CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13: SUSPECTED REAL DAD, SOON-TO-BE STEPFATHER, TRUE PATRON DADDY

"Old Mrs. Hawthorne."

Old Mrs. Hawthorne stepped forward and held Raina’s hand: "Good child, you’ve been wronged. Elias is not sensible. Not even present for something as important as the wedding. Don’t worry, grandma will definitely talk to him when we get back."

"Mommy, Baby will support you, don’t be mad at Daddy." Baby Hawthorne was afraid Raina would be upset and not marry his daddy, tightly clutching her dress.

Seeing the little guy’s anxious look, Raina quickly comforted him, "With Bobby here, mommy is not upset."

Old Mrs. Hawthorne glanced over, what a wonderful daughter-in-law, and yet her own grandson treated her like this.

"Baby, let’s take your mommy home."

His small hand held onto a larger one, with bright, sparkling grape-like eyes: "Mommy, Baby will take you home."

*

Blue Bay Residence

"Kill kill kill, idiot, move! Is everyone just eating crap?"

Casper North swung his short little legs, wearing a "I Hit the Jackpot Overnight" T-shirt, sitting by the computer, caught up in his game.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

The silly husky coiling at his feet immediately perked up his head.

"Woof woof woof."

Casper pressed down its head with his foot, "Mommy isn’t home, don’t open the door for strangers."

"Woof?"

Ding dong... ding dong...

The doorbell kept ringing.

It startled Casper, causing him to inadvertently... die in the game.

Casper was angry.

He looked at the surveillance camera by the door, and upon seeing the person outside, he fell straight off his chair.

"Oh my, my real dad, no wait, my stepdad, no, my benefactor daddy..."

"Woof?"

"Why is this old man coming here?" Casper swallowed nervously, his face full of fear and concern, "Did mommy fail to pull off a marriage scam, and now he’s personally here to capture us?"

Casper’s face turned pale; he quickly grabbed his phone to text his mommy.

Casper: Mommy save me, I suspect my real dad prospective stepdad true benefactor daddy has come knocking.

Upon receiving the message, Raina’s face went dark.

Suspect real dad prospective stepdad true benefactor daddy...

It’s surprising the kid doesn’t find it convoluted.

But why is The Hell King Hawthorne showing up at her place?

Could it be her identity has been exposed?

Casper could be in danger!

Raina’s expression changed dramatically; she couldn’t linger any longer celebrating with Bobby, citing an excuse she left The Hawthorne Family, and raced back to Blue Bay Residence.

After sending the distress message, Casper couldn’t focus on gaming anymore, resting his chin and staring unblinkingly at the surveillance footage of Elias Hawthorne, his black, bright eyes filled with curiosity.

"You silly husky, do you think he looks like me?"

"Woof?"

"What kind of person do you think he is? Is he candidate enough to be my real dad?" Having grown up without a daddy, he didn’t know what having one was like. "I’m really not craving a daddy, just curious, just purely curious."

Silly husky: "..."

"Eh? Is he making a phone call? Is he planning to leave?"

Casper suddenly grew anxious.

Outside the door, having rung the bell for a while and not seeing anyone open the door, Elias Hawthorne’s expression grew increasingly gloomy.

After venting out his temper to his subordinates on the phone, he was just about to leave when the door behind him opened.

A small, messy black head popped out from inside.

"Uncle, who are you looking for?"

Waiting half a day only for a child to come out, Elias Hawthorne’s face had turned unbearably grim.

"Is your parent home?"

At the mention of a parent, the little guy’s eyes instantly grew teary.

"Mommy... mommy went to work, it’s just me and the husky at home. Uncle, are you mommy’s friend?"

"Where’s your father?"

"I... I don’t have a father..."

Elias Hawthorne looked at the little guy’s pitiful face with an inexplicable heartache, just as he was about to say something, he heard a rumbling sound.

Casper exaggeratedly clutched his soda-bloated tummy: "Little tummy, behave, don’t make noise, mommy isn’t back, there’s nothing to eat."

Elias Hawthorne frowned: "It’s almost noon, how will you have lunch?"

"Don’t worry, uncle, I’ll just drink some water and my tummy won’t feel hungry."

Casper’s shiny black eyes blinked as he spoke.

Elias Hawthorne’s face immediately darkened, quickly he called Aidan Lynch: "Go to the market right away and buy..."

Ten minutes later, Aidan Lynch came in carrying large bags.

"President Hawthorne, here are your items..."

Elias Hawthorne took the goods, unbuttoned his sleeves, and headed into the kitchen, "Come in and help."

Aidan Lynch: "Huh?"

Returning home, Raina didn’t see Elias Hawthorne, and her concerned little one was already cross-legged at the dining table, enjoying a meal with the dog.

"Mommy, you’re back, come and eat. This candied pork knuckle is even better than a five-star restaurant..."

Raina was about to lose her temper, suddenly a piece of knuckle was stuffed into her mouth, and the next moment, Raina’s eyes lit up.

Delicious.

So delicious.

Without thinking, Raina joined the eating party.

Half an hour later, the big, the small, plus the dog, satisfied, patted their bellies.

Bliss.

Raina squinted her eyes: "You little rascal, which hotel was this takeout from?"

"Was it good?" Casper asked.

"More than just good, it’s practically heavenly-tasting."

Raina had the palate of a king, exceedingly picky about food, thus often unsatisfied.

This was the first time she found dishes that perfectly matched her taste.

"I must hire this chef exclusively for our family."

"Nice thought, but you can’t afford it."

Casper narrowed his fox-like eyes; his suspect real dad prospective stepdad true benefactor daddy was simply a treasure of a man.

Plenty of wealthy men out there, but with such great culinary skills, he’s one in a million.

It’s just a pity, the lack of freedom in a wealthy household...

"You little rascal, what did you do again?"

"Nothing, speaking of which mommy, did you bag my stepdad?"

Raina tossed him a red certificate, and upon seeing it, the little guy’s eyes squinted with delight.

"Not bad, not bad."

"You little rascal, since The Hell King Hawthorne is onto us, this place is exposed now. For your safety, we need to move. I’ll get a nanny for you; I should be staying with The Hawthorne Family to accompany your brother."

"No need for a nanny, just send me to godmother’s place."

Raina nodded, "That’s fine."

Saying this, the two began to pack.

Aidan Lynch all the while couldn’t stop staring at his boss, engulfed in the normalcy of domestic life.

"Seen enough?" Elias Hawthorne shot him a cold glare.

Aidan quickly averted his gaze, hesitated for a moment then spoke again.

"President Hawthorne, was that your new strategy? Oh, I know, you must have seen that the child has a deep connection with Void the Miracle Doctor, potentially Void’s son, so you start with the child, first conquering his stomach, and then his heart, to ultimately win Void over."

The more Aidan spoke, the more he felt his hypothesis was spot on.

Elias Hawthorne’s face stiffened, unwilling to admit that he hadn’t thought it through, but the child inexplicably touched a soft spot in his heart.

Maybe these were the aftereffects of becoming a father.

Not being able to bear seeing other children starving or poorly clothed.

"Enough, stop wasting time, get the car ready and head to the office."

"To the office?" Aidan frowned, "But Old Mrs. Hawthorne called saying the new Young Madam has arrived and asked you to come home early today."

Elias Hawthorne: "..."