Chapter 15 No Fierce Mommy Allowed
After William took James and Michael back to their room to rest, Sophia from the room across the hall called Monkey, asking him to find her a lawyer for a custody case.
Sophia was determined to fight for custody of James and Michael, but she still harbored some resentment towards Michael. She decided to wait and see how he behaved before making any final decisions.
For now, she would keep her distance.
Meanwhile, Lyra had been keeping an eye on the activity next door.
Alice, who was staying in the room next to William's, was eager to ask about the situation but was politely told that "the kids are napping."
When the three children woke up from their nap, Lyra came over to take them downstairs to play. Just as they stepped out, they ran into William.
James and Michael had changed into fresh clothes.
Emily, full of energy after her nap, ran towards James with such enthusiasm that he had to step back a bit.
William used his leg to steady James, preventing them from falling.
Emily blinked up at the much taller James, her voice filled with affection. "James."
James felt a warmth in his heart and took her hand, looking up at his dad. "Dad, can I play with Emily?"
Alice, holding several kites, felt a pang of irritation at the scene. She expected William to refuse, but when he nodded, she nearly tore the kites in her hands.
Michael, hearing James's request, quickly chimed in, "Dad, I want to play with James too."
He cautiously reached for Emily's other hand, holding it gently so as not to hurt her.
Emily hesitated but then held his hand.
Lyra sidled up to Sophia, chuckling. "Sophia, your three little ones are such a delight. They have great genes!"
Sophia shot her a glance. "If you like kids so much, have one of your own."
Lyra quickly waved her hands in protest. "No way, having Emily as my goddaughter is enough. Did you see Alice's face? She looks like she's fuming."
Just then, Emily called out from in front of the elevator. "Mom, hurry up."
Sophia smiled. "Coming, sweetheart."
Alice, trailing behind, bit her lip in frustration as William paid her no attention. She tried to close the gap, hoping to create the illusion that they were a couple, but William subtly increased the distance between them.
Once in the elevator, Alice pretended to lose her balance and leaned weakly towards William.
He instinctively stepped aside, avoiding her touch.
Alice pouted. "William, I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
William's voice was indifferent. "If you're not feeling well, go back to your room and rest. There's no need to come along."
Alice looked at him with a shy, sweet smile. "I'm fine, I want to be with you and the kids."
William replied coolly, "There's no need. I can take care of the kids."
Lyra found Alice's act both amusing and repulsive, signaling Sophia to turn away, out of sight, out of mind.
Sophia let out a self-deprecating laugh, used to such scenes.
The resort had a large green lawn.
When they arrived, many families were already camping out, with some parents helping their kids set up tents.
Emily watched the other children curiously. "Mom, I want to play too."
Sophia smiled. "Sure, let's set up a tent as cute as you, okay?"
Lyra carried Emily while Sophia held James's hand, ignoring Michael, who trailed behind, feeling sad but unable to resist following.
James invited Michael to join in.
Michael glanced at Sophia, who still seemed indifferent towards him. Why was she so nice to James and Emily but not to him? He felt a deep sense of injustice.
Alice, envious of Sophia's interactions with the children, struggled to maintain her elegance while walking on the grass in high heels, but persevered.
She softened her voice towards William. "William, let's set up a tent for the kids, too."
William noticed Emily struggling with something bigger than herself, and his expression changed. Ignoring Alice, he quickly stepped forward and lifted Emily before she could fall, his voice filled with concern that even he didn't notice.
"You're too young to carry something this big." Emily felt herself lifted off the ground, looking up in surprise.
Oh, it was the "bad man" who "caught" her.
He carried her with one hand, taking the cushion from her, and walked over to Sophia.
"Emily is still so small, you shouldn't let her carry things. What if she falls?"
Sophia, who had just finished setting up the tent frame with Lyra, turned around at William's question. Seeing Emily in his arms and the cushion in his hand, she was about to respond when Emily spoke up in her defense.
Emily poked William's cheek, displeased with his tone. "Don't be mean to Mom."
William was speechless.
Sophia glanced at James and Michael, who were also holding cushions, then at Emily, who was glaring at William. She found his concern a bit over the top.
She had only given the kids small, light items to carry, to let them feel involved without any risk of harm.
Was William just in a bad mood today, or was he looking for an excuse to argue with her?
Sophia resigned herself. "If you're bored, go find something else to do."
William's face darkened immediately.
Before he could get angry, he felt a small touch on his face. Two tiny fingers pushed up the corners of his mouth.
A non-smiling William was too scary.
Seeing no reaction from him, Emily hesitated for a moment before saying, "Smile."
William awkwardly tried to smile.
Lyra, witnessing this, covered her mouth in shock before breaking into a knowing smile.
Sophia was also taken aback by William's compliance.
The next second!
A delighted Emily not only smiled back at him but also kissed him on the cheek.
Mom said good kids get a reward kiss. The "bad man" was being good.
She climbed down from William's arms, secretly hooking his pinky finger, leading him towards the tent.
James and Michael exchanged glances and quickly followed.
Though Emily was young, she noticed that in other families, dads set up the tents while moms rested. She eagerly watched William, expecting him to take action.
The tents provided by the resort were large.
Sophia and Lyra were efficient, but they lacked the strength of a man.
Just as she was about to decline help, she saw William crouch down.
With three adoring kids watching him, William began to finish setting up the tent.
By the time he realized what he was doing, the tent was already up.
Seeing the tent completed, Emily happily waved at William.
William crouched down to listen to her.
Emily, not stingy with her smiles, beamed at him and loudly thanked him. "Thank you."
Lyra gave Sophia a thumbs-up. "Our daughter is a natural charmer."
Sophia's mouth twitched, speechless.