“She has to learn the hard way what not to mess with.” He said casually.
He glanced briefly into the kitchen and, seeing that Prima had prepared the meal, got up, picked Clarie up and led me into the dining room.
…
Over the weekend.
We booked our flight back to City P and got up early. Clarie didn’t wake up and fell asleep in Dennis’s arms.
Clarie woke up just before we got on the plane. Kids could be attracted to kids. The woman next to us in the terminal was holding a baby in her arms, maybe seven or eight months old.
The little boy was active and kept bouncing around in his mother’s arms. When he saw the doughnut in Clarie’s hand, he kept reaching for it.
Clarie looked at her favorite doughnut. She didn’t seem to want to share, but the little friend seemed to want it.
She sighed, took a few steps closer to the mother and said, “Hi, may I give him this?”
The woman was stunned, smiled and nodded, agreeing.
After sending the doughnut away, Clarie looked at the baby, then at her beloved doughnut.
She came running back to Dennis and me and looked at me and said, “Mom, are you going to give me another brother someday?”
She was too young to see the error in the words. Dennis pulled her over and said with a smile, “If Mommy’s going to have a baby, it’s for me!”
I was laughing at how serious this guy was.
Clarie pursed her lips and looked up at him earnestly. “So, is Uncle George going to marry Mama?”
“Of course!” Dennis said, his eyes on me, mixed with tenderness.
Clarie nodded, a little pleased, and looked at me. “Mom, when you and Uncle George get married, am I going to have a dad? And can I have a brother?”
I smiled. Seeing time was up, I stood up and said, “Come on, we’re boarding.”
When she didn’t get an answer, Clarie frowned, a little upset. But the child’s emotions came and went quickly.
Dennis got into first class and sat down. Clarie was asleep. He grabbed me and smiled. “How about we get married in October?”
It was September now. If we were to get married in October, wouldn’t it be next month?
I scowled and paused before saying, “Dennis, let’s just go with the flow!”
Anyway, the wedding didn’t seem so important anymore. I was going back to City P because I wanted Clarie to have a good future.
As for the rest, I hadn’t thought about it.
When I refused, he didn’t get angry. He smiled and nodded. “Okay, we’ll get married when you’re ready.”
It took us four hours to get to City P from Newton Town.
Toby set up a pickup for Clarie ahead of time. Dennis got a phone call when he just got off the plane.
From the way he sounded, it should be about the company. As the chairman of a listed company, he should be busy.
After hanging up the phone, he looked down at the wristwatch on his wrist and said, “The driver will take you back to your villa and wait for me to have lunch!”
I nodded. “What time will you be back?” It was not a rush, but a casual mention, so that I would know.
“Half past twelve!” He kissed me on the forehead and told the driver to drive me and Clarie to the villa.
Forty minutes later, Dennis dropped me and Clarie off in front of the house. Dennis seemed to have been living in the same place for four years, with a different nanny.
The driver dropped me and Clarie’s things off at the villa, told the babysitter and left.
Clarie was asleep, and I had nothing to do, so I was reading the headlines on my phone.
I was surprised to see the headlines for the George group and the Gibson Group. For four years, the two companies had been openly fighting each other, seemingly with no intention of settling.
Some said it was more of a battle between Dennis and Hank than it was between the George Group and the Gibson Group.
Both men had sharp business instincts and were ruthless in their approach to business.
It was just, hadn’t the Gibson Group always been run by Yara? When did Hank take it? What happened in those four years?
Looking down at the clock, Clarie woke up. Seeing Dennis wasn’t there, she rubbed her eyes. “Mom, did Uncle George go to work?”
I nodded. “He’ll be back in a minute. You get up and wash up, and we’ll meet him downstairs together.”
Clarie liked Dennis. These days, I could tell she was attached to Dennis.
I was just a little worried about Mario. What would I do if Mario was determined to bring Clarie back to the Bennett family?
Clarie was well rested and in good spirits. Curious about her new place, she ran down the hall and wandered into the yard.
I was sitting in the yard waiting for Dennis, and Toby gave Clarie the checked teddy.
Looking at the time, he was a little nervous.
Confused, I thought he wanted to tell me something. “What?”
After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “He might be stuck in traffic.”
I froze for a moment and realized that Dennis promised me to come back for lunch at 12:30, which was already 28. I couldn’t help laughing at his seriousness.
“The road is crowded, I know!” With that, footsteps could be heard outside the yard, and soon Dennis was back.
He stood in front of me, sweat stains on his forehead, as if he had been in a hurry to get back.
His black eyes shone like black stone. “It’s twelve twenty-nine. It’s not too late, is it?”
I laughed and stood on tiptoe to wipe his sweat. “Did you run back?” It was so hot and he was sweating so much.
He took off his coat and smiled. “Exercise!”
“Take it easy next time. I’m right here. I won’t run away.” Wiping the sweat for him, I could not help to say, and there was a faint warmth in my heart.
He smiled. “Well, I know, but I always wanted to see you sooner!”
These sweet words came out of her mouth and I smiled. Clarie ran up and hugged him. “Uncle George, are you well?” she said softly. “Why do you need to exercise?”
Dennis picked her up and looked at me darkly. “My health has always been good!”
The nanny cooked the meal. He went upstairs to take a shower and came down with what looked like a bag of papers.
Handing the papers to Toby, he said, “You get Clarie admitted and send her to school these days.”
Toby took the papers and left. Clarie heard him and sighed. She looked a little unhappy.
He saw it, of course, and said, “Clarie, don’t you want to go to school?”
Clarie shook her head. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that no one knows me!”
Children are most afraid of loneliness. I smiled, “Clarie, you can go to a new school and make new friends!”
She closed her lips and stopped speaking.