Twin Cupids at Work Daddy Come Home novel Chapter 154

Busted!

Oliver darted back inside in a flash.

Good luck, Mom. You’re on your own now.

Madeline forced a smile, biting down on her lip as she faced Julian. “How did you figure it out?”

Julian let out a short laugh. “You really think you can hide something like this from me?”

Seriously?

He saw right through her. When did he get to know her so well?

“Are you going to walk out, or should I carry you out myself?” Julian’s eyes were cold and his voice was even colder.

It felt icy, the tension thick enough to choke on.

Madeline clenched her jaw, feeling completely exposed under Julian’s stare. There was no way she could get Oliver out of here now that Julian had caught them.

Just as Madeline was desperately searching for any way out, her phone buzzed in her hand.

It was a message from Oliver.

Oliver: Mom, just go. Don’t worry about me.

Oliver: I’ll be fine. Really.

Madeline turned off her phone and stood there for a second, debating what to do. Finally, she looked up at Julian, feeling as deflated as a popped balloon. “I’ll go by myself.”

She turned and started walking out, slow and heavy-footed. After a few steps, she couldn’t help but look over her shoulder. Of course, Julian was still watching her.

Madeline quickly looked away, cheeks burning with embarrassment, and forced herself to keep going.

Julian watched her leave, then turned and headed straight for Oliver’s room.

Oliver was still at the window, watching Madeline’s figure disappear down the street. Suddenly, the door swung open. Julian grabbed him by the back of the collar, lifting him like a kitten, and dropped him onto a chair. Then Julian sat down right across from him, face unreadable.

Julian stared at Oliver’s wide, curious eyes. He didn’t answer right away.

Why didn’t he hate this kid? He couldn’t even explain it to himself. He knew Oliver wasn’t supposed to be his, but he just couldn’t bring himself to hate him.

Maybe it was the guilt. That night he’d told Madeline to get rid of the baby, he was just furious. He only wanted to teach her a lesson. When he heard about Madeline and the baby dying, that guilt hollowed him out. The only thing he could do was to be good to the child who survived.

And as for why he wouldn’t let her take Oliver away... Partly, he’d raised the boy for five years and was attached. Partly, if she left with the kid, there would be nothing left between them. Madeline would slip further and further away, and just thinking about that made him anxious, restless, even angry.

He couldn’t let them go.

“Dad? Dad?” Oliver blinked up at him, waiting and waiting. When Julian didn’t answer, he called out softly.

Julian let out a long sigh and finally said, “Because I don’t want to.”

“That’s it? Just because you don’t want to?” Oliver’s face fell. He’d waited so long for an answer and got, what, four words?

Julian saw the look on his son’s face and just raised an eyebrow, looking completely unbothered. “What else did you expect? Kids really shouldn’t ask so many questions.”