Chapter 124 Biological Father
After hanging up the phone, Arthur didn't return to the bedroom or stay in the study.
The car drove silently through the night, finally stopping at the entrance of an estate he hadn't visited in a long time.
The place was always maintained by staff. The plants were neatly trimmed, every blade of grass and tree kept exactly as they were back then. Even the scent in the air was identical to five years ago.
Since she left, he rarely came here, yet he couldn't bear to let it fall into neglect.
This was his estate. He remembered how, to accommodate her business, he had grudgingly hired their studio to do the garden landscaping, despite his mixed feelings about it.
He walked aimlessly, his gaze finally settling on one spot.
A vast field of lavender swayed gently in the evening breeze, purple stretching as far as the eye could see.
Arthur walked into it step by step, finally lying down slowly in the center of the flower field. The flowers and grass beneath him were soft, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.
He closed his eyes, and the scenes he had deliberately buried for five years surged up uncontrollably.
He remembered those three years of marriage, how he was always cold and distant.
She stayed in the empty villa, waiting for him until late at night.
She carefully tried to get close, only to be pushed away by his indifferent words.
Looking back, the only thing he'd ever done for her was keeping this lavender field because he thought she would like it.
But he had never actually spent time with her here to enjoy it.
There were so few good moments between them—so few that even now, remembering them, the wind seemed to carry a bitter taste.
Bound by obligation, he had been blind to her, giving all his time to Sophie instead.
It wasn't until she completely disappeared that he finally realized—he had lost the only person in the world who truly cared for him.
His chest felt like something was gripping it tightly, a dense, spreading pain reaching every part of his body.
Pain, regret, unwillingness, bitterness... all these emotions mixed together, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.
Arthur slowly closed his eyes, drowning in regret. But all of this—it was entirely his own doing...
Iceland.
With Arthur's orders, William didn't dare delay for a moment and immediately had someone contact "The Potting Shed" flower shop.
Before long, an order with a staggering amount was sent to the shop.
Jasper happened to be at the shop today. As soon as the order notification sounded, he rushed to the computer to check it carefully.
When he saw that long string of numbers on the order, his little brows furrowed. He called Aria over, his voice soft but urgent, "Mommy, come look at this."
Hearing Jasper's anxious call, Aria put down what she was doing and walked over, her voice gentle, "What's wrong, Jasper?"
"Look, there are so many zeros after this number."
Jasper pointed at the screen. Aria followed where he was pointing, and the smile on her face froze, her brows furrowing.
"What zeros?"
Just as she spoke, a magnetic male voice came from the doorway.
Jasper looked toward the entrance and called out crisply, "Lance."
Lance was carrying a small cake, which he set aside, greeting Jasper, "Jasper, come see what I bought you."
Jasper obediently ran over. When he saw it was a small cake, his little face lit up with a smile, "Thank you, Lance."
Lance gently patted Jasper's head, chuckling softly, "You're welcome. Go ahead and eat."
"Okay."
After settling Jasper, Lance walked over to Aria. When he saw that string of numbers on the screen, his eyes darkened. His gaze met Aria's in the air, and they both had the same suspicion.
"It's him, isn't it?"
"Maybe."
Aria's fingers at her side curled slightly. Lance had just told her someone was looking into her, and now this large order appeared—it was hard not to suspect it was Arthur.
Lance looked at the calmness in Aria's eyes, his heart tightening. He asked softly, "What do you plan to do? Should we refuse this order?"
Aria shook her head gently, her gaze falling calmly on the order, her voice light but steady, "No need to refuse. Let's just pretend we don't know it's him. Business is business. I'll do the work."
Lance wanted to say more, but he saw her slowly turn around, looking at Jasper, who was eating his small cake nearby.
She walked over and gently touched her son's soft hair. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke softly, "Jasper, Mommy wants to ask you something."
The little one looked up, still with some cream at the corner of his mouth, and said softly, "Yes, Mommy?"
Aria's heart softened, but she still asked gently, "Do you want to meet your biological father?"
Jasper's hand holding the small spoon suddenly froze. His whole body went stiff.
He stared up at Aria blankly, his little face full of confusion.
Father? Dad?
In his five years of life, this word was as unfamiliar as a story he'd never heard before.
He'd seen other children holding their fathers' hands, seen others being lifted high by their dads...
Those scenes had never had anything to do with him.
He'd thought about asking Mommy, but he was afraid it would make her sad, so he never dared ask.
Aria saw Jasper's lost expression, and her heart ached. She said softly, "It's okay, Jasper. Just tell me what you really think."
Jasper seemed to make up his mind and said quietly, "Yes."
Then he quickly continued, "But I'm only a little bit curious. I only want to be with Mommy."
Aria looked at Jasper's anxious explanation, feeling something grip her heart. The sourness spread all the way up, making her breathing heavy. With trembling hands, she wiped the cream from Jasper's mouth and said gently, "It's okay. I understand what you mean."
Lance, watching the mother and son, walked over with a light laugh and teased, "Jasper, your biological father is very rich."
Jasper immediately straightened up and rushed to say, "My mommy is rich too!"
Jasper's serious and anxious look made both Aria and Lance smile. She chuckled and ruffled Jasper's hair, saying gently, "Okay, Mommy knows what you mean. Keep eating your cake. Mommy needs to talk to Lance for a bit."
Jasper nodded obediently, "Okay."
Aria coaxed Jasper to continue eating his cake, then stood up gently and walked out with Lance.
Aria loved the seaside. She felt that when the sea breeze blew, all her tense emotions would relax, so she had chosen this location by the sea for the flower shop.
When she wasn't busy, she would sit by the street, enjoying the sea breeze. It was very pleasant.
Now, walking by the sea with Lance, looking at this small town where she'd lived for nearly five years, Aria felt an indescribable calm.
"What are you planning to do?"
Lance turned to look at Aria's profile. Time hadn't left any marks on her face. Instead, over the past five years, she had gained the charm of a mature woman, all of which attracted him.