Araceli POV
Valeria was significantly more cheerful and less gloomy when she had Raphael around.
I could no longer selfishly make choices for Valeria...
I glanced at Krish. He turned his head and stopped looking at them. His expression was serious and somewhat worried.
I understood what Krish was thinking, but there was nothing I could do. I held my forehead and was a little troubled.
I thought about it and walked over, ready to pick Valeria up.
Valeria stubbornly clung to Raphael's thigh and wouldn't let go.
I couldn't pick her up no matter what.
"Ms. Chancey, is it okay if Daddy and I just spend the night here?" Essel blinked her big eyes. "Don't worry, Ms. Chancey. I can sleep in the living room!"
Raphael frowned slightly and said, "Ms. Chancey, if it's okay with you, Essel and I can stay here for the night."
I froze.
What?
Did he mean to stay here for the night?
I pressed my forehead and said in annoyance, "Valeria, let go!"
Valeria kept shaking her head, hugging Raphael's lap tighter and sobbing.
I sighed and said, "Mr. Lancaster, please come in. I'm sorry I have to keep you and Essel here tonight. When my daughter is stubborn, she won't listen to anything I say."
When Valeria heard my words, she immediately released her hold on Raphael's thigh and asked Raphael to pick her up.
Raphael couldn't help but laugh, "Valeria, I'm not going to leave tonight, and I'll stay here with you. What story do you like to read? Baby, you know you're a lot like a princess? Do you know Snow White? I'll tell you her story..."
Valeria laughed and looked happy.
I had never seen Valeria smile like this from the bottom of her heart.
It was the first time I saw Valeria smiling so joyfully, with a smile in her eyes.
I finally believed that some people are destined to meet each other, just like Valeria and Raphael.
They had never seen each other before, but they had such deep déjà vu feelings.
It was a good thing that Raphael was a decent person, otherwise I really didn't know what I would have done.
I thought of this and frowned slightly, suddenly remembering my wolf. That night in the fire, after I had given birth, she spoke to me briefly and then never talked to me again.
She disappeared, and I didn't know what happened. Maybe, because of the fire, she thought I wasn't strong enough...
To be honest, I really missed her...
"Wow! Ms. Chancey, is it true that Daddy and I can stay here tonight?"
Essel asked me as she took my hand. I suddenly came back to my senses.
The matter of waking up my wolf could be considered later. The most important thing right now was to prepare a room for Essel and Raphael.
No one was happier than Essel to stay overnight here. She ran excitedly to me and jumped around the room.
"Mr. Lancaster, there is a guest room on the first floor. Is it okay if you and Essel sleep in there for the night?"
I picked up Valeria and said softly, "Mommy will take you upstairs to bed and read you a story..."
Essel glanced at me and said softly, "Ms. Chancey, I want to hear a story, too..."
She stood, head down, not daring to walk toward me.
I smiled and waved at her. "Come over here, Essel. we'll go upstairs together."
"Ms. Chancey, thank you!"
Essel's eyes twinkled with light. She ran to me, took my hand, and said, "Ms. Chancey, Valeria calls my dad 'Daddy,' so can I call you 'Mommy'?"
Essel clenched her hands together and looked nervous.
She looked at me uneasily, afraid to see me shake my head.
I frowned slightly and pondered for a few seconds. I still hadn't figured out why Valeria would call Raphael "Daddy".
Why did Valeria sneak away from the daycare to see Raphael last time, and how did she know where Raphael was?
Could she have sensed something...
I was deep in thought, holding Essel's hand, carrying Valeria, and walking upstairs.
Valeria could already talk and see things. I was sure that soon Valeria would tell me the answer herself.
I looked back up, met Essel's eyes, and said softly, "Baby, Valeria doesn't understand what 'Daddy' means, so she just thinks it's funny. You do know what 'Mommy' means, don't you? I'm not your mommy."
Essel's eyes turned red at that moment.
She looked like she was about to cry.
Essel bit her lip and said sullenly, "So what? I don't like that selfish woman! She doesn't deserve to be my mommy! Daddy doesn't love her! I was an accident!"
I didn't know why, but I suddenly felt a sourness in my heart.
I touched Essel's head and whispered, "In this world, all mothers love their children. Baby, I believe your mother loves you too. She probably just doesn't know how to make you feel it."
"My mommy doesn't even love me!"
Essel blurted out, wiping tears from her eyes, teeth chattering.
"All my mother ever wanted was to marry Daddy and get status and property! She never cared for me and never thought of me as her daughter!"
Essel was getting aggravated, hugging my thigh and whimpering.
I sighed and patted her back gently.
I hadn't understood these things, but hearing Essel say so, I had guessed some of them.
The outside world didn't know that Raphael had children, and there had never been any rumors of Raphael's marriage.
But is Essel's mother Melany?
All I knew so far was that Micah had said that Melany was his biological mother...
Perhaps, Essel was the daughter of another woman...
How many women did Raphael fall in love with?
Royal Pack had too many feuds, and I didn't want to get involved.
I pursed my lips, said nothing more and glanced downstairs.
In the living room, Raphael and Krish were the only two people left.
Krish had a book in his hand, looking through it carefully.
When he was reading, he habitually blocked out other sounds, so he did not notice that Raphael had been standing behind him for several minutes.