Chapter 7
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Layla didn’t agree to take Dylan in, he would have no place to go.
Layla was silent foralong time. Sensitive Dylan took the initiative to speak up. “Daddy, pretty miss, I can live on my own. Mommy says real men aren’t afraid of the dark Don’t worry about me”
Seeing his determined eyes touched something in Tayla
She grudgingly said, “Since you called me pretty miss, I’ll considerit.”
Dylan was really using “Uncle Stephen” and “Daddy” interchangeably. An adult might do that deliberately, but a child so young couldn’t. Their unguarded. moments might reveal the truth
Layla was troubled and feeling unsure inside.
When Layla said that, Stephen knew she had agreed. However, she wasn’t one to admit it easily
Stephen continued, “I’ll take Dylan to visit his mom tomorrow. Do you want to come?”
“No,” Layla replied stubbornly.
She held a deep disdain for mistresses who feigned weakness to win a man’s sympathy.
The next day, as Stephen was getting ready to leave with Dylan, Layla appeared in a yellow dress and sat in the passenger seat of his car. Her face was partly hidden behind large black sunglasses.
Stephen glanced at her and chuckled. “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
Layla reclined the seat and lay back. “The hospital isn’t just for her, ”
Stephen smilled. He didn’t call her out and just drove to the hospital.
The drive was monotonous and tiring.
Layla stayed up late last night, trying to drive Stephen out of her room by blasting the volume while binge–watching shows. But the noise ended up giving her a headache instead.
She hadn’t slept well all night, so she spent the entire drive catching up sleep.
Arriving at the hospital, Stephen looked at the sleeping woman beside him. He paused for a moment, then gently removed her sunglasses and studied her serene face. She rarely looked this peaceful, and he was reluctant to wake her.
Dylan sat quietly in the back seat. He was aware that Layla was like a tigress. If he disturbed her sleep, he would be in trouble.
He wondered why Stephen enjoyed watching the sleeping pretty miss
“Daddy, are you afraid of Layla?” Dylan asked softly.
Stephen’s emotions were clear in his eyes. Only when Layla was asleep could he let them show. As he looked at her delicate, sleeping face, he answered, “Yes.”
Dylan became even more obedient. If even Stephen was afraid of her, she must be really scary.
Stephen let her sleep a bit longer, then gently woke her up after putting the sunglasses back on her. “We’re here,”
Layla, who was still half–asleep, didn’t want to get out of the car. “Tanot going. You go. I want to sleep,”
“Are you not going to look for evidence of my affair?” stephen reminded her with a chuckle.
Instantly, Layla was fully awake. “Let’s go.“.
Dylan was familiar with the hospital. He ran to press the elevator buttons and knew where the service elevators were
Layla was curious about how he knew so much.
“Daddy, Aunt Layla, the elevator is here,” Dylan announced.
Layla walked over and gently pinched his cheek. “Yesterday you called me pretty miss, and today you’re calling me aunt? I’m still young and single. Don’t ruin my chances with that.”
Dylan cutely replied, “But you’re married to Daddy. You’re his wife,”
Layla scoffed, “What do you know, little kid?”
As they bickered, the elevator arrived.
Just as they reached the door, they can into the doctor making rounds
The doctor explained Lucy’s surgery and reassured the patient. Upon seeing Stephen, the doctor started discussing the details with him again.
Layla went directly to the ward and looked at the weak woman in bed. When she saw her poor condition, her usual arrogance softened a bit
Dylan went in, climbed onto a stool by the bed, and hugged Lucy’s neck affectionately. He called her “Mommy,”
“What brings you here today, Layla? Thanks for taking care of Dylan yesterday. He can be quite a handful. I’m sure he gave you a hard time,” Lucy addressed Layla politely.
Seeing no one else around, Layla directly spoke. “Lucy, right? I’ll give you soo million dollars If you convince Stephen to divorce me and disappear from my with your family.”
Lucy’s reaction was unexpected.
She smiled while looking at Layla with calm eyes. “Layla, you’ve misunderstood. Stephen has no other women, and I’m not his mistress.”
Chapter 7
Layla frowned, and her displeasure was evident. “I saw you both together at the prenatal checloup five years ago and heard Dylan call him ‘Daddy“. How could there be nothing between you? I’m a reasonable person. If you two really love each other, I’ll step aside.”
Lucy held Dylan close. “Layla, I grew up in an orphanage, just like Stephen. We were both abandoned by our parents at a young age.
“Stephen was later adopted by the Murray family, but he never forgot us. He visited on
on weekends, brought us books, taught us to read, and donated money. He helps anyone from the orphanage who is in need, so we’ve stayed in touch
“But our relationship is not what you think. Dylan’s biological father is someone else. Stephen is just his godfather. He’s stayed true to you all these years.”
“W–What?” Layla was sturned,
So Lucy wasn’t a mistress after all? And Dylan really wasn’t Stephen’s son? What did Lucy mean by Stephen staying true to her?
“No way. Do you think I’ll fall for that? Stephen knows I’m not easily deceived. He never mentioned his relationship with you.”
“That’s because you’ve always been biased against him. You wouldn’t believe his explanations. But you can ask Dylan. He knows Stephen isn’t his biological father.
Dylan nodded. “Aunt Layla, Daddy really isn’t my real dad. He’s my godfather.” But Dylan didn’t quite understand the difference between a godfather and a real father. He only had one father now, didn’t he?
Layla was a bit panicked. Had she really wronged Stephen? What should she do now?
“Layla, you’re the envy of everyone in the orphanage.” Whenever Stephen talked about her, he always showed a hint of affection.
Perhaps he cared for them out of sympathy and pity, but when it came to Layla, there was always a certain sparkle in his eyes.
“Why?”
At that moment, Stephen entered the room and interrupted what Lucy was about to say.
“The surgery is scheduled for Friday, Dylan will stay with me during this time.”
Layla hadn’t finished asking her question and couldn’t get it out now.
Lury said, “There are still two days before the surgery. Let Dylan stay with me for a while.”
Stephen didn’t refuse. After sitting in the ward for a short time, he stood up to leave.
Layla followed him. After understanding the situation, she felt a twinge of guilt toward Lucy and Dylan.
Back in the car, she asked the cold and indifferent man, “Why didn’t you say earlier that they weren’t your mistress and illegitimate son? Were you trying to play the victim and let me misunderstand, so that when the truth came out, I’d feel guilty and fall into your trap?
Stephen replied, “You always impose the worst possible motives on me, Layla. If I had explained everything from the start, would you have believed me?”
