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Novel Catalog
Chapter 64
Elise didn’t press the matter further. Since Estella wanted to learn those two words, he decided to respect her wishes and teach her.
They had the housekeeper bring over a pencil and paper, then began practicing writing at the dining table in the dining room.
Lucian, seeing that his father was attending to Estella, quietly excused himself and headed upstairs to his study.
Meanwhile, Aubree seethed in silence. She could clearly tell that Estella was deliberately keeping her distance. The little girl had been rejecting her in front of the Farwells. If this continues, Mr. and Mrs. Farwell will start noticing something’s off, she thought to herself. No, I can’t let this slide. I need to find a chance to teach that brat a lesson—make her behave!
Later that evening, it was nearly ten o’clock when Roxanne arrived at the research institute with Archie and Benny.
After settling them in her office, she dove straight into work without delay. Colby had proposed some new data, and it needed to be processed, so he sought her out immediately upon hearing she had arrived.
The two of them immersed themselves in the work, collaborating closely. By the time the evening rolled around, they finally reached a conclusion.
Stretching her arms, Roxanne glanced over at her two sons, who were absorbed in their laptops. “Archie, Benny, we can head home now,” she called gently.
Hearing her voice, Archie and Benny glanced up from their screens and nodded in unison. They closed their laptops and stood up from the couch, ready to leave.
Colby, glancing at the clock, smiled and suggested, “It’s just around dinner time now. You’ve both been such a big help today. How about I treat you all to a meal?”
Roxanne paused, momentarily taken aback by the offer. She turned to her sons, silently seeking their opinions.
Archie and Benny exchanged a knowing look, a silent understanding passing between them.
It’s clear as day that Mr. Galloway is interested in Mommy, they both thought.
The two boys had spent the day observing Colby. While they acknowledged that he was quite outstanding—successful in his career and reasonably attractive—they still couldn’t shake the feeling that their father was the only one who truly belonged beside their mother. How strange, they mused. We’ve never seen Mommy and Daddy together, but somehow, we just know Daddy is the one who should be with her. We need to keep our distance from Mr. Galloway.
“Thank you, Mr. Galloway, but my mommy already has plans for tonight,” Archie said with polite firmness. “We’re all set.”
Colby, momentarily confused, looked to Roxanne for clarification.
Throughout the day, he hadn’t heard her mention any dinner plans.
Roxanne, catching the look from Colby, met her sons’ eyes and, though curious about the lie, decided to play along. “Yes, I have a dinner date with my best friend tonight. I’ll take a rain check, Mr. Galloway.”
Colby smiled warmly, albeit with a hint of awkwardness. “I’m embarrassed. I must’ve forgotten to ask. In that case, I’ll take my leave now.”
He nodded to Archie and Benny before turning to leave.
As they stepped out of the research institute, Roxanne glanced down at her sons, her brows slightly furrowed in question. “Why did you lie earlier? Do you not like Mr. Galloway?”
Both boys shook their heads solemnly. “We were just helping you turn down a suitor, Mommy.”
Roxanne couldn’t help but laugh, a mix of exasperation and amusement in her eyes. “Regardless of your reasons, you shouldn’t lie in the future, alright?”
The boys nodded obediently, but Benny couldn’t help leaning close to her, grinning mischievously. “We think Mr. Galloway is nice, but you can still take your time choosing, Mommy. No rush. We’re not in a hurry to have a daddy.”
Roxanne burst into laughter at his words. “Choose? Do you think it’s like picking groceries at the supermarket?” she teased, her heart lighter now.
