The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 295

Following behind them, Suzie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She shook her head and scooped up Zayn and Zeke, carrying them inside.

For a moment, watching the adorable children, Oliver and Hayden seemed to forget their earlier hostility. They both wore the same amused, helpless expressions.

Stella walked over, gently taking Zeke from Suzie’s arms and cooing at him. “Is our little Zeke drooling? What’s going on here?”

Zeke immediately wrapped his arms around Stella’s neck and whined, “Stella, I wanna… I wanna see what’s in there.”

Stella playfully pinched his nose. “Haha, I knew it… Come on, Stella will help you open it.” She gave Suzie a meaningful glance over her shoulder before carrying Zeke further into the room.

Suzie followed Stella’s gaze and saw Zoey feeding the burnt cookies to Oliver and Hayden, one piece at a time. The two men were playing along beautifully, eating them with exaggerated praise.

Suddenly, Zayn, still in Suzie’s arms, spoke up. “Mommy, burnt cookies lose their nutrients and taste bitter. They can also produce substances that are harmful to the body. So, they shouldn’t eat those cookies. If they get sick, no one will be here to play with us.”

Suzie gently pinched his little cheek. “Has our Zayn been watching science videos again? You know even more than Mommy does. And Mommy is very good at taking advice. But how can you stop your sister without hurting her feelings?”

Zayn tilted his head, his big, bright eyes staring into the distance as he thought for a moment. Then he said, “Let’s work together. I’ll distract Zoey and pull her over to Stella. While she’s busy, you can throw the cookies in the trash. The rest is up to Oliver and Hayden.”

Suzie smiled. “Oh, stop, Hayden. It’s these kids who are so well-behaved and easy to care for. They say good children come to repay a debt from a past life. If that’s true, I must have been pretty good to them.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Hayden’s hearty laughter filled the room.

Sitting to the side, Oliver watched the scene unfold, listening to their lighthearted conversation. The last bite of cookie in his mouth suddenly tasted even more bitter, now with a distinct sourness. Suppressing his dejection, he quietly rose from his chair and walked out to the balcony.

Hayden watched him go, then gave Suzie a pointed look. Suzie’s gaze slowly drifted toward Oliver’s back. As she stood there, lost in thought, Stella rushed over and grabbed her hand. “Suzie, the nanny is playing with the kids. Come to your bedroom with me. I need to talk to you.”