34

Emilia’s POV
I come out of the room at noon, expecting to find Alexander already gone to work. However, as I step into the living room, I’m taken aback by the sight before me. The kids, Daisy and Daniel, are happily playing, their laughter filling the air. Confusion washes over me as I wonder why they aren’t at school.
“Hey, guys! Why aren’t you at school today?” I ask, furrowing my brows in confusion.
Daniel, always quick-witted and sharp-tongued, clicks his tongue and mocks me for not knowing that it’s the weekend. “Seriously, Aunt Emilia? It’s Saturday. No school today,” he retorts, grinning mischievously.
I can’t help but laugh at my own forgetfulness, correcting myself with a playful smile. “Oh, right! How could I forget? It’s the weekend. Silly me!”
I settle down beside Daisy, feeling warmth in my heart. Daisy, my adorable niece, is holding a little puppy in her arms. It’s the same puppy we had decided to adopt and named Milk. Daisy’s affection for the tiny creature is evident as she practically treats it like a handbag, carrying it with her everywhere she goes.
“So, Daisy, you’ve got Milk with you again?” I ask, chuckling.
Daisy looks up at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes, Aunt Emilia! Milk is my best friend,” she replies, hugging the puppy tightly.
I gently caress the soft fur of Milk as he rests in my arms. The puppy purrs contentedly, a sound that brings me immense joy.
“He’s such a sweet little thing,” I say, smiling at Daisy. “You two make quite a pair.”
Daisy nods, her face beaming with joy. “I love Milk so much, Aunt Emilia. He’s the best puppy ever!”
Hearing this, Daniel looks at her and clicks his tongue. “A puppy is your best friend? So cheap…”
I can’t help but laugh at how serious he is and the look of disdain on his face as he mocks her.
I chuckle at Daniel’s teasing and playfully nudge him with my elbow. “Oh, come on, Daniel. You’re just jealous because Daisy has a best friend in Milk, and you don’t.”
Daisy pouts, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, Daniel! Milk is my best friend, and you don’t have one.”
Daniel’s face flushes slightly, clearly caught off guard by Daisy’s response. He huffs and tries to defend himself. “I’m not jealous! Who needs a silly best friend anyway? I have my Rubik’s cube, and that’s all I need.”
I raise an eyebrow, pretending to be unconvinced. “Are you sure about that, Daniel? Because it seems like you’re secretly wishing you had a furry friend like Daisy does.”
Daniel’s expression softens, and he shrugs, trying to downplay his true feelings. “Nah, it’s not a big deal. I’m happy with my cube.”
I smile knowingly at him before turning my attention back to Daisy and Milk. “Well, Daisy, it looks like Milk is lucky to have you as his best friend. You take such good care of him.”
Daisy beams with pride, snuggling closer to Milk. As the conversation subsides, Daniel returns his focus to his Rubik’s cube, but I notice a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
The moment triggers a memory in my mind. I recall the encounter at the supermarket the day before with the lady named Sophia. There was something about her that struck a chord, a feeling that she had a connection with the kids. Moreover, as I reflect on it, I realize that Daisy shares some resemblances with her. They both have a similar hair color and nose shape. The thought lingers in my mind, leaving me intrigued.
Unable to contain my curiosity, I turn to the kids and ask, “Hey, what do you both think of that auntie we met at the supermarket? Auntie Sophia, I mean.”
Daisy’s eyes light up with recognition, and she replies enthusiastically, “Oh, Auntie Sophia! I like her. She was nice.”
Turning to Daniel, I inquire, “And you, Daniel? What do you think of her?”
Daniel takes a moment to contemplate, then matter-of-factly responds, “I like her.”
My suspicion deepens as I observe Daniel’s reaction. There seems to be something he’s not revealing. I decide to probe further, unable to resist my curiosity any longer. “Daniel, do you feel any kind of connection with Auntie Sophia?”
He remains silent for a brief moment, his gaze fixed on the Rubik’s cube in his hands. Then, as if unable to hold back the truth, he finally speaks up. “She is my mother, so of course, I feel connected to her.”
I gasp softly, caught off guard by his revelation.
Surprised and unable to fully believe what I just heard, I look at Daniel with a mixture of astonishment and pride. Despite the shock, I can’t help but feel a sense of validation that my instincts were right. Deep down, I always had a feeling that there was more to the story, that the connection between her and the kids ran deeper than what met the eye.
Curiosity burning within me, I ask Daniel how he came to know this information. He straightens his posture, a glint of pride in his eyes, and says matter-of-factly, “I hacked into Daddy’s past records and found her.”
Trying to process everything, I turn my attention to Daisy, who has been silently listening to our conversation. I ask her if she also knows about Auntie Sophia being their mother. Daisy nods solemnly, her eyes filled with a hint of sadness.
In a hushed whisper, Daisy leans closer to me and says, “Please, Aunt Emilia, don’t tell anyone, especially Daddy. Daddy told us to take things slow and not to scare Mommy by approaching her out of nowhere.”
Understanding the sensitivity of the situation, I nod empathetically, assuring Daisy that her secret is safe with me. “I won’t say a word, Daisy. I promise. Your secret is safe.”
Daniel chimes in, adding, “Yeah, Aunt Emilia, we don’t want to upset Daddy. We’re waiting for the right time to talk to him.”
As I listen to Daisy and Daniel, a realization dawns on me. It was Daniel who had insisted on going to that particular supermarket yesterday. He had orchestrated the entire encounter, knowing that she would be there. I can’t help but connect the dots and admire his resourcefulness.
“You planned it, didn’t you, Daniel?” I ask, unable to hide my admiration.
Daniel’s face lights up with a mixture of pride and mischief. “Yeah, Aunt Emilia, I did. I found out about Mommy’s movements and wanted to make sure we meet her.”
I’m amazed by Daniel’s intelligence. Hacking into their father’s past records at such a young age is no small feat. I can’t help but praise him for his skills.
“You’re so smart, Daniel,” I say, ruffling his hair. “Being able to hack into those records and find Auntie Sophia takes a lot of talent.”
Daniel grins proudly, his chest puffed up with self-assurance. “It’s no big deal, really. Uncle Allen has been teaching me about hacking since I was three.”
I raise an eyebrow in surprise. “Uncle Allen? Your father’s brother?”
Daniel nods enthusiastically. “Yep! He’s a computer genius. Whenever he visits, we have our own coding lessons. It’s like a secret club.”
I chuckle at his enthusiasm and shake my head in disbelief. I am about to respond when the door suddenly opens and a tall figure appears at the top of the stairs, nearly making me fall of my chair. It is Alexander whom I had thought was not home.
He looks down from the stairs at us and asks, “Have you eaten?”
The two kids immediately nod, their heads bobbing adorably. “Yes, daddy.”
I feel a mix of relief and apprehension as Alexander stands at the top of the stairs, his gaze shifting from me to the kids. I quickly regain my composure and stand up, ready to face him.
“Yes, Alexander, we’ve eaten,” I reply, my voice calm and composed. “I just woke up but the kids must have eaten already.”
Alexander descends the stairs with a stern expression, his eyes fixed on Daniel and Daisy. “Good,” he responds curtly, his tone revealing nothing of his thoughts. “I have some work to attend to. You two behave and don’t cause any trouble.”
Daisy looks up at him with hopeful eyes. “Daddy, will you be done with work soon? Can you come and play with us?”
He shakes his head. “I still have some important tasks to complete, but when I’m finished, I’ll come downstairs and spend time with both of you.”
Daisy’s disappointment is palpable as she lowers her head, her pigtails falling forward.
Alexander suddenly turns to me and says coldly, “Come into the study. I need to talk to you.” And without another word, he goes into the study and closes the door behind him.
After he is gone, I turn to the kids and say accusingly, “Why didn’t you tell me your father was home?”
Daniel, seemingly unbothered, shrugs and adds, “You should’ve asked if he was home, auntie. It’s not our fault you assumed he wasn’t.”
I am speechless as I stand up and stroll to the study. When I enter, I finds Alexander behind his desk, looking cold and emotionless.