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Novel Catalog
Chapter 38
Roxanne froze for a moment before turning to Lucian. Her expression was a mixture of uncertainty and worry. She had never been fully honest with him about the incident when Estella had gone missing, and now, it seemed like the right time to address it. But the thought of explaining everything made her uneasy.
I doubt I can hide it from him, though, she thought, a tinge of guilt creeping into her chest.
Taking a breath, she finally spoke. “It’s probably because I found her when she got lost last time,” she explained, her voice quieter than usual.
Lucian didn’t respond immediately, his gaze softening for a moment, though the edge of his expression remained unreadable.
Jonathan, still unaware of the past events, glanced between Estella and Roxanne. His lips curved into a light smile. “I guess you two are destined to meet each other, then.”
Destined? Roxanne repeated the word to herself. She glanced at Estella, thinking about the child’s identity, and a wave of self-deprecation swept over her. She pursed her lips, choosing to downplay the significance of the situation. “I suppose so,” she said flatly.
Jonathan didn’t seem to notice the strange shift in her tone, oblivious to the subtle undercurrents between the three of them. He stood up and offered a suggestion, “Since my grandpa still needs an hour, we should wait downstairs and get some water. Thanks for your help, Dr. Jarvis.”
Roxanne was relieved to have the conversation steered away from anything too personal. She quickly agreed, grateful for the change in topic.
Lucian, who had been standing by the bed, moved in response to Jonathan’s invitation. However, when he tried to scoop Estella into his arms, the little girl wasn’t interested.
Estella, instead, lingered by Roxanne’s side, her small hand inching toward the older woman. She hesitated for only a moment before reaching out, as though she had gathered all her courage to do so. Roxanne, however, was about to turn when—
A phone rang, cutting the moment short.
Roxanne quickly reached into her bag to grab the phone, the small brush of her fingertips against Estella’s leaving a faint sting of disappointment in the air.
Estella blinked slowly, her face clouding with a mix of confusion and a touch of hurt. Her hand fell away, and she began fiddling with her fingers, the moment slipping through her small grasp.
Lucian watched the scene unfold from the corner of his eye. His expression darkened as he noticed how close Estella had been to Roxanne. There was something unsettling about it—the way they had almost touched, as if their bond were already beyond what he understood.
Roxanne’s attention was pulled back to her phone. It was a call from Madilyn, and the sight of the caller ID sent a jolt of panic through her chest. She had left her children with Madilyn tonight while she attended the appointment at the Queen residence. When she saw the call, her first instinct was to check that everything was okay with the kids.
In her haste, she accidentally tapped the speakerphone button.
“Hello?” she said, her voice distracted.
Suddenly, two small voices rang out over the speaker. “When are you coming back, Mommy?”
Roxanne’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly shut off the speaker mode, her face flushing with a mix of embarrassment and panic. The voices disappeared as soon as she silenced the call, but the damage was done. Her heart raced as she shot a quick, guilty glance at Lucian.
What does he think now? Her mind screamed. What if he finds out about my children?
Lucian stood motionless, his gaze cold and hard. His expression darkened as the sounds from the phone registered in his mind. A boy’s voice calling her “Mommy”… Could she be married? Was there another man in her life? The thought ignited a wave of anger inside him, but he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to remain composed.
Why didn’t she tell me? The fury churned in his gut, but he bit back the impulse to confront her right then and there.
Jonathan, who had been oblivious to the underlying tension, smiled. “Are you married, Dr. Jarvis?”
Roxanne, still caught in the chaos of her emotions, nodded absently. Her mind was spinning too quickly to form a proper response, so she just gave a simple, automatic answer. “Yes.”
Jonathan chuckled lightly. “I couldn’t tell you already had kids.”
Roxanne, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her, quickly excused herself. “I’m sorry. Please excuse me while I take this call,” she murmured, her voice a little too strained. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the room, not daring to glance at Lucian.
As she stepped out of the room, Lucian stood still, his eyes following her retreating figure. His thoughts were a storm of confusion and anger. She had a family. And somehow, she hadn’t mentioned them—hadn’t mentioned him.
It was becoming increasingly clear that Roxanne was full of secrets. And as much as he wanted to confront her, he knew he had to wait. The storm within him wasn’t over yet.
