After dinner, the family strolled around the nearby pedestrian street before heading home.
On the way back, Deanna, perhaps too tired, unknowingly fell asleep against the seat.
Seeing this, Lance gestured for the two little ones to lower their voices and then took off his jacket to cover Deanna.
The two little ones watched his actions and covered their mouths, giggling.
Gregory seemed to think of something and furrowed his brows slightly.
Lance noticed and asked softly, "What's wrong? Why the frown?"
Hearing this, the little guy hesitated, unsure whether to speak.
But remembering the look Uncle Lionel gave Mommy when he left the research institute, he decided to speak up. He didn't want any problems between Daddy and Mommy now that they were finally together.
"Daddy, come closer. I need to tell you something in secret."
The little guy waved Lance over.
Lance chuckled, "So mysterious."
He leaned in anyway.
Chloe, watching from the side, pouted unhappily, "I want to hear too. I want to hear too."
"Shh, sister, don't wake Mommy," Gregory hushed her and then reassured, "Be good. I'll tell you later. Let me talk to Daddy first."
Chloe, though unwilling, said nothing more.
Gregory then whispered into Lance's ear, "Daddy, does Uncle Lionel like Mommy? When I looked back at the research institute, I saw him looking at Mommy the same way you do."
Lance was taken aback.
He hadn't expected the little guy to be so perceptive.
Meeting Gregory's curious eyes, he decided not to hide the truth. "You're right. That man wants to take your mommy from me. So you have to help me, okay?"
"He really wants to take her!" Gregory's eyes widened in shock at his guess being confirmed.
He quickly said, "No way. Mommy belongs to Daddy. She can't be taken away."
Seeing his son getting anxious, Lance reached out to pat his head gently. "Don't worry. Daddy won't let anyone take your Mommy."
The next day, Deanna got up early.
Today was the official start of work at the research institute, and as the person in charge, she had to be there early.
She and Lance quickly got ready and went downstairs for breakfast.
At the table, Gregory glanced at his Mommy's slender fingers and asked in a childish voice, "Mommy, didn't Daddy propose to you? Why aren't you wearing your ring?"
He looked at her with innocent eyes.
Deanna was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a question from the little guy.
Before she could respond, Chloe chimed in, "Mommy is being naughty. Daddy wears his ring every day. How can Mommy not wear hers? It's a symbol of Daddy's love for Mommy."
Last night, Gregory had told Chloe about someone eyeing their Mommy.
Chloe shared her brother's sentiment; no one should take Mommy from Daddy.
Hearing Chloe's words and seeing Lance's ring on his finger made Deanna feel a bit guilty.
"Uh, I didn't mean not to wear it. I'm just worried that doing experiments might damage the ring."
Deanna wasn't lying.
Although she worked with herbal medicine, some experiments involved chemicals that could corrode gold and silver over time.
She couldn't bear for Lance's engagement ring to get damaged.
Lance understood her concern and said, "It's okay. Wear it. If it gets damaged, I'll get you a new one."
Deanna looked at him and saw his insistence.
She recalled what he had said in the car yesterday. Was he still worried?
If wearing a ring could ease his mind, she didn't mind wearing it.
"Alright, I'll put it on later."
After breakfast, Lance drove Deanna and the kids out of the estate.
He first dropped the kids off at kindergarten before taking Deanna to the research institute.
Upon arrival, Deanna was about to get out of the car when Lance grabbed her wrist.
"What's wrong?" Deanna turned back in confusion.
Lance gently pulled her back into her seat and leaned in. "You haven't given me a goodbye kiss yet."
Seeing him seriously asking for a kiss made Deanna both amused and helpless. But she complied because she knew he wouldn't let her go otherwise.
As she got out of the car with a flushed face, she ran into Lionel arriving at the research institute.