“It’s getting late. Roxanne kept the dread in check as she walked up to the boys. “Let’s head back.” She acted as though nothing was wrong when she reached for the boys’ hands and tugged them away from Lucian’s side.
The boys didn’t notice the change in their mother’s mood and simply nodded their heads obediently. However, Lucian caught her retreating steps after she took the boys’ hands. His expression darkened at the sight.
Her intention is obvious. She’s worried about the boys getting too close to me.So was she part of the reason for the boys’ resentment toward me? Does she hate me so much?
Roxanne gave him a nod, then tugged the boys over to the counter to settle the bill. She hurriedly led them out of the workshop after, forgetting that Estella was still inside.
Estella sat at her station dazed, confused about what had happened. I just exchanged my present with Ms. Jarvis a while ago, then she already took Archie and Benny away in a blink of an eye, leaving Daddy and me here.
Slowly, she turned to her father with an assessing gaze, wondering if he made Roxanne angry again.
Lucian sensed her gaze and felt his head aching. “Essie, come on. We should be heading back too.”
I’m used to getting the cold shoulders from Roxanne, Archie, and Benny, but now even my own daughter is taking their side and suspecting that I was the cause of Roxanne’s change of mood.
Estella pouted as she dragged her feet over to Lucian’s side. Lucian reached for her hand but did not get her.
Dipping his gaze, he saw Estella grasping onto the hem of his shirt in a depressed mood. Her gaze lingered at the door where the trio left.
Lucian’s brows furrowed at her look but still led her after them. They needed to pass through the beach to get back to their rooms. It was the busiest time on the beach.
Even though the crowd was smaller compared to the night before with the firework display, Roxanne and Lucian still kept a close watch on the children. “Daddy!”
Estella yanked on the hem of her father’s shirt roughly when Roxanne didn’t look over her shoulder at her even once.
Lucian dropped his gaze as he could not read what was on Roxanne’s mind. Estella glared at him as she asked, “Did you make Ms. Jarvis mad again?”
Lucian’s eyelid twitched at her interrogation. Well, I was right. She’s blaming me.
Lucian stayed silent for a few seconds to suppress his feeling before he asked, “Didn’t you see what happened earlier? Do you think I was the one who made her angry?”
Estella contemplated with a frown at her father’s rebuttal. She slowly shook her head. “I can’t think of anything you did that would make her angry.”
All Daddy did was accept Archie’s and Benny’s presents, then Ms. Jarvis took them away. That can’t be Daddy’s fault. Lucian nodded and swung his dark gaze at the woman walking in front of him. “I can’t think of anything too.”
Everything was going swimmingly, but after I accepted the boys’ presents, Roxanne’s expression changed, and she hurriedly took the boys away. She even left Essie there. Does she want the boys to keep their distance from me so badly?
