"You're right! You have to observe him until the child is born." Mike was suddenly delighted. "Who knows how long his good-person act can last."Avery watched him take delight in her misfortune. She said, "He is coming over to cook for us tomorrow.""What?" Mike thought he had misheard. "Does he know how to cook? Are you sure he is coming to cook and not to poison us all?"Avery did not know how to respond to Mike. It was Elliot who had insisted on coming over and cooking. He screwed up with the Children's Day dinner, so he wanted to make amends. He felt that he had to cook a meal to express his apology.Once they arrived home, Layla ran to Avery and gave her a hug. Layla had skipped school because she wanted to see Avery. "Baby, I miss you!" Avery did not care that she was pregnant. She bent down and lifted Layla."Avery, watch out!" Mike warned her. "Have you forgotten that you're pregnant?"Avery immediately placed her daughter down. "Layla, do you miss me?""I do! I miss

Although Elliot had not done a paternity test, he knew Hayden's character and he saw Hayden. There was no denying that Hayden looked and behaved like him. There was no denying that Hayden was his son. Avery had also said that Layla was her biological daughter. How could she have given birth to both of them in the span of four short years?The only possibility was that the two children were born at the same time.When Elliot was thinking about it last night, he had found himself seized with excitement that he had found it hard to sleep… He truly liked Layla.From the moment he met Avery's children, he preferred Layla.It did not matter who Avery had had Layla with, he had never once hated Layla because Layla looked a lot like Avery. Layla also possessed a very interesting character. Although she was a good child, she was not a child given to blind obedience. She was rather eccentric and quirky. Elliot lacked such characteristics which was part of the reason why he liked her so m

Avery's words were ambiguous, but Elliot understood the deeper meaning behind her words.She was warning him not to get any ideas about Hayden and Layla. It did not matter whether or not they were twins, neither did it matter if Hayden was his son or not. The only child that belonged to him was the one she was carrying.In the past, Elliot would have begun shouting at her by this point, but he was more stable now than he was before, and her answer was better than nothing. Avery dabbed on some ointment and picked up the gauze. She had intended to bandage his wound."Just stick a simple plaster on it," Elliot said. He thought that bandaging the wound was going a bit too far, and people might end up thinking that he had suffered a far more serious injury than he had. Avery ignored his request, placed the gauze on the wound, and began to bandage his hand."Keep the wound dry for the next couple of days," she instructed."How am I going to take a shower, then?" Elliot asked."Is t

Elliot looked down and saw Layla with adorable puffed-up cheeks. "You should not use my full name like that? It's not very polite," he said in gentle reprimand. Layla huffed, then said, "It's because you're a bad man.""Did your mother say that?" Elliot asked. He looked calm. He was not upset. Layla was just a child. What did she know?She was only aware of the things that she had been taught by the adults around her. "No way! Mommy wouldn't say bad things behind someone's back!" At this point, Layla was worried about snitching on her brother, so she cleverly changed the subject and asked, "What are you making?""Sweet barbecue ribs," Elliot replied as he showed her the marinated ribs. "It's your mother's favorite. What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you."Layla answered without hesitation, "I want chocolate! I also want meat! Could you hide some chocolate in the meat for me? Whatever you do, don't let Mommy find out!"Elliot thought about it, then said, "I can do that

Avery wanted to say something, but she was shocked by the glistening tears and undisguised vulnerability in Elliot's eyes."Elliot—"She could not help but speak, and it was his name that first escaped her lips. She had wanted to ask him what was wrong.However, Elliot wrapped his large hand around her arm and pulled her into his arms before she could say another word.Avery supported her weight with her arms as she blinked. He watched her eyes framed by long lashes. Their faces were only inches apart.She could see the brokenness in his eyes even more clearly now."What's wrong Elliot?" she asked in an unintentionally gentle voice as her heart clenched tightly in her chest."I dreamt that you left me." Elliot's Adam's apple bobbed in his throat, and his voice was hoarse. "You ran off with another man."Avery felt a lump in her throat. She could not speak.She would not tell him about the recurring nightmares she had back when he was dating Zoe. She had always had dreams a