She felt awkward when she addressed Linford as the “dad.” But she couldn’t tolerate Cody being so rude.
Linford was so happy when he heard Cristelle call him that. But Will refused to give in so soon. He stared at Linford, not saying a thing.
“Cody, you need to apologize,” Cristelle urged him.
Cody only stared at Linford. They looked at each other silently as if they had a silent war.
Linford wouldn’t let it slide. He was still seeking every chance to make the brat behave.
The noisy drill of the neighbor started to sound again. Cody said sorry in a small voice quickly before the sound ended.
No one could even hear that.
“Mom, I just apologized,” the boy explained quickly.
“Cody, no one has heard that,” Cristelle frowned, “It’s really your fault this time. Don’t be stubborn, okay? It’s not good that my Cody is bullying people.”
Cody stared at Linford, sulking. Before he could open his mouth again, however, Linford suddenly said, “It’s okay. Your mom didn’t hear it, but I heard it. The salad is not that bad, actually. Thanks for making it for me.”
Cody went extremely red as he put down his fork with a clang, jumping off his chair, “I’m full.”
Candace jumped off her chair as well, grabbing her brother’s arm. The two babies went back to their room together.
Linford couldn’t help but let out a smile. He could tell the babies loved each other very much.
Cristelle also lost her appetite, “I’m sorry. Cody can be really stubborn sometimes, but he’s a good boy.”
“It’s okay. I know. He doesn’t like me yet, but I can wait,” Linford didn’t seem angry at all. He thought his babies were cute, “I’ll have something to tell you a couple of days later, Cristelle,”
“What is it?” Cristelle was curious.
Linford was extremely serious, “I’ve not prepared. I’ll tell you when everything is done.”
Cristelle thus stopped asking.
The noise of the drill only got louder.
Cristelle frowned, “I’ve been wondering who’s been doing renovation lately. Sorry, it’s pretty loud.”
Linford’s eyes darkened, “I bet the owner just can’t wait to move in.”
Suddenly, his phone started to buzz. It was Kelly’s call, “Mr. Bradley, the renovation is gonna be finished today. You can move in tomorrow.”
Linford spoke to the phone calmly before Cristelle, “Tell them to stop for a while. It has affected the neighbors.”
Affected the neighbors?
Mr. Bradley had asked him to finish the work as soon as possible this morning. What had made him change?
“Yes, sir,” Kelly could only follow his order.
“Go back to the company if you’re busy,” Cristelle said as soon as Linford hung up the phone.
Linford took a sip from his coffee, knowing she started to feel uncomfortable, “Okay.”
He went to the living room and grabbed his jacket. When he fixed his tie, he looked extremely attractive. But his tie seemed to be a bit crooked after he was done with it.
Cristelle could only pretend she didn’t see anything.
“Cody, Candace, Daddy is leaving.” Linford went to the babies’ room and said goodbye.
Cody buried his face into the pillow, not moving. Candace was patting his back as she lay beside him, wide eyes looking at her brother concerningly. She heard her dad was gonna leave, so she went to him and gave him a hug.
Linford hoisted his baby girl up and left a kiss on her cheek, “Be good, and don’t exhaust Mom.”
Candace nodded as she grabbed his tie, looking back at Cristelle.
Cristelle coughed, “Mr. Bradley, your tie is a bit crooked.”
“Oh,” Linford seemed he only realized right now, fixing his tie with one hand before giving Cristelle a deep look, “Thank you.”
Cristelle looked away.
After Linford left, Cristelle went to Cody’s room. The boy was still sulking. She collected his little body into her arms, pressing her cheek against his, “Cody, are you mad with Mom? I’m sorry. I was being too harsh.”
Cody shook his head, “It was not your fault, Mommy.”
He had wanted to make that man a fool, but he had eaten the whole salad bowl. It was his fault. He shouldn’t have underestimated that guy. Cody was mad at himself.
“Don’t be sad, baby,” Cristelle patted his back, “Mommy knows you don’t like him. I also don’t like him. But we don’t have another way. He’s your dad, after all. Besides, Candace loves him. We must try to accept him for Candace’s sake. Mommy promises you, I’ll fight if he turns out to be a bad guy. I’ll take you and your sister and leave this city immediately.”
Cody nodded limply, “Mommy, I trust you.”
Cristelle smiled, “Now, go play with your sister.”
Cody thus jumped off the bed happily.
****
Diego was still pissed off after he left Cristelle’s place. He got into the car and left.
Pamela had been stalking him the whole time. She called a taxi when she saw Diego getting in his car.
Pamela thought her husband would go to his company, but he stopped beside a pub.
Why would he go to a pub in the middle of the day?
Pamela wondered as she followed up, covering her face with a scarf.
Diego ordered a bottle of vodka, drinking glass after glass.
He hated it! He hated it so much!
Cristelle had not been like this before. She acted like a kitten before him, loving and listening to everything he said. When did she change? Why did she hate him? And why didn’t she tell him who was the father of her babies?
How did she get pregnant back then?
Diego clearly knew nothing about what his mother had done.
It had only been a mistake, but it changed everyone’s life.
Diego was the new rich of the city. He was still in the middle of a scandal, but that didn’t prevent him from attracting all sorts of gold diggers. Soon, he was surrounded by a couple of hot women.
“Why are you drinking by yourself, handsome? Come drink with me.” A hot woman sat beside him, snatching away Diego’s glass and taking a sip from it.