As the restaurant in which Lucian had made reservations was not far from the beach, it took less than twenty minutes for the family to arrive.
Roxanne helped the children out of the car, and. Lucian went off in search of a parking spot. “Is that Roxanne? I can’t believe she dares to show herself.”
An unfamiliar voice rang out. Roxanne turned in the direction of the remark in confusion. Two figures who had emerged from the restaurant were openly pointing and casting strange looks at the three children beside her.
“Those two are her kids, aren’t they? And the little girl beside them is the heiress of the Farwell family?” The pair gossiped as they walked, pretending she did not exist. “How trusting of Mr. Farwell to leave his kid in her care.”
Roxanne heard their words clearly, and a strange sense of unease surfaced within her. For some reason, she noticed how everybody they passed by was giving them the same strange look.
Hearing those words as well, Archie and Benny noticed the manner in which the strangers looked at them. Turning to his brother in a panic, Benny feared. that the rumor mill on the internet was causing them trouble again..
Otherwise, why would these people look at us like that? Archie’s expression grew taut, like a wary little fox. With several noiseless steps forward, he stood before Roxanne.
Upon his arrival, Lucian noticed the hostile and wary looks on the four of them. “What’s going on?” he asked with a frown. Roxanne became inexplicably calm at his arrival and shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s head inside.”
I am likely overthinking. After all, these people don’t know me. There’s no reason for them to hate me. The pair led the children into the restaurant.
Perhaps because of Lucian’s presence, the ones who had given them strange looks earlier. averted their gazes. Roxanne heaved a secret sigh of relief.
To divert his attention, she brought up the problem with Estella’s accommodations. “Can Essie stay with me for another two days?” Estella turned her large, unblinking eyes to her father. “I would like to stay with Mommy, Daddy!”
Lucian caressed the child’s head. “Sure, but you must listen to Mommy and not give her any trouble.” Estella nodded obediently in response, beaming.
Roxanne put on a disapproving face. “It’s not the same as it used to be. Essie is my daughter. She can never trouble me.” Besides, I have never seen the child as being troublesome. Aware of the error in his words, he gave an apologetic smile. “My mistake.”
Initially only intending to make one grumbling remark, Roxanne became surprised at the speed with which he admitted his mistake and instinctively laughed alongside him. His eyes, however, darkened.
From the moment they sat down, Lucian had sensed the other patrons occasionally looking at them with what seemed to him to be disgust in their eyes.
Whipping around suddenly, he caught the neighboring patrons before they could retract. their gazes. The other customer shuddered when their eyes met, but it was too late to look away.
“What are you looking at?” Scowling, Lucian rose to stand before the man at the neighboring table, who waved his hand guiltily. “Nothing! I wasn’t looking at anything. I know nothing!”
