She Was Never Just a Pretty Face novel Chapter 256

It was Joyce!

Sitting right next to her was a toddler, no older than two.

Her little face was perfectly soft and round.

She had bright, expressive eyes.

One look was all it took to know this was Jocelyn.

His and Hilda's third child.

But Hilda had absolutely no idea.

She was currently raising her own daughter under the guise of being her aunt. Watching the little girl look so blissfully oblivious and carefree, Luther was violently violently thrown back to the memory of that inferno. The night he had completely lost both Hilda and their child.

Luther's eyes locked squarely onto Joyce's.

Joyce, however, completely failed to decipher the crushing depth in his gaze.

Refusing to watch his philandering play out in real-time, she aggressively turned her head away. Still feeling a bitter sting of humiliation, she focused entirely on the menu. Jocelyn, who couldn't read a single word but definitely recognized the pictures, pointed a chubby finger at the langoustines and chirped, "I want this big shrimp!"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Luther was already out of his chair and walking toward their table.

Diana jumped slightly. "Luther?"

He completely ignored her. The only things existing in his world right now were the little girl in the floral dress and her devastatingly beautiful mother. That white dress showcased her stunning, athletic figure perfectly. Even after having three children, she retained her youthful radiance—truly blessed by genetics. Damien had clearly been taking phenomenal care of her.

Without skipping a beat, Luther reached down and effortlessly scooped Jocelyn into his arms.

He held the little girl securely against his chest.

"Ms. Croix, what a wonderful coincidence."

"Is this your brother's little girl?"

Jocelyn blinked, completely unbothered by being held by this tall stranger.

She tilted her head back, studying his face with sheer curiosity.

—*He's so shiny and handsome.*

The little girl reached out a tiny hand, patting his jawline, then booped his perfectly straight nose. Her massive, sparkling eyes blinked adorably before she leaned in and planted a loud, wet kiss right on his cheek. She was as affectionate as a golden retriever puppy. Exactly the way Annie used to be.

Luther's heart instantly melted into a puddle.

Right there, in the middle of a hyper-exclusive fine dining restaurant, he kissed the little girl's button nose, then kissed her soft cheek.

Sitting at the adjacent table, Diana was suddenly consumed by panic.

Her razor-sharp instincts immediately picked up on the fact that this 'Ms. Croix' bore an eighty-percent resemblance to the late Mrs. Sanford. Was she Luther's newly acquired stand-in? Just like that Summer Shaw girl he kept tucked away at the office? She used to view Summer as a legitimate threat. But looking at the situation now, Summer was absolutely nothing. This woman right here was the real danger.

Diana walked over, expertly positioning herself intimately close to Luther's chair. Her tone oozed with the practiced familiarity of a long-term girlfriend. "Luther, is this Annie's new teacher?"

She extended a perfectly manicured hand. "Ms. Croix, it's a pleasure. I'm Diana Dayne. I'm a... close friend of Luther's."

She shot Luther a devastatingly sweet smile.

Leaving absolutely no room for misinterpretation regarding their relationship.

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