Chapter 9

Charlotte's mood stayed sour until she reached home. Just then, her phone rang. It was a video call from Amber. Charlotte composed herself and answered. Soon, a little girl's face appeared on the screen. She looked just like a delicate doll, with her chubby face and big, round eyes. She was wearing bunny pajamas and looked incredibly sweet and adorable. Clearly sleepy, she rubbed her eyes and softly asked, "Mommy, why didn't you call to say good night?" Amber looked hurt, and every negative emotion in Charlotte vanished. "Sorry, sweetie," Charlotte said quickly. "I meant to call after the surgery, but I ran into a client. We ended up talking about buying herbs. It took longer than I expected. I just got home." Amber's face lit up a little at that, and she said softly, "It's okay. You worked hard, Mommy!" Charlotte laughed. "It's not hard. Making money for my sweetie isn't hard at all." Amber giggled. "When I grow up, I'll earn money for you too." "Sure! Eat a little more every day so you can grow fast." They chatted for a while, and Charlotte's mood finally brightened. She figured she and Brian would never cross paths again, so she likened it to getting bitten by a dog and put it out of her mind. With that thought, she washed up and went to bed. ... Brian reached home at about the same time. Kayden was still awake when he stepped inside, typing furiously on the laptop. Charlotte's profile appeared on the screen. He had finally tracked her down, and his eyes lit up with excitement. When he saw his father, Kayden shut the page and greeted him. "Daddy, you're back?" Brian noticed the quick move and asked sternly, "Why are you still up this late? Are you playing games?" Kayden replied calmly, "Of course not. Just looking up some info. I'm going to bed now." He closed the laptop, slid off the couch, and said, "Good night, Daddy!" Brian, unbuttoning his shirt, nodded. "Night." When the two buttons came undone, the bite mark showed plainly. Kayden stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes locked on the bite mark, and he frowned deeply. Brian asked, "What's wrong?" Kayden looked displeased. He pointed at the bite mark and asked, "Did you go out flirting again, Daddy?" The question made Brian choke up. What did he mean by "flirting again"? Brian bent and pinched Kayden's cheek. "What nonsense are you talking about? I was handling business." Kayden replied coolly, "How impressive. You handle business and come back with a bite mark. Do adults need to bite someone to close a deal now?" Brian's expression stiffened, and he pulled his collar up. "No... a little fox bit me." Kayden didn't believe a word he said. He snorted. "You mean a little vixen?" Henry struggled not to laugh. Charlotte really was a vixen—he could guess where the mark came from even without seeing it himself. He never expected Brian and Charlotte to get so intimate right after they met. They booked a hotel room, and Brian even got a bite mark. Brian had no idea Henry's thoughts were running wild, and Kayden's question left him completely speechless. After all, Charlotte did have the makings of a "vixen". Not only was she beautiful, but her hazy eyes and seductive look after his kiss were mesmerizing, like the femme fatales who toppled kingdoms in old tales. However, he could never tell Kayden that. He ruffled Kayden's hair. "This is grown‑up stuff. Go to bed." Kayden's hair stuck up all over, and he said angrily, "I can't control you, but I told you before. If you choose a stepmom without my approval, I'll run away and never come back!" With that, he stormed off to his room. Brian stood in place, frowning as a headache started to come on again. Kayden's temper was getting worse—he could lose his temper up to three times a day. Brian thought he needed to tell his parents to stop spoiling Kayden. They were pampering him far too much. Upstairs, Kayden was still fuming. He knew his father wouldn't fool around, but plenty of women would scheme to become his stepmother. It was best to choose one he liked. He thought of the pretty lady he had met at the hospital. They had met only once, yet he couldn't forget her. If she became his stepmother, he would agree at once. He decided to find her first thing in the morning. After all, he had already found her address online. After making up his mind, he packed his backpack with everything he needed and finally went to bed.