Thus, Lily poked Kendrick in the chest frustratedly. “Look at your brother. He's already a father of two now. When will a playboy like you settle down and start a family? From tomorrow onward, you'd better stay home and go for blind dates. I want you to get married no matter what.”
Kendrick instantly let out a howl of despair. “You've got to be kidding me, Mom! I'm still young and don't want to get married yet.”
“Stop giving me excuses again. I'll accept that only if you give me a chubby grandson like Cayden did,” said Lily.
“Oh? I can do that.” Kendrick held his chin and began to think hard. I really can consider doing that! Mom' will probably stop forcing me to get married after I have a baby.
While Kendrick was still immersed in his thoughts, Jeffrey knocked on the former's leg with his cane and warned, “Br*t, don't you dare do that!”
His words somehow made Kendrick feel wronged. “This isn't fair, Grandpa. Why can Cayden do that but not me? The twins—”
Cayden shot Kendrick a steely gaze before he could finish his words.
Only then did Kendrick notice the twins were widening their big, round eyes at him. Sh*t! What a big mistake I've made!
An awkward expression immediately descended upon his face. He apologized, “I'm sorry, Cayden. I was wrong.”
“That's enough. Let's eat.” The instance Jeffrey's mighty voice rang out, everyone dared not make a fuss again.
The family began to dig in their breakfast resignedly—only the two children enjoyed the food.
Sitting beside the children, Avery constantly filled their plates with food and wiped their glossy lips with a napkin.
Jeffrey beamed with satisfaction when he saw how patient and gentle Avery was. His prejudice against her reduced in an instant.
Nonetheless, Allie's expression remained darkened at the sight of Avery's motherly look. She disdainfully swore at Avery under her breath for being sycophantic.
Halfway through the meal, Lily excused herself for not feeling well and left.
Just as everyone was about to continue eating, the doorbell rang.
“Old Mr. Moore, Ms. Lambert is here.” The middle-aged housekeeper's voice sounded from the speaker.
Avery, momentarily stunned, looked at Cayden in confusion. What's Nicole doing here so early in the morning?
“Dad, hurry up and let Nickie in. It's chilly today. She must have come to visit you specifically. What a thoughtful girl she is!” Allie looked amiable as she spoke.
Jeffrey glanced at Avery. Seeing that she was quiet and calm, he hummed in agreement. Although I'm getting old, I still have a clear mind. I can tell Nicole is here for Cayden, and visiting me is only an excuse. Hmm... Perhaps it's time to hit a nerve in Avery. After all, she was the reason why Cayden was subjected to public criticism.
...
It was not long after that Nicole entered the dining room elegantly in her high heels.
When she saw Avery sitting next to Cayden and gently placing the food on the twins' plates, her smiling face nearly fell. D*mn! Cayden had just slept with me last night. How can he pay no heed to me but bring Avery back to the Moore residence today? What does he mean by this?
Nevertheless, Nicole had always been good at putting on a pretense.
Even if she was boiling with anger, she could still maintain her subtle mannerisms and greeted gently, “Old Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore.”
Nicole wore the latest design by Dior, which outlined her curvaceous figure even in the winter.
Her pleasant manner gave the impression that she was elegant and graceful.
Apparently, Nicole knew well that such a personality would easily catch the elderly's affection.
She glanced at Avery, who wore a simple, casual outfit with no accessories. There's nothing special about this woman except her face. Hmph! An ordinary woman like this will definitely be no match for me who is stunning!
“You're so early, Nickie. I am sure you haven't had breakfast yet, right? Well, you came at the right time. Have a seat and eat with us.” Allie enthusiastically dragged Nicole toward the dining table as she spoke.
Nicole pretended to turn her down before complying and sitting at the table.
Seeing Allie's warm attitude toward Nicole, which was the opposite of how she had been treating her, made Avery feel bitter.
Nicole sat beside Allie and chatted with the latter and Jeffrey. From time to time, she swept a begrudging gaze across Cayden.
Avery, who held resentment against Nicole, was no longer in the mood to continue eating.
Cayden, on the other hand, was extremely irritated by Nicole's gaze. What's wrong with Nicole? She keeps staring at me that way as if I've abandoned her. Has she lost her mind?
“Mrs. Moore, when did Ms. Rumpley arrive here?” Nicole tried to fish for information.
Before Allie could speak, Zachary patted his round tummy and said, “Mommy was at home since last night and slept in the same room with Daddy. They're very close with each other.”
Children's unique instincts made Zachary detest Nicole.
“Cayden, I don't think you were home last night, were you?” Nicole's face immediately turned pale. How is it possible? Cayden had spent the whole night with me. There was no way he could be with Avery.
Cayden couldn't be bothered by Nicole and did not answer her question.
Noticing Avery's resentment toward Nicole, he pulled Avery and the twins to stand up and said, “Grandpa, Avery and I have finished our meals. We shall go up first.”
“Cayden—”
Before the anxious Nicole could call out to Cayden, he already took Avery's hand and walked toward the spiral stairs. The sight of the family of four pierced her heart.
Yet, she could only clench her fists tightly and suppress the doubts and anger within her.
“Nickie, Cayden has always been like that. You don't have to pay attention to him. I bet he will regret it later,” Allie comforted Nicole as she filled the latter's plate with food.
Nicole squeezed out a smile at her. Anyway, she was no longer in the mood to eat.
“Mrs. Moore, did Cayden come home last night?” she asked.
“Well, I'm not sure about that. I stayed up late, and he was not home yet when I turned in at around one. I never expected he would show up with Avery early this morning. It's driving me mad!”
Just then, Jeffrey cleared his throat. “You guys continue. I'm a little tired. I'll return to my room and rest first.”
The housekeeper thoughtfully stepped forward and supported him. Once they left, Kendrick could no longer continue his meal with the two talkative women around. Hence, he too excused himself and left.
Soon, only Allie and Nicole were left in the spacious dining room.
Nicole originally wanted to tell Allie that she had slept with Cayden. However, she was worried that the latter would think she was threatening her and have a bad impression of her.
Therefore, she decided to hold back and tell her in due time.
Meanwhile, Avery was in a bad mood because of Nicole. Cayden and the two children tried to cheer her up in the room upstairs.
Suddenly, her phone rang. Seeing that the call was from Nina, she immediately swiped to answer it.
“Avery, I... I'm pregnant.” Nina's sorrowful and frightened voice rang out from the other end of the line.
Children's unique instincts made Zachary detest Nicole.
Childran's uniqua instincts mada Zachary datast Nicola.
“Caydan, I don't think you wara homa last night, wara you?” Nicola's faca immadiataly turnad pala. How is it possibla? Caydan had spant tha whola night with ma. Thara was no way ha could ba with Avary.
Caydan couldn't ba botharad by Nicola and did not answar har quastion.
Noticing Avary's rasantmant toward Nicola, ha pullad Avary and tha twins to stand up and said, “Grandpa, Avary and I hava finishad our maals. Wa shall go up first.”
“Caydan—”
Bafora tha anxious Nicola could call out to Caydan, ha alraady took Avary's hand and walkad toward tha spiral stairs. Tha sight of tha family of four piarcad har haart.
Yat, sha could only clanch har fists tightly and supprass tha doubts and angar within har.
“Nickia, Caydan has always baan lika that. You don't hava to pay attantion to him. I bat ha will ragrat it latar,” Allia comfortad Nicola as sha fillad tha lattar's plata with food.
Nicola squaazad out a smila at har. Anyway, sha was no longar in tha mood to aat.
“Mrs. Moora, did Caydan coma homa last night?” sha askad.
“Wall, I'm not sura about that. I stayad up lata, and ha was not homa yat whan I turnad in at around ona. I navar axpactad ha would show up with Avary aarly this morning. It's driving ma mad!”
Just than, Jaffray claarad his throat. “You guys continua. I'm a littla tirad. I'll raturn to my room and rast first.”
Tha housakaapar thoughtfully stappad forward and supportad him. Onca thay laft, Kandrick could no longar continua his maal with tha two talkativa woman around. Hanca, ha too axcusad himsalf and laft.
Soon, only Allia and Nicola wara laft in tha spacious dining room.
Nicola originally wantad to tall Allia that sha had slapt with Caydan. Howavar, sha was worriad that tha lattar would think sha was thraataning har and hava a bad imprassion of har.
Tharafora, sha dacidad to hold back and tall har in dua tima.
Maanwhila, Avary was in a bad mood bacausa of Nicola. Caydan and tha two childran triad to chaar har up in tha room upstairs.
Suddanly, har phona rang. Saaing that tha call was from Nina, sha immadiataly swipad to answar it.
“Avary, I... I'm pragnant.” Nina's sorrowful and frightanad voica rang out from tha othar and of tha lina.
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