Linford suddenly was annoyed, “You really don’t have to, Lana. I hired you to do Alfred’s job. I’m an adult. I can take care of myself. You should stay in the company and handle the PR team. Suppressed the news!”
With that, Linford hung up the phone.
Cody arched an eyebrow over the conversation. So, it was Lana White again.
Why was she following Linford Bradley around like a puppy? Linford Bradley had been pretty cold with her. Didn’t she have any self-respect?
That was disgusting. Cody rolled his eyes and went back to his seat.
Helena decided to take Amy and Thomas back home soon after the meal because it was getting pretty late.
The babies would see each other in school tomorrow, but they all seemed pretty sad. Candace insisted on sending them off to the gate. She didn’t get back into the elevator and went inside until she made sure they had driven safely away.
“You will still see Amy in the kindergarten tomorrow. Don’t be sad, okay?”
Cristelle tried to comfort her daughter.
Candace nodded, pouting, “Time does fly.”
Cristelle almost laughed over her overly-mature statement. She paused and decided, “Mommy will teach you a really interesting thing to do later so you can teach Amy about it in kindergarten tomorrow. Sounds cool?”
Candace’s eyes widened, “What is, Mom?”
Cristelle left a kiss on her cheek, “You will find out soon.”
****
Cristelle brought Candace to her office and removed some fabric she had cut off while working. She grabbed Candace’s doll, “Mommy will teach you how to make dresses for dolls today. From now on, you can be a designer like Mom as well.”
Candace watched in awe as Cristelle cut the small piece of cloth in her hand and made a pretty little dress out of it. The girl was clapping and laughing all the time, “Mommy! Mommy! I want to learn that! Please?”
“Of course, you can learn this, honey. But you need to promise me that you will be careful with scissors and needles when doing this.”
Candace nodded eagerly, “I’ll be careful! I’ll be really careful!”
Cristelle smiled and patiently taught her daughter how to make little dresses.
****
When Cody walked in, Linford was enjoying a cup of wine before his desk. He faltered. And then, the father stood up and grabbed a tall glass, pouring some cold orange juice for the boy.
“Thank you,” Cody took the glass of juice and nodded politely.
“You’re welcome,” Linford sat down.
“Have you found out who threw the slab of granite on our car?” Cody queried.
Linford had expected the question, “It was a construction worker called Nick Evans, 35 years old, a local resident. He committed suicide after getting to know the son he raised was actually not his. He couldn’t accept the fact and threw himself off a building.”
Cody frowned, “Why did he have to throw that granite before he jumped off, then.”
Linford shrugged, “No one knows. We can’t find any trace now that the man is dead.” Linford didn’t want to get Cody involved. Boys of his age should be watching cartoons and playing video games.
“Cody, you can leave this to me. I can handle these things.”
Cody, however, jumped off the sofa, shaking his head, “Someone’s trying to harm my sister and Mom. I won’t let that person walk away without paying any price. You just do whatever you need to do, and you don’t need to worry about me.”
With that, the boy walked out of Linford’s study room.
That Nick Evans was probably just a scapegoat. Someone must have sent him to make the accident happen.
Linford was still worried about their safety so much. So he called Enzo to send a couple of veterans to keep Cristelle and the babies safe.
Enzo accepted his request immediately. However, before Linford could hang up the call, Enzo suddenly asked, “Linford, are you and Cody hiding something away from me?”
****
Cody returned to his room and pondered a lot when he was alone. And then, he finally figured out a general plan.
Cristelle sent the babies to kindergarten the next day. After that, she got a bit bored. So she went back to her office and started to draw new drafts. Just in case she would need them in the future.
Candace learned how to make little dresses, and that made her extremely happy. She couldn’t wait to share her new skills with her best friends.
“Wow! You made this?” Amy was completely amazed by those dresses Candace had made.
“Yep,” Candace nodded proudly, taking out two sets of needles and threads from her little bag, “Amy, I have brought two sets. One is for you, and another is for me. My Mom taught me how to make dresses last night. I want to teach you how to make them as well because we are best friends.”
“Thank you, Candace!” Amy smiled from ear to ear, “I’m glad to learn new skills.”
They thus started to make dresses together. Other girls also went forward because they also wanted to learn from Candace. Candace instantly became the center of attention again.
“Show off,” Betty rolled her eyes as she played her plushy with her best friend. Candace Bradley was not as talented as her, but she always managed to make herself the center of everything. It was so annoying.
No one knew what she wanted, but Betty knew what kind of person she was.
Everyone from the Bradley House was annoying except Cody.
Betty sneaked a glance at Cody. The boy was talking and laughing with his best friend. He didn’t even spare a look in her direction.
Betty was sulking.
Thomas didn’t like dolls. But it was Candace who made those dresses. So he went forward to look as well.
Cody didn’t like the idea. Candace was too pretty, and that pretty face tended to make her the target of jealousy. In his perspective, his sister should act more low-key so she wouldn’t become the target of bad people.
But Candace just didn’t know how to do that. And that worried Cody a lot.
Cristelle came to pick the babies up after school.
Candace couldn’t stop talking after she got in the car, “Mom! Mom! Other kids all want to play with me today.”
“Wow, really? I’m glad you made new friends today, honey.” Cristelle smiled, stroking Candace’s hair.