We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 175

Chapter 175

Ridley’s POV

I stared into the dark depths of my empty glass, my mind a storm of

emotions no one could decipher.

I drained another glass of whiskey in one swift motion.

“Irene was a wonderful woman, but she’s gone,” Ethan continued,

shaking his head. “You can’t keep clinging to a ghost. What about the

living? It’s fortunate your mother is so understanding, or the Sterling

line might have ended with you.”

I remained silent, gripping the empty glass until my knuckles turned

white.

The truth was, before Emma mentioned Irene, she hadn’t crossed my

mind once tonight. Not once.

The reason I was sitting here, brooding over drinks, was entirely

because of what Cedar had said this morning:

“There’s absolutely no romantic relationship between us… I’ve never even thought about marrying him…”

117

Chapter 175

Those casual, dismissive words had left me unsettled all day. That’s

why I’d called everyone here–to distract myself.

And now they’d brought up Irene.

For years, whenever I felt troubled, it was because of memories of

Irene. But this time was different. This time, my thoughts were

consumed by Cedar–her voice, her face, her presence.

I felt like I was under some strange spell. Somehow, I had forgotten

Irene, and my mind was filled with thoughts of another woman

entirely.

What was happening to me?

Cedar’s POV

”

I dragged myself back to my apartment, mentally cataloging the

takeout options within delivery range. After the chaos at work today,

all I wanted was a quiet evening alone with some pad thai and my

sketchbook.

But as I approached my door, the muffled sounds of childish giggles

made me freeze mid–step.

When I pushed open my apartment door, my jaw dropped. ‘Oliver?

217

Chapter 175

Aria? What on earth are you two doing in my apartment?”

The Sterling children had somehow invaded my small apartment.

Toys were scattered across my faded area rug, and what looked

suspiciously like designer children’s luggage sat by my secondhand

couch.

“Mommy, this is my home too!” Oliver, the youngest Sterling child,

fixed me with a surprisingly stern expression for a six–year–old. “You

can’t disown me just because I’m a Sterling. That’s discrimination!”

I bit back a laugh despite my shock. This kid might have been

watching too many dramas.

Aria, her dark hair pulled into a perfect bun, took my hand gently.

‘Aiden said he’ll be here for dinner soon.”

“Of course he did,” I muttered, fighting the urge to bang my head

against the wall.

Just last night, I’d spent hours at the Sterling mansion putting these

children to bed–reading stories, checking for monsters, and

negotiating how many stuffed animals constituted a reasonable sleeping arrangement. I’m a 26–year–old single woman who somehow

became an impromptu nanny to three exceptionally demanding

children. And now they were determined to stick around in my shabby

317

Chapter 175

little place.

I had a sinking suspicion Ridley had orchestrated this whole thing to

drive me insane.

Taking a deep breath, I set my portfolio down and tried to sound firm.

“I’ll call Charles and have him send someone to take you home. This

isn’t appropriate.”

“No!” Oliver latched onto my leg with surprising strength. “Mommy,

you can’t send me away! Don’t you love me anymore?”

His lower lip trembled in a masterful display of emotional

manipulation.

Aria’s eyes–so like her father’s–gazed up at me. “I just wanted to be with you, Mommy. We miss you when you’re not at home.”

I felt my resolve crumbling. “Look, you two are Sterling children, You

can’t stay in my tiny apartment with its leaky faucets and temperamental heating. I promise I’ll visit you often!”

Oliver’s expression turned calculating. “But didn’t Daddy give you a

new apartment? Aiden said so. That’s why we came to help you

move!”

4/7

Chapter 175

“Absolutely not!” I said too quickly. I wasn’t mentally prepared to

accept that particular gift from Ridley yet.

“Too late, Mommy!” Oliver announced with a triumphant smile. “I already talked to your landlord! He said there’s a new tenant coming

tomorrow, so you have to be out by noon.”

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. Had a kindergartener just…

evicted me?

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify