Chapter 120

Dominic remained silent, giving a single nod.

"But I want to sleep with Aunt Evelyn too." Isabella gazed up at her father with pleading eyes, her tiny fingers clutching the hem of his shirt.

To Isabella, Daddy had always been the strictest adult she knew - his rules were absolute.

Alexander paused at the doorway, overhearing his sister's request. He shook his head at her naivety. Daddy would never share what was his, especially not Aunt Evelyn.

"Alexander, take your sister back to her room." Dominic's tone softened slightly when addressing his daughter, but remained firm with his son.

Without protest, Alexander grabbed Isabella's chubby hand. "Bedtime," he declared, leading her away.

Once the children were gone, Dominic shrugged off his suit jacket. He braced his hands against the mattress, studying the unconscious woman before him.

Isabella's bedroom.

"Shower first. I'll wait." Alexander adjusted the water temperature before ushering his sister inside.

Both children had been raised to be independent. Their custom-designed bathroom allowed them to manage their own routines.

Ten minutes later, Isabella emerged wrapped in a pink unicorn towel. She padded over to her brother, who wordlessly began blow-drying her hair.

The warm air lulled her into drowsiness.

Just before bed, Isabella remembered her promise. "I need to call Uncle Julian!"

She clumsily dialed the eleven digits on her bedside phone. The line connected after two rings.

"Hello?" Julian answered.

"Uncle Julian! It's Isabella..."

"Isabella? Are you with your father? Did you find Aunt Evelyn?"

"We found her! But she won't wake up. She's in Daddy's room now. The doctor came too." Isabella relayed everything in meticulous detail.

Julian's grip tightened on his phone. Something was wrong.

But if the doctor had come and gone, Evelyn must be stable.

"Alright, sweetheart. You and your brother get some sleep now." He moved to hang up.

"But Aunt Evelyn's hands are freezing! I wanted to sleep with her to keep her warm, but Daddy said no." Isabella lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "He said he'd sleep with her instead. How can I trust him to take care of her properly?"

Julian burst into laughter. "Your father is perfectly capable of keeping her warm! If Aunt Evelyn's cold, trust me - he'll make sure she's toasty."

Recognizing his niece's concern, Julian quickly defended his brother. "Don't you want your father to marry Aunt Evelyn? For her to become your mommy?"

"Yes!" Isabella nodded vigorously.

"Then you shouldn't interrupt their alone time. Starting tonight, pray every day that they'll share a bed soon - just like I do." Julian continued his persuasive speech until Isabella finally understood. She hung up with a satisfied grin and drifted off to sleep.

Master bedroom.

Dominic filled the bathroom sink with steaming water. He submerged a white washcloth, ignoring how the heat scalded his fingers as he wrung it out.

Returning to the bed, he carefully wiped Evelyn's face, neck, and collarbone. The motion required him to lift her shirt slightly.

His gaze inadvertently dropped to the rise and fall of her chest, the soft curves barely concealed beneath thin fabric.

Methodically, he cleaned every inch of her.

Finally, he removed her clothes and deposited them in the hamper.

Night deepened.

After showering, Dominic checked on both children. Satisfied they were asleep, he turned off the lights and locked the bedroom door.

Evelyn now wore his pajamas - black with silver pinstripes.

He'd positioned her on her left side, facing away from him.

Dominic took the right side of the bed, creating distance. He knew his limits - and the temptation her unconscious form presented.

Sleep eluded him.

Evelyn's dark hair fanned across his pillow, her scent enveloping him. The oversized pajamas did little to conceal her slender frame.

Unable to resist, Dominic pulled her against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

The moment his hands met her soft skin, his breathing grew ragged.

Finally, he flipped her onto her back, studying her makeup-free face. Her lips, though pale, looked irresistibly full.

He claimed them in a searing kiss.

Her dry lips soon grew moist under his attention.

Dominic grew bolder, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue.

When the kiss left him painfully aroused, he deepened it, plundering her mouth with single-minded intensity.

Evelyn remained oblivious - until the sleeping pills wore off at 4 AM.

Consciousness returned with a dull ache in her abdomen. She gasped, noticing the heavy arms encircling her.

Morning light filtered through undrawn curtains, revealing the familiar skyline of Dominic's penthouse.

Why was she here?

Memories surfaced in fragments - the office party, one beer, Yvette's confrontation...then nothing.

Panicked, she wrenched free from the embrace.

The sudden movement woke Dominic. "You're awake." He rose effortlessly, pouring himself a glass of water.

After draining half, he filled another and offered it to her.

Their matching pajamas highlighted the contrast between them - his muscular frame filled out the dark fabric, while she appeared delicate, almost childlike in comparison.

Anyone seeing her like this would be tempted to pinch those flushed cheeks.