfather… Why are you calling me?”
Upon answering, Kelvin’s eyes were greeted by his daughter’s adorable face, and his expression instantly softened as he gazed at her smiling face.
“Cierra, Daddy misses you. Give me a kiss.”
The little girl pouted and blew a kiss to him, a joyful sound reaching his ears.
“Daddy is so handsome! Cierra really misses Daddy. Look, this is the mansion I built, and the car. I bought them for you.”
Kelvin watched the fleeting images, but did not see his wife in them-only his cold and unfeeling son, earnestly building with blocks. This left him feeling a little disheartened.