Chapter 354: Chapter 354



Joelle moved towards the children and stopped them from sneaking bites. With a smile, she wiped their hands clean with disinfectant wipes. This simple act seemed to thaw the chill around Adrian, replacing it with a warmth that spread through his chest. The idea of a simple, happy, and cozy family life with Joelle and the children was all he yearned for now, and he was determined not to let it slip away again.

As they finished their dinner, Joelle began gathering their things to leave. Aurora, however, wrapped her small arms around Joelle’s leg. “Mom, can we stay tonight?”

“Why?”

“Because I like Mr. Miller, and I love Leah’s cooking!”

Ryland joined her, both of them clutching Joelle’s legs with hopeful eyes. The sight of their eager faces made it difficult for Joelle to decline. She crouched to their level. “Aurora, we have our own home, and we shouldn’t impose more on Adrian and Leah today. I promise we’ll come visit again soon, okay?”

“No!” Aurora dashed to Adrian, clinging to his leg. “Mom, you want to be with him too, right? Why can’t we just live with him?”

Joelle’s patience waned slightly. “Aurora, come here now.”

“Mom, I like Mr. Miller. Ryland likes him too, and you like him—”

“Aurora Watson!”

Joelle’s use of her full name signaled her rising irritation. Adrian, sensing the tension, lifted Aurora into his arms, trying to diffuse the situation. “Let’s not upset the kids.”

Leah added warmly, “Really, Ms. Watson, it’s no trouble. I can whip up Aurora’s favorite food for breakfast. Besides, it’s getting late, and it’s safer if you all stay the night here.”

Joelle was not fundamentally opposed to Aurora’s wishes, but her daughter’s sudden intense attachment to Adrian raised concerns that needed addressing. “Aurora, let’s step aside and talk.”

Aurora tightened her grip around Adrian’s neck, her expression fraught with apprehension. Ryland, sensing the shift in mood, clung to Joelle’s leg and stuttered, “Mom, don’t be mad… I’m scared.”

After handing Ryland to Leah, Joelle led Aurora away for a private conversation. Aurora had no choice but to follow her to the guest room.

Once alone, Joelle’s voice softened. “I’m not upset with you, sweetheart. I just want to understand why you’ve grown so fond of Adrian all of a sudden.”

Aurora, close to tears, avoided her mother’s eyes. “Mom, I know he is my dad. I want us to be together, like a real family. I don’t want to be called fatherless.”

Joelle was taken aback. “Who told you that?”

“I figured it out myself.” Aurora met her gaze, her voice small. “Mom, you don’t dislike him, do you?”

Joelle paused before responding. “Aurora, adult relationships are complex. Just because I don’t dislike him doesn’t mean we should live together.”

“I want Dad!” Aurora cried out, her voice cracking with distress. “I just want Dad! I want us all to live together! I hate being apart, and I hate being mocked by others!”

“Aurora, please listen to me.”

“No! I don’t want to!” Aurora shouted back, turning away and squatting down in a corner, her small form shaking with sobs. Joelle exhaled deeply, a mixture of frustration and empathy coloring her tone. “Look, we’ll stay here tonight. But tomorrow, we have to go back to our own home.”

Aurora, still not looking at her mother, muttered resentfully, “Why?”

Joelle’s patience was thinning, but she maintained her composure. “I’ve given in a bit, Aurora. Now it’s your turn to compromise. Can you do that for me?”

Reluctantly, Aurora nodded. “Alright.”

Adrian felt uneasy but restrained himself from intervening. He respected Joelle’s approach to handling her daughter’s outburst.

When Aurora finally emerged from the room, she ran to Adrian, her arms wide for an embrace. “Mom said we can stay! Can we play now?”

Adrian glanced at Joelle for approval. Her expression was neutral but firm. “Adrian, could we talk for a moment?”

“Okay.”

Adrian’s expression changed as Joelle confronted him. “Aurora knows, Adrian. Did you tell her?”

Caught off guard, Adrian replied, “What?”

Joelle sighed deeply, trying to hold her anger back. “She knows that you’re her father.”

“What? How did she find out?” Adrian’s face lit up with a mix of surprise and joy. Seeing his genuine surprise, Joelle realized he was not responsible. “I’m not sure, but haven’t you noticed her growing attachment to you?”

Adrian paused, reflecting, then a realization dawned on him. “It must be Dunn. Gracie and Fred’s boy—he’s sharp. He probably figured it out and told Aurora.”

Joelle considered this, knowing if Dunn was involved, it wasn’t something she could blame anyone for. Adrian, now distracted by the thought of Aurora knowing the truth, barely listened. His only thought was to embrace his role as her father openly.

“Adrian, even if you step up as her father, it changes nothing between us. I won’t remarry you.”

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