Sophia’s POV
He helps him pull his outer coat off and tucks him in bed at the other side, leaving me space to sleep in the middle before turning to leave for the living room. But just as he is about to leave, Daisy stirs on the bed and wakes up.
She looks dazed at first as she looks around her, wondering where she is. But after a moment when her gaze lands on me, her mind seems to clear up, and she rubs her eyes.
“Auntie Sophia, you’re here. Where is my daddy?” She asks, preparing to step out of the bed, but I quickly step forward to stop her from getting down.
“Alexander,” I call out. “Daisy is up.”
He soon returns into the bedroom and approaches us, squatting at the side of
The bed as he touches her face. “Baby, you’re awake?”
“Yes.” She quickly bobs her head adorably, and my heart melts at the sight of it. She holds her father’s face and looks at it carefully. I am shocked by her next question as I can’t fathom how she figures that out just by looking at his face.
She asks, “Daddy, are you going somewhere?”
He nods. “Yes, after you went to bed, there was an issue with the house, so we can’t stay there for tonight. So you and your brother will stay with Auntie Sophia for the night, and I’ll come for you tomorrow.”
She quickly looks toward me and jumps with a smile. “Okay, daddy. We will stay with Auntie Sophia.”
She looks genuinely happy that I can’t help smiling back too. But a moment later, she pauses and her expression falls as she looks at him.
She doesn’t hesitate to ask, “Daddy, are you not going to stay with us?”
Alexander pauses, and for some reason, he turns to look at me directly as though telling me to answer her question. I don’t say anything, and he turns to look at her, smiling as he replies, “No, I can’t, princess.”
My heart thuds from the sudden smile on his face, and I nearly want to grab my chest, which suddenly rises to stop playing games. It’s the first time for me to see him smile like that. He has never smiled like that to anyone since I knew him, but for some reason, that he gives such rare smiles effortlessly makes me envious. Not to mention, he looks even more good-looking when he smiles.
I don’t know why my heart is beating so fast, and I reach out to palm my face as I don’t know what to do next. I turn a few angles away from them and brush my hair, blowing hair at my face to stop my cheeks from burning as they are doing for no reason.
I have no idea why he has so much effect on me.
Daisy looks downright distraught by his response. She shakes her head and looks as though she would cry any moment from now. “Daddy… don’t go.”
He leans over and kisses her on the chin as he persuades, “I can’t take you and your brother out so late at night. You should just stay here for tonight, I’ll be here to get you tomorrow morning. Don’t you like Auntie Sophia?”
She pauses and shakes her head at his question. But she still looks miserable, and I can figure out they have probably never been away from their father, so she can’t get used to staying over at someone else’s house for the night.
She pouts as she looks at his face and mutters, “Daddy, do you have to go? Can’t you stay here?” Then, her gaze comes to my face. “Auntie, can’t Daddy stay with us? My daddy doesn’t take much space. He can sleep on the couch.”
I am thrown off heel at her serious expression as she looks at me. I cough to stop myself from bursting out laughter. I don’t know what is funnier; her cute voice as she talks so seriously or me imagining how a 6ft man is going to cramp in the chair.
“Princess…” Alexander tries to persuade as he holds her hand.
There isn’t really much problem with him sleeping here. There are two rooms in the apartment, so there is a guest room he could sleep, and I will just lock the door from inside for safety.
I am about to respond when she looks at me again. “Auntie, can’t he stay?”
Daniel also turns to us at the moment, and I realize he hasn’t dozed off at all, and he is just quiet. He mutters, “It’s just for the night. Daddy, can’t you sleep on the couch for today?”
I am speechless by the two kids going. It is easy to tell they are deliberately pressuring their father to stay so I would have to give in. How are they so smart? Or did Alexander put words into their mouth?
I look at him, trying to sense even a single hint that he told them what to say. But he looks just as speechless and torn as I am.
I sigh and turn to them. “Your daddy can stay, and he doesn’t have to sleep on the couch. There is another room for him to stay.”