Araceli POV
Cold sweat oozed from my forehead, and I didn't dare to move.
At that moment, Valeria suddenly reached out and slapped him gently.
She was just a little girl, so the slap shouldn't hurt at all, but it still made a crisp sound.
Raphael's face became livid.
I shuddered slightly, hurriedly led Krish and headed out.
Raphael was also stunned.
He didn't expect Valeria to slap him at all.
I apologized as I opened the door, "Mr. Lancaster, I'm really sorry..."
As I spoke, I focused on Raphael's expression.
His face was getting colder and colder.
"Mr. Lancaster, I have to go now..."
I held Valeria, took Krish by hand, and headed out.
Valeria let go of my neck, looking self-conscious and apologetic.
I walked out of the courtyard and asked her, "Valeria, can you tell me why you came to Mr. Lancaster?"
I asked in a low and gentle voice.
She blinked in confusion, didn't say anything and shook her head.
I sighed, "Did Mr. Lancaster bring you here?"
Valeria nodded.
"You wanted to stay with him, didn't you?"
Valeria nodded her head again.
I pursed my lips and frowned.
I stroked Valeria's hair before I realized she was changed into a white dress.
It occurred to me that when I'd just gotten here, Valeria seemed to have just finished taking a shower.
What had happened?
I felt a little uneasy and regretful that I had just left without figuring all this out.
I walked towards my car and heard some maids talking outside. I glanced at them, thinking they should be out for fresh air.
"Mr. Lancaster is so nice to that girl! He never used to talk to me like that. I've never seen him so gentle..."
"I even feel a little envious of that girl."
"Yes. She was brought in covered in mud, but she was so pretty. I think she looks a little like Mr. Lancaster. Do you think so?"
"No. What are you thinking? How is that possible?"
I frowned slightly as I listened to their conversation. Some complicated feelings welled up inside me.
Why did Valeria have to meet Raphael?
Why did my daughter unconsciously want to be close to that man?
I thought again about the day they first met. On the road, Valeria hugged Raphael's thigh and refused to let go.
Did that man have such a strong attraction to Valeria?
I looked down at her and whispered, "Valeria, do you like Mr. Lancaster?"
Valeria's eyes light up. Then, she nodded her head.
She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Mommy, he's Daddy."
I frowned slightly, thinking that maybe Valeria wanted a daddy too much. She always looked at the other little girls with envy as those little girls talked about some of the funny stories they had with their dads.
However, Raphael not only protected my daughter today, but he also stopped me from doing that crazy thing.
I thought about the conversation I had just had with him and the slap Valeria had slapped him with, and looked back with some embarrassment and bowed my head.
The door was already closed. In any case, I was not going back to apologize.
He and I were partners. In the future, I would have plenty of opportunities to make it up to him...
I put Valeria in the back seat and called the police department and Mayra.
"Ms. Chancey, I'm sorry! It was my negligence. I will definitely take better care of Valeria in the future, and I will never let this happen again!"
Mayra apologized guiltily.
I said comfortingly, "Ms. Scott, it's okay. You don't have to feel sorry. Valeria does get naughty sometimes."
I hung up the phone after talking to her for a few minutes and drove home.
When I got home, I went to the kitchen to make dinner, and Krish and Valeria sat on the carpet playing with their toys.
The warm light of the kitchen spilled over the entire space. The fire on the stove jumped and cooked a pot of soup. The smell of various spices permeated the room, creating a unique and wonderful aroma.
A brightly colored vegetable salad had been prepared. The fresh leaves glistened with water droplets. I gently sprinkled them with olive oil to add a hint of freshness.
From the living room came the sound of cheerful laughter. My daughter's giggles and my son's happy voice intertwined as if it were a joyful piece of music. My home was full of warmth and joy, which made me feel incredibly happy.
After dinner, I took the kids to read a picture book for a while.
As I was going to the bedroom to get another picture book out, I heard Krish ask Valeria, "Vallie, you like Mr. Lancaster, don't you?"
I leaned my back against the door and didn't say anything. Through the doorway, I saw Valeria freeze for a moment and nod her head.
Her eyes lit up every time she heard Raphael's name.
Krish gritted his teeth and said, "Vallie, you can't like him because he won't like us. He has his family and his kids. We don't have anything to do with him!"
Valeria's eyes widened momentarily. After a moment, her eyes filled with tears.
I frowned slightly and hurriedly walked out. I picked up Valeria and said to Krish, "Honey, it's time for bed."
I turned toward the bedroom, wondering at the look on Krish's face at this point.