Chapter 16 Do You Not Like Her?
Big wide eyes and a tall nose.
Five-year-old Alexander looked like a little star straight out of a commercial.
Dressed in a beige loungewear set, his calm expression made him seem older, losing some of the typical childish innocence.
He had an inexplicable air of coolness about him.
He stood there, staring at Frederick with a calm expression. Even though he didn't say anything, Rebecca could see the sparkle in his eyes and the obvious excitement in his mood.
It was as if he was saying, "Dad, you're here!"
Rebecca looked at Frederick, then back at Alexander, and couldn't help but blink.
They looked so alike!
It was like seeing a miniature version of Frederick!
So, without going through nine months of pregnancy or late-night feedings, she had just gained a son?
Rebecca was still lost in her happy thoughts when she heard Frederick call her.
"Rebecca..."
Frederick affectionately patted Alex's head, then turned to Rebecca and said, "His name is Alexander Windsor. You can call him Alexander or Alex."
"Alexander, this is Rebecca... You'll be seeing her a lot from now on!"
"Hi Alex, I'm Rebecca. You can think of me as an older sister. Please take care of me!"
As soon as Rebecca spoke, she noticed Frederick's sharp gaze.
It was as if he was saying, "What do you mean, think of you as an older sister? That's a bit off!"
Rebecca didn't care.
She just shivered slightly and looked at Alex. "It's so cold, Alex. Can I go play in your room?"
Alexander lifted his eyelids and glanced at Rebecca. He didn't say yes or no.
But Rebecca could clearly understand his meaning: Childish!
Rebecca fell silent.
When she looked up again, Alex was already pulling Frederick into the room.
Rebecca quickly followed them.
The spacious room was divided into three sections: a bedroom on the left, a classroom on the right, and the brightest area in the middle was a play area, clearly divided into a painting zone and a Lego zone.
Several completed Lego sets were neatly placed in their designated spots.
In another corner, a pile of scattered pieces formed the beginnings of a Hogwarts castle.
"You're making good progress, building so much already!"
Frederick's eyes showed approval as Alex pulled him to sit on the carpet.
One of them flipped through the instruction manual looking for small Lego pieces, while the other hammered away.
The atmosphere in the living room was warm and harmonious.
Frederick thought Rebecca might feel out of place, but when he looked back, he saw Rebecca leaning against a soft pillow, holding a sketchpad in her left hand and a pencil in her right, biting her lip as she focused intensely on her drawing.
Even from the side, she looked serene and beautiful, like a painting.
A small smile was just starting to form on his lips when suddenly, Frederick's expression darkened.
He felt a poke in his palm and snapped back to reality to find Alex looking at him with puzzled eyes.
Having lived in the old mansion since he was two, Alex had spent three years there. Everyone in the mansion, from Elizabeth to the household staff, could communicate effortlessly with Alex, even if he didn't speak.
Frederick could too.
So, Frederick could clearly see that Alex was asking him: Do you... not like her?
His expression softened bit by bit, but he said nothing.
Alex seemed to understand anyway.
So you do like her.
But if you like her, why do you look so angry?
Alex furrowed his brows, then after a while, with a "grown-ups are so hard to understand" look on his face, he lowered his head and continued hammering away.
Yeah, marrying her is supposed to be a happy thing, right?
Frederick's mind wandered aimlessly as he pretended to read the manual, his thoughts drifting elsewhere.
When he looked back, Frederick was speechless.
In the painting area, Rebecca had fallen asleep on the pillow, clutching her sketchpad.
"Alright, it's time for you to go to bed too."
He glanced at his watch; it was already nine o'clock.
Frederick ruffled Alex's hair, and they tidied up the tools together. He watched as Alex finished his bedtime routine and obediently lay down in bed.
Only then did he get up and go over to pick up Rebecca.
As he stood up, he caught sight of the two drawings on her sketchpad.
Frederick's eyes lingered for a moment.