“Archie…” Benny looked at Estella, who was beside him cautiously. “Was it really Mr. Farwell who found me?” Archie nodded. “Mommy was panicking earlier. She was about to take Essie and me to look for you when Mr. Farwell stopped her and went to look on his own.”
Benny glanced at Lucian, who was standing not far away, with a complicated mix of emotions within him. “It was fortunate that Mr. Farwell found you in time. Otherwise, Mommy would have really cried.” Archie‘s heart twinged with guilt when he thought about how anxious Roxanne had been.
Because of that, the boy had to thank his father despite not liking him.
Benny was full of regret when he learned that Roxanne had been on the verge of tears. “Did I not thank Mr. Farwell enough earlier?”
As he was unaware of the situation, he had only thanked him because his mother had told him to. Looking back on it now, he felt a little guilty.
Although he did not like his father, he thought he should thank him properly for doing their mother such a big favor.
Archie smiled at his brother, who still looked dejected. “Mommy will thank him for you.” He glanced toward the two adults. “Besides, Mr. Farwell would probably want Mommy to thank him.”
Deep in thoughts, the two boys gazed at their parents.
Estella, on the other hand, was busy amusing herself.
Roxanne did not know what the children were thinking. Seeing that it was getting late, she called out to the children, “Are you done playing? It‘s getting late, and we should head back. We‘ll come back tomorrow!”
The children ran toward them, while Benny ran straight toward Roxanne, who noticed that the child‘s expression was odd.
“What‘s the matter?” she asked as she leaned over to pull him into her arms.
“I‘m sorry, Mommy,” the boy answered glumly. “I will remember to stay by your side next time and not wander off.”
Roxanne was confused.
They were doing fine when they were out playing earlier. Why is he mentioning this all of a sudden?
Roxanne caressed the boy‘s head lovingly upon noticing his solemn expression. “I know,” she said tenderly. “Thank you, Darling. I will do a better job protecting you as well.”
“I will protect Benny, too!” Archie chirped.
Roxanne pulled the two boys in for a hug.
Meanwhile, Estella, who was standing forlornly on her own, looked a little crestfallen as she watched the two boys in Roxanne‘s arms.
The scene did not go unnoticed by Lucian.
He watched as his daughter stood pitifully at the side, and a strange feeling welled up within him
Although he understood that Roxanne was comforting the boys because she had been shaken by the events earlier, he nevertheless wondered how Roxanne would feel if she knew that Estella was also her child and that she had neglected the girl on more than one occasion.
Lucian scowled at the irony of that thought and reached out to Estella.
Gazing enviously at the two boys, the girl took her father‘s hand.
“It‘s getting late,” Lucian said in a low voice. “We should head back.”
His words roused Roxanne from her reverie, She slowly let go of the two boys, stood up, and led them to follow Lucian.
