Third person's POV
Gloria had been in an exceptionally good mood these past two days. She practically floated as she walked, even skipping and greeting the grass by the roadside.
Perhaps her joy had irked Leopold, because on the evening of the third day, he suddenly appeared.
At the time, Gloria was playing hide-and-seek with the children.
When she heard the sound of a helicopter overhead, she didn't think much of it.
Over the past few days, she'd learned the routine. Every ten days or so, a boat would leave the island to restock supplies. She assumed it was the servants returning and didn't pay it any mind.
She had a blindfold over her eyes and was standing under a tree, counting, "Eight, nine, ten... Are you little ones hiding yet? The big bad wolf is coming to catch the little bunnies!"
Since there weren't many people to play with, she usually roped in a few servants to join the game.
She took two steps and bumped into someone's chest—a very solid chest.
Most of the servants she pulled into the game were women, and only occasionally men when there weren't enough people.
She reached out and slowly ran her hand up the person's chest, muttering, "Why is this a man?"
Then she giggled, "But men? I like men the most."
Her small hand moved up the man's firm chest, and she began to wonder, "Why isn't he pulling away? Maybe he likes me too."
Her fingers reached his Adam's apple, and she felt it bob under her palm.
Even after all this, the man still didn't move away.
Gloria remembered that the men on the island were usually quite shy. Once, she'd teased the gardener, and now he dropped his hoe and ran whenever he saw her, as if she were some kind of monster.
Who could this bold man be?
Her fingers crept upward, feeling the man's smooth chin, slightly curved lips, sharp nose, and full forehead.
"Who are you, my beauty? Let me guess... is it..." she murmured.
Perhaps not wanting to hear another man's name from her lips, a voice suddenly spoke in her ear, "Gloria, had enough?"
The moment Gloria heard that voice, her face turned pale.
She yanked off the blindfold, and standing before her was none other than Leopold, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
She looked as if she'd been struck by lightning, stammering, "What are you doing here?"
Leopold smirked. "I've been thinking about you day and night, Gloria. It seems you've been having a great time on the island. Have you forgotten all about me?"
The servants tactfully left, and the two children, unaware of what was happening, stared at Leopold with wide, curious eyes.
Under such innocent gazes, Leopold, who had been eager to do something, had no choice but to let go of Gloria.
"You're Helios, and you're Ayla, right?" Leopold asked the children gently.
The two looked at him obediently, their thoughts unclear. Suddenly, Ayla called out, "Daddy?"
Leopold was amused and quickly crouched down to pick up Ayla.
"Good girl, I'm not your daddy. If someone hears you, they'll get the wrong idea."
Ayla's eyes showed a flicker of disappointment. Where was their real father?
Leopold held Ayla and played with her for a while, his eyes filled with affection for the child.
Gloria stared at him, her mind flashing back to a scene from long ago. Back when she'd just gotten together with Leopold, she'd naively asked him if he liked children. His response had been blunt, "No, they're too much trouble."
Then he'd put down the magazine he was reading and looked at her. "Gloria, you're a smart woman. You wouldn't do anything foolish, right?"
Though he'd smiled, the threat in his eyes was clear.
He didn't like children, especially not those born to a mistress. His children would only come from his legitimate wife.
Back then, Gloria hadn't been too deeply involved, and she'd understood that. Over the past two years, she'd done well to keep that in mind.
Except for that one unexpected night, she hadn't thought she'd get pregnant. After becoming pregnant, her mindset had changed dramatically.
But what was the point of thinking about that now? While Leopold played with the children, Gloria turned and walked away without a second glance.
Seeing him only made her think, over and over, about how wonderful it would have been if her child were still here. From his current behavior, it seemed he wasn't as opposed to children as he'd claimed.
She hurried to find Tabitha, who was usually in the lab learning anatomy with the doctors at this time.
Gloria ran as if she'd seen a ghost, "Tabitha, it's bad! That jerk is here!"
Tabitha, holding a scalpel, looked up from a pile of bloody tissue. "Who?"
Gloria glanced at the mess and gagged.
"It's... ugh..." Gloria retched and turned away. "It's Alpha Leopold, that jerk."
Tabitha, still holding the bloody scalpel, asked, "Want me to stab him a couple of times for you?"