Isabella and Andrew have returned to the apartment. In the living room on the first floor, Asher is sitting on the carpet in front of the French windows, scribbling with crayons. When the baby hears the door and sees Mommy and Daddy coming back, he immediately climbs up from the floor, drops the crayons in his hand, takes quick steps with his little legs, and runs towards Isabella.
“Asher, were you good today?” Isabella picks up her son and gives him a big kiss on his little cheek.
Asher giggles as he’s kissed, one hand hugging her, the other reaching out to Andrew, “Daddy, hug.”
Andrew extends his arms, embracing them both. Asher pouts and rubs his cheek against Andrew’s, leaving drool all over his face.
Isabella kicks off her heels, carrying Asher into the house, and they both sit by the French windows. She picks up the dropped crayons from the floor and writes a few simple words on a small drawing board. Amelia has been teaching Asher to read during this time, and the baby’s memory is particularly good, already recognizing over a dozen words.
“Person, hand, mouth, nose…” Asher’s chubby little finger points at the words on the drawing board, pronouncing them clearly.
“Our baby is doing great.” Isabella encourages, kissing Asher’s cheek.
Asher is especially happy after being praised, clapping his hands vigorously.
Isabella stays with Asher until he yawns and is carried back to the nursery by Amelia. Isabella goes to the bedroom to take a bath, soaking in the bathtub. She’s still pondering how Victoria managed to escape, but even as the water cools, she still can’t figure it out. Until someone knocks on the bathroom door from outside.
“Are you coming out on your own or should I come in?”
She almost falls asleep in the bathtub, but upon hearing this, she hurriedly scrambles out, wrapping herself in a towel while shouting, “Just a moment, I’ll be right out.”
She hastily dries herself, puts on a robe, then pushes open the door. She doesn’t expect Andrew to still be standing outside. Caught off guard, she bumps straight into his firm chest.
“You’re a bit clumsy,” he chuckles, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up, carrying her into the bedroom’s big bed.
Her back meets the mattress, she swiftly turns around and slides off to the other side of the bed.
They stand at opposite ends of the bed, she looks at him warily, hands clasped tightly over her chest. “Andrew, can we try a different way of loving each other?”
Arms crossed, a mischievous smile on his face, Andrew replies, “Sure, what position do you like? I’ll do my best to accommodate.”
Blushing deeply, she glares at him, “Can we have a night of mental love? Let our bodies rest for a night.”
“Mental love? What’s that? Explain.” He chuckles, sitting down on one side of the big bed.
Seeing him agree, she immediately leans over, half-pouncing on his chest like a obedient kitten, her tone soft and tender, “Andrew, do you love me?”
He strokes her head gently, a tender smile in his eyes, “I have answered this question before.”
“But I want to hear it again.” She pouts, shaking his arm playfully.
“Okay.” He nods somewhat resignedly.
“Do you love me very much?” She asks again.
“Sure.” He nods.
She laughs, her eyes sparkling mischievously, “Then tell me, how did Victoria get Caleb to fish her out?”
After listening, Andrew feels a bit helpless. It seems this so-called mental love is just a trap for him.
“Andrew, tell me quickly, my head is starting to hurt!” She shakes his arm vigorously.
He firmly massages her head, his expression full of indulgence. “You’re really impatient.”
“I don’t have your patience. If you don’t speak now, you’ll be sleeping on the floor tonight.” She kicks him with her leg, showing some petulance.
He gazes deeply at her, his handsome face unchanged, but the expression in his eyes becomes profound and complex.
“Isabella, don’t make deals with men in bed, it makes me feel like you’re cheap.”
“Is this also a condition?” She looks at him bewildered.
“Not this time, but remember for the future,” he says solemnly.
“You said you’re willing to do anything for me.” Isabella finds Andrew quite contradictory.
“Yes,” Andrew responds, extending his arm to embrace her, “once we’re off the bed, all my promises stand. Isabella, if in bed, I can only touch you after meeting your conditions, then what’s the difference between our relationship and that of a prostitute and her client?”
Isabella blinks her curled long lashes, then swiftly jumps off the bed, wrapping herself in a sheet. “You’re so troublesome.”
She stands barefoot on the floor, pouting, urging, “Can you say it now?”
Andrew: “…”
Her childish behavior once again leaves him speechless.
He reaches out his arm, encircling her waist, effortlessly lifting her back onto the bed.
Her head rests on his shoulder, waiting for his answer.
“Victoria comes from an ordinary background, has been in the industry for years, and still isn’t considered an A-list star. There’s nothing particularly attractive about her to Caleb. After our relationship went public, Caleb took a risk to bail Victoria out of jail. Do you think it’s just a coincidence?”
She listens to him, still a bit confused, “So, what you’re saying is that what interested Caleb about Victoria is related to you?”
He nods, continuing to guide her, “Is there anything you don’t want me to know?”
“Something I can’t tell you?” She tries hard to remember, but shakes her head after a while. There are hardly any secrets between her and Andrew.
“I’ve even disclosed my background to you, what secrets could I possibly have?”
“Does Victoria know about Asher’s existence?” Andrew suddenly asks.
Isabella pauses for a moment, then replies, “She should know. It’s hard to hide a pregnancy for nine months. But after Asher was born, they had no interaction with him, they didn’t even know where Asher was.”
“All she needs to know is that you have an illegitimate child, that’s leverage,” he adds.
“So that’s it,” she finally realizes.
Victoria must think that having a bastard child is her biggest stain. She absolutely wouldn’t dare to let Andrew know. Victoria thought she could use this leverage to threaten and control her.
But Victoria could never have imagined that Asher was Andrew’s biological son.
“How did you figure it out?” She looks at him with admiration in her eyes.
He smiles faintly, tapping his forehead with his fingertip. Of course, it was by using his brain.
Isabella: “…” Is he mocking her for being brainless?