Become a mother in a night

Chapter 19

As Alex descended the staircase after changing his clothes, he was caught off guard by Michelle's words. He hesitated mid-step for a moment. Michelle had said he took good care of them. And he did. But was there really any conflict between taking care of them and Michelle returning to the family home?
Keeping a straight face, Alex reached the tea table and took a seat, openly joining their nostalgic conversation. He lifted a teacup and took a sip. Noticing the sudden silence, he glanced at the two women and inquired, "What's wrong?"
Michelle silently averted her gaze, signaling that it was nothing. She couldn't help but wonder, why was Alex, known for his relentless work ethic, wasting time with them today? On most days when he returned home, wouldn't he seclude himself in his study to continue his work? The more she pondered, the more uneasy she became, suspecting Alex and Eleanor might have some ulterior motive.
Michelle pondered internally, "Could I make a run for it now?"
Eleanor, too, seemed surprised. After all, Alex usually found chatting with her a waste of time. He would rather get back to work than converse. She looked at her son with concern, "Alex, tell me, have many of your companies gone bankrupt?"
How else could he have time to join them for tea?
Alex, maintaining a stoic expression, simply replied, "No."
Eleanor understood. Men seldom wanted to appear weak or ineffectual in front of women. Thus, she gave Alex a knowing glance, opting not to press on the topic of how many of his businesses might have gone under.
Alex's grip on his teacup tightened momentarily. He had no desire to engage with Eleanor further. It wasn't the first time he suspected that Eleanor might see him as the charity case she'd picked up, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
Michelle felt even more anxious seeing the exchange of glances between Alex and Eleanor. Growing up in an environment where she felt perpetually insecure had instilled in her a sense of paranoia; she was always worried about being set up or undermined by others. Now, she was regretting her decision to accept the dinner invitation. Wouldn't it have been more pleasant to stay at home and focus on her writing?
She lowered her head, took her teacup, and sipped the tea silently, pretending not to have noticed or understood anything that was going on around her.
Thankfully, Eleanor had informed Sebastian to return home early. Once Sebastian arrived, they could finally start their meal.
Sebastian was a man in his fifties: stern-faced and seldom prone to laughter, he could be quite intimidating at first glance. But beneath his gruff exterior was the heart of a child. Given Eleanor's fondness for Lizzy, Sebastian, in his endearing way of loving what his wife loved, also grew quite fond of the little girl. However, maintaining his serious demeanor meant that he rarely showed his affection openly. This reminded Michelle of how young Alex too was once fearful of Sebastian.
Lizzy, for her part, detested carrots and egg yolks. But in Sebastian's presence, she wouldn't dare to be picky. With a grimace, she would force herself to eat every bit. Seeing Lizzy's bitter expression, Michelle paused for a moment, then noticing the carrots and egg yolks in her bowl, quickly grasped the situation. She stealthily moved the carrots and egg yolks from Lizzy's bowl to her own. Almost immediately, a smile broke across Lizzy's face, as if she had just been freed from some century-old curse.
Sebastian, observing Lizzy's distaste for carrots and egg yolks, mentally noted it down. He thought to himself, "Why does she, just like Alex, dislike carrots and egg yolks so much?" His gaze then shifted to Michelle, concluding that the child was fortunate. Unlike his wife who, despite knowing their son's preferences, continued to fill his plate with undesired food, Michelle had shown understanding and consideration.
After a rather uneventful dinner, Michelle felt a rising tension. She had a strong premonition that Eleanor might ask her to stay the night and was determined to squash that idea before it even came up. Pretending to casually check the time, Michelle feigned surprise with an audible "Oh!"
Hearing her exclamation, Alex looked up at her.
With a hint of urgency, Michelle began, "I just remembered—"
Eleanor, with a touch of concern, interrupted, "Lizzy hasn't been sleeping well recently. Michelle, why don't you stay over tonight?"
Michelle hesitated, "I'd rather—"
Lizzy, engrossed in a cartoon, was barely paying attention to the conversation. However, catching the phrase "stay over tonight," she immediately perked up. Clinging to Michelle, she began to whine sweetly, "It's been so long since I slept with my sister!"
Michelle, still struggling, turned to Eleanor, "I just remembered that I haven't finished my draft."
Eleanor shot her a disapproving glance. "Is work really more important than family?" she questioned. Seeking validation, she turned to Alex, "Don't you agree, Alex?"
Feeling trapped, Alex could only begrudgingly side with Eleanor.
Michelle gave Alex a look that conveyed a multitude of unspoken feelings. *Mr. Ye*, she thought, *could you possibly be any less sincere?*
In the end, Michelle agreed to stay. After all, she was outnumbered three to one.
Eleanor was noticeably pleased that evening; she wouldn't have to bathe Lizzy. As she grew older, Eleanor, always of a somewhat lazy disposition, found bathing the child an exhausting task. In the past, she'd always relied on housekeepers or maids to bathe young Alex.
Eleanor believed that Lizzy, being a girl, should be raised with more care and tenderness than a boy. She never trusted the maids to bathe Lizzy, and even though she found it cumbersome, she took it upon herself to give her baths recently.
Being forcibly asked to stay, Michelle had no inclination to reminisce with Eleanor. They weren't even close acquaintances. What past would they discuss? After dinner, rather than lingering for tea and conversation, Michelle, with Lizzy in tow, headed upstairs to their room.
Lizzy's nightly entertainment consisted of watching cartoons and listening to bedtime stories. Whether in the living room or her bedroom, she was glued to animated shows. Thus, she obediently followed Michelle upstairs.
Seeing Michelle and Lizzy retire to their room, Alex felt that staying downstairs to chat with Eleanor was a sheer waste of time. He, too, decided to head upstairs to his study to tackle some unfinished work.
Eleanor watched as they ascended the staircase, one after another, a shadow of concern crossing her face. She had thought that Sebastian's pursuit of her in the past was slow, but Alex was proving even more sluggish. She didn't believe for a second that her son would take the initiative to seek out Michelle.
Back in their room, Michelle pondered whether to bathe Lizzy before letting her watch cartoons. Although the child was eager to watch her favorite shows, the prospect of sleeping with her mother that night made her obedient. As Michelle prepared the bath, she couldn't help but notice that Lizzy seemed to have grown taller and chubbier. Her cheeks were rounder and she looked even more adorable. However, this also meant Michelle struggled a bit more when picking her up, almost unable to lift her just moments ago.
After the bath, Lizzy began to show her affectionate side, asking Michelle to join her in watching cartoons. Faced with Lizzy's sweet, round face and her infectious laughter, Michelle couldn't say no. They settled into watching some animated shows, most of which Michelle couldn't quite comprehend.
Lizzy always loved being close to Michelle, even just for a cartoon session. Initially, Michelle wasn't used to this level of affection, but now she had grown somewhat accustomed to it.
*Oh well,* she thought, *let her be.*
*After all,* she reasoned, *it would be a bigger hassle if she starts crying.*
Michelle's mind wasn't captivated by the animated shows on the screen. Instead, she was lost in thoughts about her drafts until Lizzy tugged gently at her sleeve, pulling her back to reality.
Lizzy tilted her little head to look at Michelle, a hint of disappointment evident for being ignored. But being an understanding and well-behaved child, she wouldn't hold a grudge against Michelle. "Someone knocked on the door just now," Lizzy said in her childlike voice, adding quietly, "Maybe grandma brought cherries and milk for Lizzy."
Lizzy had a fondness for cherries, so Eleanor made sure to have them available daily. As for the milk, it was essential for a growing child like her. Setting Lizzy down, Michelle went to answer the door, expecting to find Eleanor or one of the maids delivering the snacks. To her surprise, it was Alex standing there.
After bathing Lizzy, Michelle often found herself soaked as well. Thus, she typically took a quick shower too. At this moment, her hair was still damp, casually draped over her shoulders, and she was clad in a simple strap nightgown. Her appearance was far from impeccable. Even if Michelle wasn't overly conscious about her image, the unexpected sight of Alex caught her off guard. After all, as Lizzy's biological mother, she felt the need to maintain a certain image, especially in front of those she wasn't close with.
Alex, too, was momentarily taken aback upon seeing Michelle. After a brief pause, he said, "I brought up some cherries and milk for you both."
Michelle fought the urge to close the door immediately. With a polite smile, she thanked him, taking the cherries and milk from his hands. Just as she was about to shut the door, Alex's voice stopped her.
"Tomorrow is the weekend," Alex stated calmly, "Lizzy doesn't have kindergarten."
Michelle started, "Tomorrow I—"
"Why don't we take Lizzy out?" Alex suggested.
"I... I have to work on my drafts!" Michelle exclaimed, the pressure evident in her voice. With only two days left to her deadline, going out would undoubtedly strain her schedule. Should she rush her work later, or push herself to the brink?
Recalling something Eleanor had mentioned, Alex glanced at Michelle with an unspoken disapproval. His tone was light, but there was a hint of reproach as he said, "Is work more important than your child?"
Michelle choked on her words for a moment and looked up to meet Alex's eyes.
She began to suspect that perhaps Mr. Ye had been somewhat misrepresented.
Wasn't he supposed to be utterly engrossed in his work?