Chapter 620
At half past six, Nathan showed up, arms loaded with bags—he looked like he was moving in. That’s the perk of having a big shot as a friend—even the stuff they just grab on a whim ends up being a surprise.
“Wow, Uncle Nathan, you brought so many presents!” Yvonne, that little six-year-old, always seemed to have a soft spot for Nathan.
“Happy Lantern Festival, Yvonne! Uncle Nathan brought you something too,” Nathan said, picking out two bags just for her.
“Wait, you didn’t bring me homework for winter break, did you?” Yvonne asked, showing off her gap-toothed grin.
Nathan laughed. “Nope, just a backpack and a plushie.”
Yvonne took a look inside and lit up. “Thanks, Uncle Nathan!”
I glanced at Yvonne’s backpack—yep, that was a Louis Vuitton tag—and instantly felt a headache coming on. Nathan better not be filling this kid’s head with big dreams. She’s still so little, and already getting gifts this pricey? She’ll be a handful when she grows up.
Nathan walked over and brushed his fingers lightly across my cheek. “You’ve got some flour right here.”
I was totally dressed for a night in—snug beige sweater, blue checkered apron, and my hair just loosely tied back, messy strands framing my face. Completely makeup-free, just bare-faced. I figured most guys aren’t into this full-on housewife look, so I was low-key sabotaging myself by dressing as plain as possible on purpose.
Nathan gave me a slow, thoughtful look, and for a moment, there was a deeper intensity in his eyes. “Victoria, you look so gentle tonight,” he said with a soft smile.
I was caught off guard. Wait, what? I’d gone out of my way to look plain and homely, and somehow that made me look gentle? My brain short-circuited for a second. I remembered seeing on TikTok that after chasing all those glamorous, high-maintenance types, big shots sometimes end up falling for the down-to-earth look.
“Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll make you some coffee,” I said with a smile.
“Hey, let me handle it,” Nathan said as he reached over and grabbed my arm. “Just sit down and relax.”
I was speechless. A guy actually offering to do the work?
Nathan was so familiar with my place, he even knew where I kept the coffee.
Just then, Jared showed up. He’d brought a bunch of gifts earlier that day, but tonight he just came in carrying a single small dark blue bag.
“Dad, is that for me?” Yvonne spotted it right away and dashed over.
Jared walked in and saw Nathan in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil for coffee. He went straight over and set the small box down in front of me. “Happy Lantern Festival.”
My heart was pounding when I saw that box—no doubt it was jewelry.
Yvonne blinked in surprise. “Oh, it’s for Mom! Mom, hurry up and open it!”
I forced a laugh. “Nah, I’m good. My hands are wet right now.”
Jared dropped the gift onto the sofa, glancing over at all the big bags Nathan had brought—probably stuffed with designer stuff too. His face fell as he sauntered over to the kitchen doorway, leaning lazily against the frame. “Nathan, you’re here pretty early.”
Nathan smiled. “Not late yourself.”
“You keep coming over here every single day, Nathan. What are you really after?” Jared asked, his smile all surface, no warmth.
Nathan replied coolly, “Come on, Jared, men know what other men are thinking. I don’t need to spell it out, do I: The kid’s here, so maybe keep it PG.”
Jared glanced at me and Yvonne, then fell silent.
Yvonne scooted up to my ear and whispered, “Mom, Dad and Uncle Nathan are totally about to start competing for your attention. You better hurry up and pick—which one do you like more?”
I looked at her in surprise. “How do you even know about this stuff at your age?”
Yvonne pouted, not having it. “Mom, I’m seven! I know way more than you think!”
“Don’t worry about Mom’s business, okay? This is something for adults to decide. You just focus on your homework,” I said, pretending to sound strict.
Yvonne pouted, her lips jutting out. “I’m just looking out for you!”
The two men in the kitchen saw Yvonne and me bickering and both turned to look at us at the same time. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry—my daughter was definitely on my side, but she was a little too grown-up for her age. She really needed some guidance.
I got up and headed to the kitchen to boil the sweet rice balls. The two guys were chilling on the couch, sipping coffee and chatting, while Yvonne was off to the side watching cartoons. I glanced back at them—no sparks, just plain old friendship. It was a weird kind of balance, but somehow, it felt right.