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Novel Catalog
Chapter 96
Roxanne was busy tending to Estella when her phone rang from her bag.
Fearing the sound would wake the little girl, she quickly covered Estella’s ears and was about to stand up to answer the call. But to her surprise, Lucian rose and approached her with the phone in hand.
“Thank you,” Roxanne murmured softly, accepting the phone from him.
She glanced at the screen and immediately felt a pang of guilt for having forgotten about her sons.
“Mommy!” the boys’ excited voices burst through as soon as the call connected. “When are you coming home?”
Roxanne lowered her voice to keep from disturbing Estella. “I’m busy tonight, so I might be home late. Have you had dinner?”
“We did!” the boys chimed in unison. “What about you? Don’t forget to take care of yourself even if you’re busy!”
Roxanne felt her heart soften. “I know. I ate earlier. Don’t wait up for me. Good night!”
“Got it, Mommy. Try to come home as early as possible. Don’t tire yourself out!” the boys replied, their voices full of concern.
A smile tugged at Roxanne’s lips. She chatted with them briefly before hanging up.
Lucian, who had been listening to the boys’ voices in the background, set aside his work and looked at her. He was about to ask if she needed to go home to take care of them, but seeing the tenderness on her face made him pause. Instead, he asked, “Who usually takes care of the boys when you’re busy? Do they stay at home, or do you hire someone to look after them?”
Roxanne responded, “My friend helps out. Right now, Lysa is taking care of them.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Was it the same when you were working overseas?”
Roxanne wasn’t sure why he asked, but she answered instinctively, “I’d either hire someone or bring them to my workplace. My colleagues loved having them around.”
The room fell silent for a moment as Roxanne glanced down at Estella, who was still resting in her arms.
“They’re older now and easier to take care of,” Lucian said suddenly, his voice almost too casual. His eyes stayed fixed on her as he added, “It must have been harder when they were younger. How old are the boys? They seem to be about the same height as Essie, so they must be around her age.”
The question caught Roxanne off guard, and her heart skipped a beat.
Every time the boys spent time with Lucian, she feared he might discover the truth. That was why she’d drilled into their heads to keep their ages a secret. She hadn’t expected him to ask directly.
Avoiding his gaze, she stayed quiet for a moment, her mind racing. Finally, she answered, “They’re around four years old. It’s normal for boys to grow faster than girls.”
It was the answer she and the boys had agreed upon—a lie. If Lucian learned the truth about their ages, he might remember that fateful night from six years ago. She didn’t want that to happen.
She waited anxiously for him to say something, but after a long silence, he simply grunted in acknowledgment.
Relieved, Roxanne let out a quiet breath.
Lucian turned his attention back to his phone, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. The boys are around four years old, one year younger than Essie. His thoughts darkened. That means she had another man in her life shortly after Essie was born, and then the boys came soon after. How could she…
A frown creased his brow as the unpleasant thought gnawed at him.
Meanwhile, Estella stirred in Roxanne’s arms.
Roxanne lowered her head to check on her.
Estella’s face was scrunched up in discomfort, her brows furrowed as she began sobbing softly, her small body trembling in Roxanne’s embrace.
