Ashton had never imagined that one day he would have to fight for his son’s favor with the woman he brought back.
He calmed down the more he pondered about it.
Gregory showed me around the house after leading me in. Compared to the time we had met in the mall, he had a much wider vocabulary now.
The maids were waiting by the hall. When we neared them, they retrieved my luggage from the chauffeur and greeted me respectfully, “Ms. Stovall, we have your room prepared. Please follow me.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
On the second floor, the maid stopped in front of one of the rooms. She stepped aside and gestured while saying, “Please enter.”
I tentatively poked my head into the room, peeking inside. “You mean to say this is my room?” I gasped.
The maid nodded. “Yes. This is Mr. Fuller’s instruction. Please relay any further instructions to me if you have them.”
She then turned on her heels and swiftly left.
I walked into the room with Gregory in tow.
The room was so spacious that there was a living room in it. The interior was furnished with low-key luxury style, and it contrasted strongly with the external architecture of the family home.
I gave the room a quick study, then sat on the couch with Gregory beside me.
I had always found the boy adorable. And so, I reveled in the fact that I would be his stepmother.
As I ruffled his soft, black hair, I couldn’t help but hug him.
Puzzlement filled Gregory’s eyes, but he returned my hug shortly after. When he noticed I was comfortable with his embrace, he wrapped his arms around my neck and nuzzled his cheek against mine.
A child at this young age has already learned to take advantage of positions like this.
I was about to let him go when his adorable voice softened my heart.
“Ms. Stovall, can I always be with you? I really miss my mommy. Can you please be my mommy?”
My arms stiffened, and my heart clenched upon hearing the pain in his tone.
A young child couldn’t have known anything. He just missed his mother badly.
I patted Gregory’s back gently and comforted him, “I will always be somewhere you can find me.”
Feeling a heated gaze on the two of us, I lifted my head and saw Ashton staring at us intently. I didn’t realize he had come in.
I instantly straightened my back and tugged Gregory’s arm around my neck. “Your Daddy’s here.”
“Ashy!” Gregory yelled excitedly, bouncing over to cling onto Ashton’s leg.
Ashton’s face darkened. “Call me Daddy.”
Gregory playfully stuck out his tongue and stood upright after letting go of Ashton’s leg. “Daddy.”
The man nodded in reply, seemingly satisfied as he lifted the boy up.
The sight of Gregory in Ashton’s arms filled me with warmth.
Like what he did with me earlier, Gregory wrapped his arms around Ashton’s neck and nuzzled his face.
Ashton frowned. “What are you sniffing at?”
“If you smell jealous,” Gregory answered puzzledly.
Ashton placed him down on the couch gently. “Jealous?”
I was able to guess Gregory’s next words, so I swiftly opened my mouth to interject.
“You’re jealous!”
“Gregory!”
Sadly, I was a second too late.
Gregory, not taking any credit, said proudly, “That’s what Ms. Stovall said.”
My mouth fell open; I had been rendered speechless.
Ashton gave me a puzzling look. I could imagine his thought process.
I lowered my head, pretending to adjust my outfit and glance around the room, intentionally avoiding eye contact with both of them.
Ashton said a moment later, “Call her Mommy next time.”
“Mommy?”
Gregory pouted and tugged on Ashton’s sleeve. “Do I have to play pretend that she’s Mommy?”
A sense of guilt rose from my heart.
Children can’t lie. It doesn’t matter how much they like you. They wouldn’t want anyone to replace their parents.
