Her cries resembled those of a young girl, causing Lachlan to burst into laughter. “Compared to when I first met you, I prefer the way you are now, full of vitality,” he said.
Their first encounter took place during a job interview. She appeared lifeless, like a stagnant pool of water. Although her work was lively, she herself seemed devoid of life.
Now, it could be said that she had come back to life. Upon hearing these words, Josie was taken aback, and she too began to have a flashback from the past.
Lachlan let out a sigh. “Smile more, Alice. You look very beautiful when you smile. I really like it.”
Given the atmosphere and the topic at hand, his statement was somewhat crossing boundaries, causing Josie to flinch in response. “I-I know…” she stammered while subconsciously avoiding his gaze.
Lachlan, however, maintained his intense gaze fixed on her. “Alice. I turn thirty this year, and I haven’t had much experience with women. As you know. Sometimes, when I return to my empty house, I wish I had someone to talk to. Before I met you, I had never experienced such a harmonious collaboration with anyone else. You understood my principles, and I understood your ambitions. We worked together, both in business and personal matters, and we did quite well, didn’t we?”
Josie felt uneasy upon hearing such sincere words. A subconscious resistance stirred within her heart as she chuckled, “You are my superior, so it’s only natural that I look up to you.”
Lachlan couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t know what you’ve been through in the past, nor do I know what kind of man Grape’s father is, to make you uninterested in everyone. But what I want to say is, I’m interested in you. It’s the kind of interest that makes me want to have a future with you.”
Yup, he’s definitely crossing the line now!
For a moment, Josie didn’t know how to avoid him. She was somewhat flustered as she said, “I… Um… I’m tired.”
“Alice.” Lachlan grasped her wrist, forcing her to look at him as he continued, “My trip to Sumanthova this time wasn’t just for work. It was primarily for you. Why don’t you give both yourself and me a chance? I am very fond of Grape, and I am willing to become her father. That way, she wouldn’t have to wait until she turns eighteen. You should consider her future.”
With that, Lachlan had said everything he needed to say.
Seeing Josie’s silence, Lachlan refrained from saying anything further. He stood up, tidied up the trash by her side, and took it away. He left without any further ado, gently closing the door behind him. The room fell into silence, leaving Josie alone in a daze.
Should I try to accept someone again? I have never thought about that before, and I never dared to. Lachlan was right about one thing, though. I should indeed consider Grape’s future. It was already unfair that she was suddenly brought into this world, so she shouldn’t have to suffer even more during her upbringing.
Yet in her mind, she would still occasionally recall the image of that man. She would always wonder what would happen if it were him instead, and what would happen if he found out.
“Josie, you’ve simply gone mad!” she murmured softly.
The following morning, as expected, Lachlan arrived punctually to pick up Josie and her daughter. As if he had forgotten what he said the previous night, his behavior seemed as graceful as ever. Not once did he pressure Josie into giving him a response.
Today’s work will take the whole day. It’s going to be tough,” Lachlan said as he escorted Josie into the hotel’s conference room.
Grape nestled in Lachlan’s arms, then said, “It must be tough, Mommy.”
A warm feeling filled Josie’s heart as she waved, smiling. As she turned around, Dexter entered through the main door, accompanied by Larry.
The first thing he saw, in fact, was Grape. She was perched on Lachlan’s shoulder, her eyes darting around, before they settled on Dexter. “Daddy!” she exclaimed.
After speaking, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. She clearly wanted to call him Mr. Russell, but the word ‘dad’ slipped out instead.
Lachlan was also startled by her. As he turned around, he was surprised to see Larry, “Mr. Peeple?”
