Cody wiped his mouth before grabbing his sister’s hand, “Come on, Candace. You’ve had enough. Let’s be good kids.”
Candace looked at Linford with those wide eyes again. Linford could only force himself to look away.
In case Candace would come to have more, Cristelle almost cleaned the table instantly. She didn’t even have enough to eat herself.
Candace asked her to tell a story when she was in bed. Cristelle had been running around all day, but she still told a story with patience. Candace and Cody finally fell asleep.
Cristelle decided to grab some food downstairs when her stomach started to rumble. She found a plate of cold sushi in the kitchen.
When she walked toward the living hall quietly, Linford was already sitting on the couch. He was still working, holding his laptop.
How long was he gonna stay up tonight?
“Have the kids fallen asleep?” Linford asked, eyes focusing on the screen.
Cristelle hummed a yes and jammed a piece of sushi into her mouth.
She thought he would give her a lecture again, but Linford was exceptionally quiet tonight.
Cristelle felt a bit weird. But, mostly, she felt nervous because she had done something wrong this time.
This man was no one to her. The babies bound them together, but she felt as if she owed him something. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way.
Linford suddenly moved closer, grabbing sushi from her plate and putting it in his mouth.
Cristelle faltered, “There are more in the kitchen. I can get you some more if you also want it.”
“It’s okay. You can’t finish the whole plate anyway,” Linford took another sushi from her plate.
Cristelle huffed, “How do you know I can’t finish the whole plate?”
“Good appetite, eh?” Linford chuckled.
“None of your business,” Cristelle huffed, “Are you lowkey calling me fat now?”
“No,” Linford snapped the laptop close, “I like the way you look.”
Cristelle went blushed and jammed one more sushi inside her mouth, sulking.
Suddenly, a loud thunder exploded from a distance. Cristelle gasped, throwing the plate of sushi away, and buried her head into Linford’s chest.
Linford froze.
The woman’s body was soft, whiffing the sweet fragrance of her shampoo.
Heavy rain poured down, rapping the windows of the suite.
Cristelle didn’t pull away after a while later, her face as red as a tomato.
BOOM!
The thunder cracked again. It sounded even louder than before. Cristelle shuddered, but she successfully fought the urge to grab Linford’s arm this time.
Candace’s cry sounded from the second floor after the loud noise.
“Ssh… Candace, It’s gonna be okay,” Cristelle could hear that Cody was trying to reassure his sister.
Cristelle and Linford dashed toward the second floor almost at the same time. Candace hugged a blanket, crumpling herself in the corner of her bed.
Linford dashed forward and held his little girl tightly in his arms, “Ssh, princess, don’t cry. Daddy’s here. It’s only raining, don’t be scared.”
Cristelle also tried to calm Candace down, “Candace is the bravest girl. Mommy’s here.”
Candace grabbed their hands, feeling much better when her daddy and mommy were here with her.
Cody was also a bit scared hearing the loud thunder. But he managed to suppress the fear in front of his little sister.
Linford threw a blanket at the boy, “Why are you running around without a coat? It’s getting cold here. Do you want to catch a fever?”
Cody snapped, “I won’t catch a cold! I’m strong!”
Cristelle only remembered her son by now.
She pulled Cody in, leaving kisses on his cheek, “Cody’s such a brave boy. You even remembered to take care of your sister when I was away. Do you want to sleep with Mom tonight?”
Cody looked excited when he got praised. He hadn’t slept with his Mom for a while. The boy nodded, smiling at Cristelle.
“No,” Linford frowned, “He’s a big boy now. You can’t just sleep with him in the same bed. It’s spoiling.”
Cristelle rolled her eyes, “I don’t care. Cody’s still my baby. I want to spoil my son. So what’s the problem with that?”
Linford arched an eyebrow, “I’m just stating the truth. Do you want to tuck him in for the rest of his life?”
Cristelle didn’t want to argue with him, “I know how to bring up my son. You don’t need to tell me what to do. Please just go back to your room.”
Cody stuck his tongue out at Linford. Linford pretended he didn’t see anything. She would spoil the boy if she kept doing that. Linford was trying to make Cody his successor. He wouldn’t give in so easily.
“Are you sleepy now, honey?” Linford put Candace down on the bed, “Go back to sleep. Everything is fine now.”
Candace grabbed his sleeve, shaking her head slowly.
“Candace, let Daddy go back to sleep. It’s getting late,” Cristelle cooed at her girl.
Candace shook her head again, chubby hands squeezing Linford’s wrist.
Linford blinked as a faint smile appeared on his chiseled lips, “Do you want to sleep in Daddy’s room tonight?”
Cristelle felt sour.
Her daughter had never split with her before. When did Candace become such a little traitor? She shouldn’t give this man too much power.
Linford cast a glance at Cody, a smug look in his eyes.
Cody frowned as he tried to pull her sister in, “Candace, Are you really gonna sleep with him?”
Candace nodded, patting the vacant space beside her, telling Linford silently that he should stay here at night.
Cody’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Seriously? Are you gonna let him stay in the same bed with us?”
Candace nodded heavily.
Cody wanted to say no, but Candace seemed to have made up her mind. Cristelle also started to frown.
Candace didn’t want to leave her Mommy or Daddy. Instead, she wanted to sleep in the same bed with them.
Linford was happy to stay. He lifted the comforter and lay down beside Candace, making sure his daughter nestled comfortably against his chest before leaving a kiss on the top of her head.
“Are you really gonna stay in our room tonight?” Cody frowned.
“Or do you want Candace to cry?” Linford snapped back.