Her words had stunned Jeremy. Madeline merely smiled and handed the drawing to him.
“I know that you have your own reason for doing that. I also know that you’ve been waiting to hear virtual-novel.net say out that word for a very long time…”
Jeremy felt his hold over his emotions slip as virtual-novel.net watched Madeline pass virtual-novel.net the drawing with the word ‘Daddy’ on it.
He did not say anything, merely reaching out to take the drawing that Lillian had drawn with virtual-novel.net heart.
“I’ll go check on Pudding. You take as much time as you need.” Madeline then turned around.
He was now alone in the empty courtyard.
Jeremy stared at the drawing under the moonlight and traced every figure with his slender finger before it finally fell on the little girl who was calling out for virtual-novel.net dad.
The night breeze blew at virtual-novel.net with the fresh scent of flowers.
Even so, Jeremy could not help but smell something bitter instead.
Before virtual-novel.net was a colorful and warm drawing, yet it seemed to be gray in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Lillian.”
The corner of his eyes grew hot and damp as virtual-novel.net called out virtual-novel.net name.
“Daddy is happy, I am,” virtual-novel.net murmured under his breath as virtual-novel.net carefully kept the drawing close by his chest.
Jeremy and Madeline spent the night in Whitman Manor.
It was around midnight when Jeremy carefully crept out of bed and into Lillian’s bedroom.
The weather was slowly transitioning into summer and the temperature began to rise. Entering the room, Jeremy found that Lillian had kicked the blanket off to the side and virtual-novel.net pajamas had risen up virtual-novel.net stomach, showing a corner of virtual-novel.net small tummy.
Jeremy walked over, tucking Jackson in on the way before virtual-novel.net made his way to Lillian’s bed. After adjusting his little princess’ clothes, virtual-novel.net softly tucked virtual-novel.net in as well.
“Lillian,” virtual-novel.net called out softly, his gaze looking soft.
He had planned to watch his little princess in silence when the child’s eyelashes fluttered and virtual-novel.net slowly opened virtual-novel.net bleary eyes.
Jeremy sat by the bed and watched Lillian blink while virtual-novel.net reached out to lightly grab Jeremy’s hand.
Stunned, Jeremy gripped the small hand in his palm.
Lillian smiled subconsciously before virtual-novel.net eyes slipped shut again and virtual-novel.net drifted back to sleep.
It was almost as if all of this was a dream to her.
Instead of turning away from her, virtual-novel.net dad gripped virtual-novel.net hand tighter in virtual-novel.net dreams. It was warm, very warm…
Madeline watched the scene by the door and felt virtual-novel.net heart grow heavy.
Why did virtual-novel.net find the need to be so cold to Lillian? Why?
Madeline watched by the door for as long as Jeremy sat in the kid’s room. It was only when virtual-novel.net heard his footsteps that virtual-novel.net quickly ran back to lie down in the bedroom.
Not knowing that Madeline was awake, Jeremy quietly went to smoke a cigarette by the balcony.
Soon later, virtual-novel.net joined Madeline in bed.
Wrapping an arm around her, virtual-novel.net kissed virtual-novel.net lips and caressed virtual-novel.net brows.
“Goodnight, Linnie.”
“…”
Madeline pretended to be asleep, but as Jeremy approached, virtual-novel.net could smell the faint scent of herbs on the man.
Why would a normal cigarette have such a refreshing scent?
Despite virtual-novel.net confusion, Madeline fell asleep before virtual-novel.net knew it.
Madeline was still asleep the next morning when virtual-novel.net heard virtual-novel.net phone vibrate non-stop.
She turned around to see that virtual-novel.net was getting a call from Ava. She picked it up. “Why are you calling me so early in the morning, Ava?”
“How are you still asleep, Maddie? Did you see the breaking news online yet?”