Chapter 444
Isabella’s face was bare and fresh from the shower, yet her beauty remained breathtakingly hypnotic.
Some women possessed a fleeting allure that faded with familiarity. Isabella’s was timeless.
Her radiance never dulled. Day after day, it held the same magnetic intensity.
Her eyes, especially… They glimmered like crystals drawn from ancient wells—clear, luminous, yet touched with a knowing depth. They were story-filled, compelling.
Her beauty stood in stark contrast to Sophia’s. Sophia inspired protectiveness. Isabella commanded distance.
Just then, Oliver noticed him and beamed. “Daddy! You’re home! Come say hi to the baby!”
Nathaniel frowned. Say hi to the baby?
Isabella was equally confused. “The baby in Mommy’s tummy!” Oliver chirped adorably. “I read that talking to the baby makes it smarter after birth.”
“Watch!” He turned toward Isabella’s abdomen and waved. “Hi, little sister! I’m your big brother! I’m playing checkers with Mommy now. When you come out, I’ll play with you every day! Look—Daddy’s back.”
Isabella and Nathaniel exchanged uneasy glances. Lying to a child like Oliver was a terrible mistake.
Oliver met everything with eager anticipation. His imagination knew no bounds. How would he react when he learned the truth?
Forget the future. How would he accept that his Mommy wasn’t actually pregnant?
Isabella had never faced a situation this delicate.
Nathaniel hesitated. He paused to hang his suit jacket. Then he moved toward them.
“She’s still very small,” he said gently. “She won’t start growing for another month. You should read more science books, or your friends might tease you.”
“A whole month?” Oliver looked puzzled.
Isabella ruffled his hair affectionately. “Daddy’s right. The baby hasn’t begun developing yet. We usually start interacting after three months. It’s common knowledge.”
Three months… Isabella wondered where she and Nathaniel would stand by then. Maybe by then, she’d find a better way to explain.
Oliver pouted, disappointed by their answer. “Oh… okay.”
Seeing his downcast expression, Nathaniel quickly changed the subject. “Look what I brought.”
He handed Oliver a paper bag. Inside were his favorite Orleans-style roasted chicken wings.
Oliver’s eyes lit up instantly. “Wow! Thanks, Daddy! I love you!”
Clutching the chicken wings, his mood lifted immediately. He scampered to the dining table to eat.
Isabella watched his lively little figure and smiled. Children were so pure. Their joys came so easily.
She turned to Nathaniel. “How was work? Tough?”
His expression darkened. Work wasn’t the problem. What weighed on him was far more complicated.
He had helped Sophia out of pity. But he’d helped her many times over the years.
If Sophia truly was the woman from that night, and Oliver was really her son… would Isabella still trust him?