Nanny wanted to send her abroad? She still hadn’t gotten tired of the same old trick. Lana rolled her eyes and jumped off the seat. This was so freaking boring.
The man lying on the ground only realized that he had just messed with the daughter of a famous White family. He swallowed and tried to make his presence as feeble as he could. His forehead was covered in a cold sweat.
****
Lana went to bed directly after leaving the bar, falling asleep instantly due to the alcohol she absorbed.
Mrs. White walked into her room and asked the maid to wake her up. Lana sat up groggily, “What? Granny?”
She sounded extremely impatient.
Mrs. White smiled coldly. “Look at yourself, Lana White. You look like a mess. Are you really doing this to yourself just because of a man?” Mrs. White sounded sarcastic and harsh, like her usual self, “I knew it! I knew you must have come back for that man. But Linford Bradley has had twins and a wife now. You will never be able to have him back.”
Never…
Lana pulled the blanket up and covered her face, “Can you stop saying those things to me, Nanny? I need sleep.”
“I hope you have a nice sleep. And don’t dream of Linford Bradley. That man is a snake. He doesn’t like it when other predators set their eyes on his prey. And he’s probably the hardest man to be pleased. So, stop trying for your own good.”
Mrs. White was being harsh deliberately. She was worried about Lana’s safety too much. She didn’t want her granddaughter to fall for that man too deeply.
But seeing Lana being like this also broke her heart, “Seriously, Lana. There are a lot of good men in this world. You don’t need to die for a man like Bradley.”
But there was only one Linford Bradley.
Lana wrapped herself tighter with her blanket, muffling her cry.
Mrs. White shook her head and walked out of Lana’s room.
****
Candace was looking around as her Dad took them into a secret room inside his bedroom.
Cody didn’t know the house contained so many secrets. His eyes checked out the decorations in the room carefully. There were a lot of photos hanging on the wall.
Linford brought the babies and Cristelle to a black-and-white photo.
The babies seemed a bit scared, facing Clyde’s smiling photo on the wall because that man looked so much like their Dad.
“Daddy told you guys before we walked into the room, right?” Linford smiled at the babies as he poured a cup of whiskey and put it on the table before the photo, “This man is my second older brother. His name is Clyde, and you guys should call him uncle.”
“It’s good to see you, Uncle Clyde,” Cody said as he looked at the photo. And then, he pulled at Candace’s little hand, “Your place has a lot of photos, Uncle Clyde.” Candace blinked.
The little girl looked up at Cristelle. Cristelle was giving Candace an encouraging smile. “Are you also a star in heaven now, Uncle Clyde? Just like Jasper?”
Linford’s hand shivered a bit. But Cristelle nodded at the girl, “Yes, Uncle Clyde is a star now. He’s watching over us and sending us bliss every day.”
But the stars were all so far away. Candace suddenly felt a bit sad, but she was a tough girl. So she didn’t cry.
“Clyde, I brought my wife and my babies to see you just like we promised when we were young,” Linford looked up and talked to the photo sincerely. And then, he crouched down and picked Cody up, “Look, this is my son. He looked so much like us when we were young, didn’t he? He’s the bravest and smartest little boy I’ve ever seen.”
Cody arched an eyebrow. It felt pretty new to be flattered this way.
So he turned to the photo as well, “Uncle Clyde, Pop mentioned you to me a lot. He told me you were the best soldier he had ever seen. I will be just like you one day and make everyone proud.”
Linford smiled and put the boy down, carrying Candace in his arm, “Aaaand, this is my little princess. She’s the most beautiful creature in the world, and she’s the sweetest girl on earth.”
Candace went blushing for the first time in her life. “Uncle Clyde, I hope you’re doing very great in heaven.”
Linford smiled and put the girl down, pulling Cristelle to his side, “This is the love of my life. I haven’t done enough introductions the last time. So bring her here again so you can take a better look.”
With that, he suddenly took a step away and brought out a little velvet box from his pocket. When he got on one knee and opened the box, that antique ring was revealed again.
Linford looked up and looked into Cristelle’s eyes sincerely. “Before I met you, I thought I would be haunted by darkness for the rest of my life. But your and the babies’ presence changed everything. You guys are now the only hope I can hold onto. And you, Cristelle Friesley, you’re the light shining upon my life. You brought endless hope into my world. Would you marry me?”
Cristelle hadn’t expected this. Her heart was pounding violently against her chest, and her face was so red.
Candace’s mouth dropped open for a short while, and then she started to jump up and down on the floor, “Say yes! Mommy! Say yes!”
Cristelle held Linford’s gaze for a while and then turned to Cody.
Cody felt so complicated. The woman he tried so hard to protect and care for was finally getting married.
Cody sighed and nodded.
Linford Bradley was not that bad after all. He could live with the fact that this man was his Dad.
“Mom! Yes!” Candace ran over and pulled at Cristelle’s dress, “Hurry!”
Cristelle turned to look at Linford with a smile on her lips, “Yes, Linford Bradley.”
“Yay!!” Candace jumped.
Cody looked at the man and woman before him, finally letting out a faint smile.
Linford stood up and hugged Cristelle tight, whispering, “You’re finally mine now, Cristelle.”
Cristelle blushed, “Stop it. The babies are still here.”
Linford turned to look at Clyde’s photo with a smug smile on his face, “Did you see that, Clyde? You must think I have a great taste right now, right?”
Cristelle laughed.
Candace walked over to Cody and said with a hushed voice, “I’m sending Doctor Drew a message now. So he will know that Mom has married Dad.”