Chapter 144 You Are Mine (Part 1)
Jack grinned and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket. "Keep the change."
"Thanks a lot, man!" the ice cream vendor replied cheerfully.
Alison was completely floored. Jack had swooped in to help the kids out of a tight spot, but now it seemed like it wasn't even necessary.
Ethan tugged at her sleeve, "Mom, hurry up! The ride's timed, and we're almost at the one-hour mark!" Meanwhile, the staff member holding the boat was also urging, "Ma'am, please get on the boat!" He had other customers waiting.
Alison had no choice but to step onto the boat and sit next to Jack. Jack and Ethan started pedaling together, and the boat quickly glided across the water.
Sophi clapped her hands, delighted. "Big brother is awesome, and so is Daddy!"
Ethan was full of energy but found the ice cream in his hand a bit cumbersome. He turned to Alison, "Mom, can you hold Dad's ice cream for him? Sophi can hold mine. Let's row the boat to that tree and eat our ice cream together." Without waiting for Alison's response, he handed her the ice cream.
Alison had no choice but to take it, sighing inwardly. The situation felt surreal, like a dream where reality and illusion blurred together.
Sophi couldn't wait to get to the tree. She grabbed the ice cream from the small table, scooped a spoonful, and put it in her mouth. "So sweet!"
Ethan, feeling envious, shouted, "Sophi, give me a bite!"
Though a bit reluctant, Sophi picked up Ethan's ice cream and obediently fed him a spoonful.
At that moment, Jack, who hadn't looked at Alison, suddenly spoke up. "Why aren't you eating?"
Alison was taken aback. "Uh... nothing, really."
Jack pressed on, "What do you mean, nothing? I asked why you're not eating."
Alison stammered, "I... I..." She wanted to say she didn't feel like eating but felt it would be inappropriate.
Jack said, "If you're not going to eat, feed me a bite. I want some." He still didn't look at Alison but naturally expected her to feed him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Reluctantly, Alison picked up his ice cream, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to his mouth. He ate it while steering the boat.
Sophi, feeling jealous, moved closer to Alison. "Mommy, you're so nice to Daddy. I want you to feed me too."
Jack, in a low voice, ordered Sophi, "Sit down. It's not safe."
He didn't say much, but Alison felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, her heart racing.
With the kids around, Alison didn't dare ask any questions.
Ethan said, "Alright, but Mommy, remember to feed me a bite when we get off the boat." He had just seen Mommy feed Daddy ice cream and thought it was great. It seemed like Mommy had never treated their CEO Daddy this way.
It wasn't their fault for switching sides; it was just that Mommy and this new Daddy looked so perfect together.
Alison started nervously twisting the hem of her shirt, feeling utterly useless in front of the kids for the first time. She had no idea how to handle Jack's sudden, strange behavior.
He really was acting like Sophi and Ethan's dad.
Could it be that he really knew?
Her mind was in turmoil, and the more she thought about it, the more confused she became, not daring to look at Jack.
"Alison, I want another bite," Jack said, his tone a mix of dominance and gentleness.
"Oh." She instinctively scooped another spoonful and fed it to him, her mind completely blank.
This scene was something she had never imagined, leaving her in a daze.
Jack took another bite of the ice cream. It was really sweet.
He looked at Ethan across from him and said, "Ethan, steer the boat to the tree. Daddy and Mommy will switch places with you and Sophi. You can take the wheel, okay?"
"Sure!" Ethan was immediately excited. He had been eyeing the steering wheel for a while, eager to turn it. He loved it.
Boys loved this kind of thing, while Sophi sat quietly next to Ethan. The twins had a special bond. She said, "Brother, you steer the wheel, and I'll keep feeding you ice cream."
Their coordination made Jack especially fond of these two little ones.
They were his precious treasures, and he adored them.
Jack didn't say much, just worked with Ethan to row the boat.
Around them was water and a beautiful landscape.
Among the lush green trees, the flamboyant trees were in full bloom, creating a breathtaking view. Normally, Alison would have felt very happy, but now, her heart was in chaos, and she couldn't even speak.
Sophi happily ate her ice cream and sweetly asked, "Mommy, why aren't you talking?"
"Nothing," she quickly denied, not wanting Jack to know how awkward she felt.
Ethan joined in, "Mommy, can you sing us a song?"
She was about to refuse when Ethan quickly added, "Mommy, I want to hear you sing. Please sing us a song!"
She hurriedly said, "Ethan, don't be silly. This isn't a karaoke place; we're outside. We can't just sing anywhere." She had a lovely singing voice, but Jack didn't know that.
To her surprise, Jack, in a good mood, said, "Just hum a few lines. Look at how nice the weather is."
She pouted, protesting for the first time against the combined request of the three. "No."
Jack seemed to notice her blushing and said slowly, "Alright, not now, but you have to sing tonight."
She still refused, "No."
She was increasingly confused by him. What was he trying to do? She decided she would ask him clearly when Sophi and Ethan weren't around.
Jack smiled and said, "Ethan, you and Sophi sing a song. Don't be shy like your mommy." He was in an exceptionally good mood today, smiling more brightly than she had ever seen.
Ethan said, "Sure, no problem."
Jack looked at the two kids with a face full of affection.
Alison gently rubbed her legs, then tugged at Jack's sleeve, whispering so only he could hear, "Jack, if you keep this up, they'll really think you're their dad."
But Jack seemed not to hear her, focusing on listening to Sophi and Ethan sing. It didn't matter if the kids sang well or not; their adorable expressions made him want to kiss them.
He said nothing, just smiled at everything around him.