In the rental house, Adeline leaned against the sofa, looking at the phone screen, watching the busy figure in the kitchen.
The busy man smirked slightly at the corner of his lips.
When they were together before, no matter when, whenever Jasper said he was hungry, even if it was two in the morning, she would get up and cook for him.
He never used to cook before, he didn't even know his way around the kitchen.
But now, he was cooking seriously for Lauren, someone he had just recognized less than a day ago.
She closed her eyes.
So, he was not incapable of cooking, but rather believed she wasn't worth it.
Fortunately, his attitude towards Lauren was not bad.
At least he wasn't as cold-blooded and ruthless as he used to be towards her.
...
Blue Bay.
Sitting on a small chair, Lauren looked at the unappetizing dishes on the table in front of her. Silently, she pushed the cookies that Adeline had baked for her earlier to the forefront. "Daddy, I suddenly don't feel very hungry. I'll just eat these."
Jasper frowned, looking at the cookies in the small plate that were not much bigger than peanuts. "Can you get full by eating these?"
Lauren pursed her lips, afraid that he would force her to eat his dark cuisine, so she quickly raised her hand and covered the plate, "I'm still a kid, I have a small appetite, these are enough!"
After speaking, she subconsciously glanced at the dark things on the table, a hint of fear flashed in her eyes.
All her little actions and expressions were observed by Jasper.
A touch of annoyance swept across the man's brow.
A few minutes later, the little girl finished all the cookies on that plate.
She put the plate down and looked up at the tall man with a cheerful smile, "Daddy, I want to go upstairs for a nap!"
Jasper stood up, picked her up, and carried her upstairs.
"I want to hear the story of The Little Mermaid."
Lying on the pink bed, Lauren blinked her watery eyes and looked at the man by the bed, "Daddy, can you tell stories?"
Jasper flipped through the fairy tale book in his hand and said, "Maybe."
After a while, the man furrowed his brow and started speaking, "Once upon a time, in a sea a long, long time ago, there lived a group of beautiful mermaids..."
"Daddy," the little girl raised her head to look at him, "your tone is too stern!"
Jasper was momentarily taken aback.
He had tried his best to soften his usually cold and deep voice.
So, he slowed down his tone once again and resumed, "One day, there was a little mermaid..."
"Daddy, are you not good at telling stories?" The little one pouted, her voice sounding pitiful. "Lauren's daddy is so amazing, but can't tell stories..."
Jasper took a deep breath and retorted, "If you don't want to listen to the story, then just go to sleep, okay?"
"Not okay!" Lauren's teary eyes started spinning in her eye sockets. "I'll have nightmares if I don't listen to stories..."
Looking at the teary-eyed little girl, Jasper's heart melted completely.
He lovingly ruffled her small head, "I remember your mommy didn't like crying."
"But you cry so easily," he said with a slightly reproachful tone.
"Who did you take after?"
Lauren pouted, "Mommy isn't someone who dislikes crying. When Lauren was little and woke up in the middle of the night, she would always see Mommy secretly wiping her tears."
The child's innocent voice hit Jasper's heart like a powerful blow. He stared at her, his voice hoarse, "Does your mommy...cry often?"
"Mhmm!" Lauren pursed her lips, "But since Daddy said Mommy doesn't like to cry, then Daddy is right. Maybe this crying habit that Lauren has inherited is from you, Daddy."
Jasper couldn't help but smile and respond, "I never cry."
Lauren leaned against the headboard, her small hands nervously fidgeting together, seemingly hesitant about something.
After a while, she looked up, her gaze fixed on the man's cold and sternly contoured face, "When Mommy left Daddy, did Daddy cry too?"
The little girl's words froze Jasper in place.
He secretly glanced at Lauren, not saying a word.
After a while, he stood up, "Go to sleep, you have to take care of yourself. Daddy has something to attend to."
Lauren pursed her lips, gripping the edge of the blanket with her small hands, "But Daddy..."
"Be good!" The man opened the door without looking back, "I will find a suitable person to take care of you."
After saying that, the man walked away with long strides.
Lauren lay on the small bed, tossing and turning with anxiety.
What should she do?
It seemed like she had made Daddy angry again...
...
At noon, Adeline prepared a simple meal for Bennett, but she had no appetite herself.
Although Lauren always messaged her to let her know she was safe, Adeline couldn't help but worry when it was the first time her daughter was away from her side.
After the meal, Bennett grabbed his little backpack and headed out, "Mommy, Auntie Violet is waiting for me downstairs. I'm going to class!"
Adeline nodded and escorted him downstairs.
Bennett was always smart. Before returning to the country, he had enrolled in a children's programming class in Denver.
The class was near Violet's hospital, so she came to pick him up for school.
Adeline felt reassured leaving her son with Violet.
After seeing Bennett off, Adeline returned home and cleaned up the lunch dishes.
Just as she finished washing the dishes, the doorbell rang.
She had just moved in yesterday, so who could be looking for her?
Did Bennett forget something?
She sighed in resignation, complaining as she opened the door, "When will you fix this habit of..."
As soon as the door opened, the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat.
Outside the door stood a tall and handsome man.
Jasper was dressed in a gray windbreaker, exuding a proud temperament and indifference.
"Hello."
Unlike his domineering attitude in Blue Bay before, he now appeared unusually calm, "Miss Adeline, I'd like to talk to you."
Adeline stood with her arms crossed, her gaze casually skimming his face, "Talk about what?"
The corridor of the rental house was narrow and dim, and the dampness in the air made Jasper very uncomfortable.
He slightly furrowed his brows, "Can we talk inside?"
"No."
Adeline changed her posture, blocking him entirely, "Mr. Foster, if you have something to say, say it here."
"In my capacity as a single woman, it's best you don't come into my home, so you won't later claim that I have ulterior motives towards you."
Her words made Jasper furrow his brows tightly.
This was the first woman who dared to talk to him like this! And this woman was the one applying to take care of his daughter!
Normally, Jasper would have definitely left and let this woman experience the consequences of offending him!
But today's Jasper was different.
He hadn't forgotten that this woman in front of him was Lauren's favorite.
So, the man spoke coldly once again, "Adeline, you've been hired. From now on, it'll be your job to take care of Lauren's daily life."