Chapter 190: You Still Love Him!

When Madison opened the bedroom door, Nora was just about to knock.

The moment Nora saw Madison, her eyes lit up and she threw herself into her arms. "Mom, you're really back! I saw your shoes by the door."

Madison instinctively reached back to pull the door shut and scooped Nora up. "I had nothing going on today, so I left work early."

Noah hadn't noticed anything off about Madison's expression. He asked quietly, "Did Dad Nathan come by today?"

Madison figured they must have spotted the men's shoes by the door.

She was still trying to figure out how to explain when the bedroom door suddenly swung open behind her.

Nora stared at Alexander like she'd seen a ghost. Her mouth dropped open and her little brows scrunched together. "Why are you here?" she demanded.

She didn't even bother with a polite title this time.

Alexander looked at the little girl's hostile face and felt a twinge of helplessness.

Madison cleared her throat and tapped Nora on the head. "Don't be so rude."

Nora pouted, and the look she shot Alexander turned even more resentful.

It was all his fault. She wouldn't have gotten scolded otherwise.

Strangely enough, facing the little girl's glare, Alexander didn't feel the least bit hurt. If anything, he was a little pleased.

The fact that Madison was willing to stand up for him in front of the kids meant she didn't actually dislike him that much, right?

Madison could tell exactly what Alexander was thinking from the smile in his eyes. She didn't even need to guess.

She couldn't be bothered to explain herself. She handed Nora over to Alexander and said, "Nora, chat with uncle for a bit. Mom's going to make dinner."

Just moments ago, Nora had been full of attitude in Madison's arms. The second she was passed to Alexander, all that fire went out of her. She went completely still.

Alexander looked at her stiff little face and reached up to pinch her cheek. "What's wrong? Scared of me?"

This kid really knew how to read the room. The moment she lost her backup, she deflated instantly.

Nora let out a nervous little laugh. "Uncle, you don't hit kids, right?"

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes, with kids who don't behave, I do."

Nora immediately straightened up with a very serious expression. "Nora is very well-behaved."

Noah watched Alexander tease his sister and pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

His silly little sister had been so bold just a second ago. How was she already acting cute and trying to charm her way out of trouble?

Not willing to watch his sister get picked on, Noah grabbed Alexander's pant leg with a stern face. "Let her go."

Alexander looked down at the little boy's displeased expression and sighed inwardly.

Honestly, between the two of them, Noah was the harder one to deal with.

He'd worked so hard to get the kid to warm up to him, and now it was all undone.

He set Nora down, and she immediately darted behind Noah, using him as cover to shout, "Mean uncle!"

Alexander was speechless. This little girl was something else.

Madison's voice drifted in from the kitchen. "Do you have homework today? If you do, have uncle help you with it."

Nora and Noah exchanged a look, both pulling faces of pure disgust.

Alexander could tell Madison was trying to give him time with the kids, though her approach was a bit heavy-handed.

"I'll go help in the kitchen. You two go do your homework." Alexander reached out and ruffled both kids' hair.

Nora and Noah shot him a dirty look, then bolted to their room.

Alexander wasn't bothered. He made his way to the kitchen.

He watched Madison moving around at the stove, and something soft flickered in his eyes.

These warm, quiet moments together — he had missed them more times than he could count.

He hadn't known how to cherish them back then. Now, they were something he could only long for.

The presence behind her was too hard to ignore. Madison couldn't pretend she hadn't noticed. She turned to find Alexander staring at her in a daze, and her brow furrowed slightly. "I don't need your help in here."

Besides, Alexander couldn't cook at all. He'd be useless just standing around. He might as well go keep the kids company.

Alexander pursed his lips. "Those two can't stand me. I sent them off to do their homework on their own. No point making myself even more unwelcome."

Madison raised an eyebrow and laughed, her tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. "So you finally know how it feels."

Alexander caught her open, relaxed smile and the corner of his mouth curved up in amusement. He stepped forward and leaned in, boxing her in against the counter. "You're that happy to see me struggle?"

Madison rolled her eyes at him and pushed him away. "Yes, very happy."

Alexander looked at her cold expression and let out a long sigh. "I really am all alone now. Those two kids absolutely hate me."

Madison let out a short laugh. "Isn't that your own fault?"

Alexander pressed his lips together and leaned close to her ear, lowering his voice. "When are you going to tell them who I really am? You can't keep it from them forever."

Madison's hand paused on the knife. She knew he was right.

She just hadn't figured out how to bring it up yet. "I'll find a time to tell them."

"Really?" Alexander's brow lifted, and he could barely hide the delight on his face.

Madison thought he was getting ahead of himself. She looked at him with a half-smile. "Noah already knows who you are. It's only Nora who doesn't. But don't think that just because they know, they'll accept you. As far as those two kids are concerned, you're basically public enemy number one right now."

"That's fine. At least I'll have a title."

Alexander's handsome face was full of warmth as he looked at Madison with soft, tender eyes.

His gaze made her deeply uncomfortable. She turned back to her cutting board. "What title? I never said I was taking you back."

Alexander didn't get upset at that. He just let his eyes go a little dark.

Madison kept pushing him away with every word she said, but he could still feel that she had feelings for him.

Otherwise, last night she could have easily walked away and done nothing. But she hadn't.

His steady gaze made Madison even more uneasy. She put down the knife, turned around, and pushed Alexander out of the kitchen.

"Stop getting in my way. Go find somewhere else to be."

Duly rejected, Alexander shuffled out.

Once he was gone, Madison felt the whole space breathe again. She turned back to get on with dinner — and then her phone rang at the worst possible moment.

She looked at the name on the screen and hung up without a word.

Obviously Claire was calling to fish for gossip. Madison had no interest in being anyone's entertainment.

But the moment she hung up, it rang again.

Claire was clearly not going to stop until someone picked up. Madison finally gave in.

"I'm not giving you anything to gossip about. Say what you need to say."

Claire laughed at her clipped tone, her voice playful. "You don't have to tell me. I already know what you two did last night—"

"Stop right there."

Madison cut her off, her face going red. She brought the knife down harder than she meant to.

"If you don't want Marcus finding out about those novels you've got hidden on your phone, you'll drop it right now. Otherwise I'll tell him everything."

Claire sighed, genuinely disappointed by how guarded Madison was being.

"Fine, fine. No need to go digging up my secrets. Okay, real talk — Savannah's gone missing!"