Chapter 5 We Have a New Daddy
Frederick paused for a moment, his tone casual. "Life's been too boring. A few more kids will spice things up."
"Seriously? Who'd wanna be a stepdad nowadays? You hiding some kinda sickness?" Lucius sneered.
Frederick glanced at him indifferently, then turned his gaze to Xandra. "Last night, did it feel good?"
Feel good?
Xandra's mind flashed back to him pressing down on her, his forceful and powerful advances. Her face instantly turned red.
She tried to steady her racing heart, pretending to be calm. "Yeah, you were great."
"So, marry me, and every night will be that happy."
Xandra's heart skipped another beat. She glanced at Lucius, whose face was growing darker, and felt her spirits lift. "Yeah, we will be really happy!"
Xandra didn't linger any longer. She packed up her things and left the villa with Frederick. Lucius watched the car drive away, his face as dark as a storm cloud.
That guy was driving a Bentley! Xandra was really gonna marry him? He couldn't believe it.
A single mom with a kid, and a man still wanted her? That guy must have some issues!
Maybe he was gay? Trying to appease his family's pressure to marry by finding a woman as a front! That must be it! Otherwise, it didn't make sense!
Lucius felt better after his mental gymnastics.
In the car.
"Mommy, did Mr. York bully you again?" Elizabeth asked in her sweet, childlike voice.
"Mommy wasn't bullied," Xandra smiled.
"Good, with a new daddy, Mommy won't let Mr. York bully you again!" Margaret clenched her little fists.
Xandra glanced at Frederick in the driver's seat, recalling how he had stood up for her in the villa, and felt grateful. "Thanks for earlier."
Frederick's long fingers tapped the steering wheel lightly. "Good taste!"
He was mocking Xandra's poor taste in men.
Xandra chuckled. It wasn't her poor taste, it was that scumbags were too good at pretending. "Every great woman meets a few jerks when she's young."
She was good at making excuses for herself. Frederick glanced at her. "Do you still like him?"
Xandra laughed mockingly. "Do I look like an idiot?"
How much of a fool would she have to be to still like a despicable scumbag? Frederick's eyes narrowed. If she didn't like Lucius, why did she keep asking who Lucius liked more?
The car continued on and arrived at City Hall. The three kids waited in the car while Frederick and Xandra went inside to queue up for their marriage registration.
After going through the procedures, they received their marriage certificate copy.
Xandra still couldn't quite believe it. She had just called off an engagement, and now she was... married? And to a man she had only met twice?
"How long are you gonna stare at it?" Frederick's deep, magnetic voice pulled her back to reality.
Xandra put the marriage certificate copy away. "I haven't asked you, why were you in room 1802 last night?"
Frederick's eyes flickered, and he lied smoothly. "Halden Grand Hotel is part of the Russell Group. Last night, I was accompanying my boss for a business meeting, and someone gave up their room for him. He had to leave early, so I took the room."
So that's what happened! Xandra didn't doubt him.
Frederick's cold voice came again. "You should thank me. If it wasn't for me, you would have had to endure all the suffering last night alone."
Xandra's heart felt like it was pricked by a needle again. Yes, she indeed should thank him. Even though she didn't understand why Raymond wanted to marry her.
At least his appearance had spared her some humiliation.
In the car, the three kids were peeking out the window.
"Mommy and Mr. Flores got married. We have a new daddy now."
"We're not kids without a daddy anymore."
Elizabeth and Margaret were overjoyed.
"Chuck, can we call Mr. Flores daddy now?"
Charles frowned. "Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because Mommy doesn't like him yet. What if she decides Mr. Flores isn't good and leaves him?"
So, they couldn't change how they addressed him yet. They needed to wait until their relationship was stable.
"Mr. Flores is so handsome. How could Mommy not like him?"
"Yeah, I like handsome Mr. Flores."
Elizabeth and Margaret both chimed in.
Charles felt he couldn't communicate with his two less intelligent sisters.
"Mommy isn't as superficial as you two. Just remember, we can't call him daddy yet."
Elizabeth and Margaret were clearly disappointed. But the bond of blood made them obediently listen to their brother.
Soon, Frederick and Xandra got back in the car.
As the car drove on, the two chatterboxes started again.
"Mr. Flores, are we going to your house now?"
"Mr. Flores, are we going to live together from now on?"
Frederick smiled slightly. "Yes, we'll live together from now on."
Before long, the car drove into a high-end neighborhood called Riverside Estates.
Frederick parked the car and led them to the 17th floor via the elevator.
He pressed the fingerprint lock, and they went inside.
It was a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment, about 1,700 square feet. The decor was understated yet luxurious.
Everywhere you looked, it exuded quality living.
The three kids explored curiously. Xandra's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"This is your place?"
This was a high-end area in Seaside City. The environment and facilities were top-notch. An apartment here would cost around a million dollars.
How could a mere assistant afford to buy a place here?
"I rent it."
Frederick lied without batting an eye. This was the most ordinary property he owned. He had just asked his assistant to tidy it up.
Xandra found this more believable.
"How much is the monthly rent?"
Frederick glanced at her. "Why?"
"Since we're married now, as a member of the household, I should contribute to the rent."
She wanted to pay rent? Frederick raised an eyebrow and teased, "It's over four thousand dollars a month. Are you sure you want to split it with me?"
So expensive! Xandra took a deep breath and suggested, "The rent is a bit high. Should we find a cheaper place to stay?"
Frederick replied, "You want to lower my living standards as soon as we get married? That wasn't my goal."
Clearly, Frederick enjoyed a high standard of living. Even living alone, he rented such a big place.
Xandra gritted her teeth. "Then I'll give you two thousand dollars a month."
She couldn't afford more. She still had to raise three kids!
Frederick gave her a second look. "Two thousand dollars a month? Do you have a job?"
He remembered the information indicated that Xandra had dropped out of college because of having a child out of wedlock.
She had been at home taking care of the kids for the past few years.
Xandra lowered her gaze, her long lashes trembling slightly. "Although I don't have a formal job, I take on freelance jewelry design projects. I still have an income every month."
She had studied design in college. If it weren't for that accident four years ago, she would probably be working as a jewelry designer at a big company now.