Araceli POV
I chopped vegetables slowly, and not long after, I heard footsteps.
It was Raphael coming in.
I lowered my eyes and continued to work.
"I'll do it."
Raphael walked over and took the knife out of my hand.
"The carrots are to be diced, right?"
He asked in a low voice, his eyes falling on my face.
I lifted my eyes and looked at the man standing in front of me.
He was wearing a black suit. He hadn't even changed and he came to ask if I needed any help.
What I couldn't believe more was that he had taken the initiative to come into the kitchen.
Who was he coming into the kitchen for? Essel? Valeria?
Or, was it me?
I pushed down the inexplicable surge of emotions and said lightly, "I was just talking to Maddox."
Raphael smiled, "What were you talking about?"
"About Essel and Micah's mother."
Raphael's hand jerked. After a few seconds, he drops the knife and looks me in the eye.
Raphael's voice was low. "Micah and Essel's mother is Melany."
I clenched my fists.
Even though I had known this fact for a long time, my heart skipped a beat when it was said by Raphael.
I put on a lighthearted smile, "No wonder Essel likes me so much. I am her aunt."
Raphael frowned slightly and stared at me, saying word for word, "Five years ago, I got drunk. A woman came into my room. I had a one-night stand with her without my knowledge. After that night, I tried to find the woman, but I couldn't find her no matter what. A few months later, Melany showed up at the door of Royal Pack's villa with her two children in her arms. It was then that I learned I had a daughter and a son..."
In a few words, he gave a clear account of what happened five years ago.
I felt a thin rope wrapped around my heart. Every time he said one more word, it was like an extra force pulling on the thin rope, making my heart tighten a little. The feeling of suffocation spread a little to the internal organs.
I didn't even know why I have such emotions.
Why did I care so much about that night five years ago?
What did it matter to me about what happened between this man and Melany?
"You don't have to explain this to me."
I said slowly, my voice flat, without a hint of ups and downs.
"Mr. Lancaster, can I take a day off today?"
I said and headed out of the kitchen.
Raphael reached out and took me by the wrist.
The moment he touched me, the image of Raphael and Melany having sex came to my mind.
I suddenly felt a little sick.
I pushed hard and shook his hand away.
"Mr. Lancaster, please behave yourself."
My eyes were cold to the extreme, like frost.
Raphael pursed his lips and frowned tightly.
He took a deep breath and said, "I know what you care about, but I can tell you that nothing has ever happened between Melany and me other than that night..."
"What happens between you and Melany is none of my business."
I took a step back. "Mr. Lancaster, I have to take the kids back."
I walked quickly out of the kitchen.
"Ms. Chancey!"
Essel waves her hand at me from the second floor, smiling excitedly, like she always does.
Looking at her face, I inexplicably thought of Melany.
Essel was Melany's daughter...
No matter how much Essel disliked Melany, it didn't change the fact that they were related by blood.
I sighed slightly, walked to the second floor, and picked up Valeria.
"Ms. Chancey, did you come to play with us? Valeria and I are playing with a puzzle!"
Essel was sitting on the floor, her eyes shining brightly.
Her eyes reflected my silhouette with unmistakable certainty.
I looked at her, hugging Valeria, and took an involuntary step back.
I don't know why, at this moment, my mind, but the faces of the two children I first gave birth to came to mind.
Those two children who died just after birth are my never-ending nightmare, the source of all my pain...
Why should Melany's daughter live and my two children die?
Valeria's eyes were damaged in the fire!
The smoke was so thick...
How could a newborn baby take it?
I couldn't believe I agreed to cook for the murderer of my children and treat her daughter as if she were my own!
Melany killed both of my children and indirectly caused my youngest daughter to go blind...
My eyes suddenly turned red with tears under them.
"Ms. Chancey, what's wrong with you?"
Essel hurriedly got up from the ground and asked me carefully.
I closed my eyes and opened them again.
Looking at her face, I calmly said, "Essel, I may not be able to come and cook dinner for you later."
Essel froze for a few seconds.
"Why?"
"I'm too busy at work. I'll make dinner at home and have it brought over."
I said indifferently, "Krish, Valeria, we have to go home now."
Krish frowned slightly, but didn't ask anything. He came up beside me and took my hand.
Valeria was still holding a gray rabbit doll. It was a gift that Essel had just given her.
I got in the car with the kids and drove away.
When we got home, I made the kids something to eat.
Valeria ate heavily, but Krish's eyes always fell on me.
I sat on the couch, didn't explain anything, and didn't want to eat, just looked at the magazine.
After the dinner, Valeria went to her room, and Krish followed me to the kitchen.
"Mommy, are you not feeling well? Let me do the dishes."
I instantly felt a sourness coming from my heart.
Krish rolled up his sleeves and said as he washed the dishes, "Mommy, can you tell me why you brought us back?"
My hands paused.
I said in a flat voice, "I had an argument with Mr. Lancaster."
Krish asked warily, "Mommy, what happened between you and Mr. Lancaster?"
I was silent, frowning slightly.
Krish was too smart, so I couldn't hide anything from him.
However, I simply could not explain to him. I hadn't told him about it because I didn't want him to interfere.
"Mummy, since last night when we came back, I felt that something was wrong."
Krish's voice mixed with the sound of rushing water reached my ears. "Mommy, it's because you care about Essel, right?"
I propped my hands on the table as tears fell down my face.
I sighed, "Krish, I..."
Krish put the washed bowl down, turned his face, and said seriously, "Mommy, you can talk to me."
I knew that if I didn't talk about it today, Krish would not go to bed.
I whispered, "Baby, Essel's mother is Melany."
Krish froze for a moment and nodded.
I glanced at him, a little surprised, but quickly calmed down. "So you already knew. No wonder you didn't allow Valeria to hang out with Essel two days ago."
I smiled bitterly.
Krish surprisingly knew about this before I did. I cared so little about him that I didn't even notice.
"Yes, Melany is Essel and Micah's mother. So, Mommy, you won't even go to Royal Pack anymore?"
Krish asked seriously, raising his black eyes.
I pursed my lips. "I can't do it to face them calmly."
"But, Mommy, they are also Mr. Lancaster's kids," Krish continued, "Mommy, Mr. Lancaster has always been very good to us. In fact, I've wanted to ask this question for a long time. Mommy, do you like Mr. Lancaster?"