Chapter 838 I Don’t Have Clothes That You Can Wear
After driving for a few minutes, Aidan spoke up, saying plainly, "I heard everything you guys said just now."
"Oh." Louis didn't react much. "It's my first time seeing someone admit to eavesdropping so blatantly."
Aidan's expression remained unchanged. "How is it eavesdropping when I'm in my own house?"
Louis ignored him.
Aidan continued, "I understand everything you said, and I also know why you would make the choice. But have you ever considered that every person is an independent existence since birth, and all connections are bestowed upon them by their loved ones? You only think they are strangers because you never interacted with them."
Louis remained silent.
Aidan continued, "Let's bring it close to home. You and your nephew were strangers, too, before meeting each other, no? But because you considered him family from the bottom of your heart, you were willing to get close to him."
"It's different."
"How is it different? Isn't it all because William didn't fulfill his responsibilities as a father in the past ten, twenty years?" Aidan continued plainly. "Do you think it's because Leanna doesn't want to see the child that I didn't let her meet him?"
Louis frowned slightly and clenched his hands on his knee.
Aidan said, "I'm telling you all this not to persuade you, but since the outcome has already been determined, it's better to try to accept it instead of resisting. In this matter, you won't have to pay any price or lose everything you have. Instead, you can gain something you have never had before."
Louis said, "I don't need it."
"Do you know what I said to your sister when she was pregnant?" Aidan monotoned. "I thought the child was a burden, and I didn't want him. But it all changed when I truly felt his existence.
"You only ever had a father like Jethro your whole life, and he was the source of all your pain and trauma. You're afraid of becoming someone like him in the future, but are you not afraid of becoming a father like him?"
"I won't."
Aidan sneered, unknown if he was laughing at Louis or himself.
"I used to think I wouldn't either," Aidan said.
Louis was rendered speechless.
Aidan tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. "Alright, I wouldn't be rambling about this with you if our sister hadn't been in a bad mood because of this issue. Think it through and figure out what you want. If you still prefer a solitary life, then forget everything I said. Or maybe, for you, a true sense of home."
After a while, Louis looked at the road ahead and said, "My home is not in this direction."
Aidan said, "Aren't you going to find Daphne?"
Louis hesitated for a moment and asked, "How do you know everything?"
Aidan quirked a brow. "You'll know everything, too, when you sit in my position."
Louis didn't say anything anymore and just withdrew his gaze, looking quietly out the window.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up at the entrance of an apartment complex.
Aidan said, "There's an umbrella in the trunk. Get it yourself."
Louis sullenly said, "No need."
With that, he opened the car door and walked into the apartment complex.
Meanwhile, Aidan smiled as he gazed at the leaving young man. Smart kid. I wouldn't have taken an umbrella, either.
…
Upstairs, Daphne had just finished practicing yoga and was about to apply a face mask when she remembered Louis found her wearing a clay face mask the last time he came, so she chose a sheeted, hydrating one in case he suddenly showed up.
After applying the face mask, she tidied up the house.
Although she had asked the maid to clean in the afternoon, she still thought something wasn't quite right.
At that, she rechecked the bedroom and bathroom, making sure everything was neat and tidy before finally heaving a sigh of relief.
Not long after, the doorbell rang.
She responded and quickly ran to the bathroom, took off the face mask, and washed her face with water. Then, she grabbed a face towel and went to open the door. "Coming."
By the time she answered the door, she found Louis standing outside with his clothes and hair slightly wet.
Though it was only drizzling outside, it was still uncomfortable to be soaked.
Daphne pulled him inside. "Did you not bring an umbrella with you?"
"I forgot," said Louis.
Upset, Daphne rambled at him, "Didn't I tell you to take your medicine on time and not catch a cold again? You've only just recovered a little, and now you're caught in the rain again. When will you—"
Louis pursed his lips. "Can I use your bathroom?"
"Go ahead." Daphne paused for two seconds. "But… I don't have clothes that you can wear."
"Didn't you come back with one?"
Daphne fell silent at that. Right, she almost forgot.
At that, she waved at him. "Go wash up. I'll get you your clothes."
At that, she waved at him. "Go wash up. I'll get you your clothes."
"Thanks," Louis said.
With that, Daphne went to the laundry room. The maid had done all the laundry when she came in the afternoon.
Her washing machine was a combination washer and dryer, and a few pieces of clothing were already neatly folded there.
Daphne walked over, found Louis' short-sleeved shirt, and was just about to give it to him outside the bathroom when she heard water running coming from inside.
Does he move that fast? she mused, then cleared her throat, knocked on the door, and said, "I've left the clothes outside the door."
However, no response came from inside.
She didn't know if he heard it or not.
Daphne looked around and found a small stool, placed the neatly folded clothes on it, and placed it outside the door, making sure he would see it as soon as he opened the door.
After that, she returned to the couch. To distract herself, she turned on the TV and put on a reality series as background noise.
But little would she know that the TV was playing the reality show she recorded with Louis as soon as she turned on the TV.
She was about to change the channel when she realized TV Louis was looking at the TV her, and her gaze at him wasn't one of innocent either.
She cupped her face with both hands as she watched the show. How did she not notice those ambiguously romantic interactions between them during the recording?!
No wonder more and more people shipped them, and more and more people criticized her.
If she put herself in Louis' fans' shoes, she would also likely be worked up seeing him with a woman several years older than him.
That said, she was indeed worked up right then. If she hadn't been able to calmly boot Theodore away earlier, she would've wondered if she was a hopeless romantic.
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, the bathroom door opened, and Daphne, still watching TV, spoke up. "I've left the clothes outside the door for you. Do—"
"They're a bit wet." A voice came from beside her, very close.
Daphne instinctively looked over and felt blood rushing to her head.
Why aren't you wearing your shirt?!
Louis was tall and slender, with no excessive fat on his body, and his abs were to die for.
He stood there, holding the short-sleeved shirt, just looking at her.
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