“Well.” Andrew hugged her and gently kissed her forehead.
“Andrew, I didn’t recognize you. Did you also not recognize me? I haven’t changed much since then,” Isabella asked, looking up at him.
“You have changed, you’ve become even more beautiful,” he said, trying to flatter her.
“Stop being so glib!” She glared at him and continued questioning, “You obviously recognized me, so why didn’t you tell me?”
This man really could keep things to himself.
“There wasn’t anything to say,” he replied calmly. “My intentions with you were always pure. I didn’t want you to think I was using gratitude to manipulate you.”
“But, I somehow feel like your intentions weren’t so pure,” she said, tracing circles on his chest with her fingertip, teasingly.
He grabbed her restless hand and laughed. “Alright, didn’t you buy fruit and salad? Go make a fruit salad, Asher will be back soon.”
After saying that, he picked up the jacket draped over the back of the sofa. “I have things to do at the office, I’ll be back to spend the evening with you.”
“Ah, you’re leaving again?” She pouted, showing her displeasure.
“Be good.” He leaned down and kissed her.
He knew Stella had found Isabella, so he had rushed over, leaving a room full of executives in the middle of a meeting. If he didn’t go back soon, Ryan would start bombarding him with calls.
Shortly after Andrew left, Amelia came back with Asher. Isabella happily hugged her son, and they kissed each other affectionately.
Whenever Isabella was home, Asher would stick to her. Fortunately, the two communicated well and played together seamlessly.
Isabella sat with Asher by the window, assembling a model airplane according to the instructions. Once it was complete, she picked up the plane and ran around the room.
“The plane is flying!” she said with a laugh.
Asher ran happily behind her, constantly shouting, “Asher wants to ride the plane, Asher wants to ride the plane.”
Isabella hugged Asher and laughed. “Does Asher want to ride a plane? When you grow a little older, Mommy will take you on a plane trip around the world.”
“Mommy, I love you.” Asher hugged Isabella’s neck and gave her several kisses on the cheek.
They played together all afternoon, and Andrew returned by dinnertime.
“Andrew, you’re home early today,” Isabella joked with a smile.
Andrew set his briefcase aside, took off his jacket, changed his shoes, and then went to wash his hands before holding Asher.
Asher was noticeably less enthusiastic about his father, always acting like a little adult around him.
“Did you listen to Mommy today?” Andrew asked.
“Asher was very good. Can’t you talk to him with a smile instead of looking so stern?” Isabella answered before Asher could speak.
“What did you learn in your class today? Do you remember?” Andrew asked again.
“He’s only two years old. Early education is mostly about playing. What’s there to remember? Don’t be so serious, like a drill instructor. You’ll scare him,” Isabella said again.
“Isabella, I’m asking Asher. Don’t interrupt,” Andrew replied coldly.
Asher pouted and wriggled out of Andrew’s arms, hiding behind Isabella.
Andrew sat down on the sofa, looked at him, and said in a slightly stern tone, “Asher, I asked you a question. If you know, then say so. If you don’t, tell me you don’t know. Why are you hiding behind your mother? You’re a boy. Are you going to hide behind your mother for your whole life?”
“Andrew, that’s enough…” Isabella said, holding her child close.
“Isabella, I’m trying to teach him,” Andrew interrupted.
“Andrew, you’re really getting on my nerves!” Isabella snapped. This man wasn’t giving her any face in front of their son.
She picked up Asher and gave him a kiss. “Come on, let’s go eat with Mommy.”
Isabella carried her son and walked straight into the dining room.
Andrew frowned slightly and shook his head, saying, “A doting mother raises a spoiled son.”
Andrew changed into casual clothes and then went into the dining room for dinner. The three of them sat together at the table, and the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.
Asher obediently answered the question Andrew had asked earlier, but since he was so young, his words were somewhat jumbled.
Andrew listened quietly and, after Asher finished, simply said, “One should not speak while eating.”
Isabella: “…”
Under the table, she kicked his calf hard.
After dinner, Isabella watched “Peppa Pig” with Asher for a while, then Asher went upstairs to sleep with Amelia.
Isabella watched TV alone in the living room for a bit, but the show was too boring. She turned off the TV with the remote and shuffled upstairs in her slippers.
The light in the study was still on; Andrew was still working.
Isabella paused at the door, then turned and went back downstairs.
In the kitchen, she rummaged through the cupboards and found a box of imported coffee. Then she boiled water, made the coffee, and brought it upstairs.
Holding the coffee cup in one hand, Isabella lightly knocked on the study door with the other.
“Come in,” came Andrew’s calm, low voice from inside.
She pushed open the door, leaned against the frame, and smiled at the man behind the desk.
“Boss, would you like some coffee?”
Andrew paused his work, looking at her and the coffee with a gentle gaze. “Come in.”
Isabella set the coffee in front of him and sat down next to him.
“Drink it. I put a lot of sugar in it; it’s not bitter at all.” She blinked her bright eyes at him.
He chuckled and took a sip of the coffee.
Well, it certainly had a lot of sugar, so much so that it was almost too sweet.
He politely drank about half of the cup before setting it aside, glancing at the cup.
The coffee cup was from the new set she had just bought today. It indeed looked beautiful with coffee in it.
“Why aren’t you drinking anymore? Is it not good?” she asked.
“Coffee isn’t like alcohol; you don’t have to finish it all at once,” he said with a gentle smile, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “I still have some work to finish. You should go rest.”
“No,” she shook her head. “I can’t sleep anyway. I’ll stay here, I won’t disturb you. I’ll just sit quietly.”
Isabella refused to leave, and Andrew couldn’t bring himself to make her go, so he let her stay.
He focused back on his computer, diligently working.
Isabella sat beside him, resting her chin in her hand, quietly watching him without saying a word or doing anything else.
Andrew’s fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, serious and concentrated.
After handling most of his work, he gripped the mouse, closed the documents, and finally shut down the computer.
With her sitting next to him, he couldn’t help but get distracted.