Why would she marry him? It was all his fault.
That night, he had raped her and just left without saying anything. There had been so many years, and it had only been her and her babies. She had gotten used to that.
She would never marry this man. Not even in her dreams.
Linford knew he couldn’t push it. So he continued, “Then we should raise the babies together. I need to see them. This is my right as their father.”
Cristelle clenched her fist, her tone was cold and sharp, “The kids must live with me. I can allow you to visit them now and then. But you can’t take it too far. If you agree, I’ll stay in the city. If you don’t, I’ll take them away, and I’ll make sure you can’t find us again. By the way, we won’t live in your place. We need our space. And it would help if you didn’t do that to Cody anymore. He doesn’t even like you.”
Linford felt hurt by the last sentence, but he still said yes without thinking. “Alright. No problem.”
But Cristelle didn’t trust him, “I need a written contract. If you have other kids with another woman in the future, the babies’ custody will still be mine. You have no right to interfere with our life. And we shouldn’t interfere with each other’s personal life.”
“I won’t have other kids with any other woman anymore,” Linford said in a reassuring voice. But to make Cristelle less worried, he still called Kelly to bring lawyers and signed the contract.
It only took less than one hour. Cristelle folded the contract and tucked it carefully in her purse, standing up from her seat, “The babies haven’t eaten anything yet from this morning. I need to take them back.”
“Just… stay. We can eat together,” Linford said. The look on Cristelle’s face was quite reluctant, so he added, “Kelly will send you back after the meal. Kelly, prepare the brunch. Make sure the babies like everything.”
Kelly said yes in bewilderment, realizing that Cristelle and Linford had become wife and husband. And Mr. Bradley suddenly had two babies. This Cristelle was quite smart, actually.
Candace and Cody were playing puzzles upstairs. Candace was quite immersed in finding the pieces. Cody, however, was pretty absent-minded because he was still worried about his Mom.
The boy got excited when he saw Cristelle walking upstairs, “Mom! Can we go home now?”
Cristelle sounded tired yet gentle, “We’ll leave after lunch.”
Cody was alerted, “Why? I don’t wanna eat here.”
Cristelle didn’t want to upset her boy, but she knew very well that the babies needed their father. Even Cody appeared to hate that man, they were still bound by blood.
Besides, Candace was still sick. She needed that man.
“Cody, Linford is your dad. Try to get along with him, will you?”
“No!” Cody almost cried.
He didn’t like that man, not even a little bit.
“Mom! I don’t want him to be my dad! No!” Cody was nearly throwing a tantrum. He had never done that before.
Seeing him acting like this broke Cristelle’s heart. She crouched down and collected the boy in her arms, “It’s okay, honey. You have the right to say no. It’s okay.”
Linford pushed open the door, “Cody, let’s talk.”
Cody buried his head in his Mom’s chest, “I don’t want to talk to you!”
“Talk to me face to face if you’re a real man,” Linford snapped at his little man.
Cody looked up with those wide eyes angrily, “Fine. I’ll talk with you.”
Cristelle hurried, “He’s just a boy. Don’t scare him, Mr. Bradley.”
Linford gave her a reassuring look, “I won’t.”
The boy and the father thus went to the study room.
Drew couldn’t stop laughing, watching them, “Cristelle, look at them. The way they walk is even the same.”
Cristelle dropped her gaze in silence.
Drew stopped laughing, “Come on, Cristelle. Cody is his son. He won’t do anything.”
“Doc… Tests like that are serious. How could you do that without telling me anything? And why did you not tell me the result at the beginning?” Cristelle sounded unhappy yet polite.
Drew knew he was wrong, “I know I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. Mr. Bradley is always a cold man, but what he just said was right. The babies need an intact family. And you also need someone to help and take care of you.”
Cristelle wanted to cry, but she still managed to stifle the tears.
Meanwhile, Cody was standing in front of Linford, sulking.
Linford looked at the boy blankly. He looked so much like himself when he was little. Linford liked the boy so much, but he still needed to act like a strict father. Besides, the boy still hated him.
“Your Mom and I have struck a deal. I’ll be in your life from today. But I won’t interfere with your life too much. You and your mother both will have the space you want. Cody, Candace needs me. I know you don’t like me. But you also need to consider your little sister.”
Linford tried to persuade the boy with logic.
But Cody was so pissed off as he heard what he said.
He had been telling himself that his father was dead. But now, he suddenly jumped out of nowhere.
What pissed him off more was that Candace seemed to like this man. Cody didn’t want to say yes. But he would do anything for Candace.
He owed Candace too much.
“Fine. I can agree. But don’t be smug. I’m doing this because of Candace. I won’t admit that you’re my father,” Cody huffed.
Linford had been waiting for this. He knew the little guy didn’t like him. He had no ambition to change his mind so fast.
“Alright, remember what you said today. A real man keeps his word.”
Cody snorted coldly. “Of course.”
“And you can’t say bad things about me before your Mom. Your Mom will get worried,” Linford added.
Cody was disgusted, but he had no choice because he loved his Mom and sister, “Sure. I won’t do it. But if you treat them badly or make them cry, I’ll take them away instantly.”
“You have my words,” Linford extended his hand. The boy shook it with a grim look on his face.