Returning Home with a Little One
1127 Words
At the A City International Airport, a mother and daughter dressed in matching red dresses caught everyone's attention as they stepped through the arrivals gate.
The mother and daughter duo held their heads high, basking in the attention.
“Look at that little girl, she’s so adorable! I just want to take her home.”
“Her cheeks are so chubby, I want to pinch them.”
“Mommy, did you hear that? You’re getting attention because of me,” Lucy Taylor said, brimming with pride.
“Please!” Chloe rolled her eyes. “You’re still a little kid. Look around—all these men are staring at me, their eyes practically falling out.”
“Mommy, face the facts. You’re a mother of a five-year-old now,” Lucy reminded her cheerfully.
“It's all your fault. I was in the prime of my youth, and now I have you as a little baggage,” Chloe said with mock resentment.
“Mommy, you can’t blame me. You were young and reckless.”
Chloe: “…” She felt utterly defeated in this verbal sparring.
“Chloe!” Harper stood at the arrivals gate, hands on her hips, glaring at Chloe as she walked out.
Five years. Chloe had vanished without a trace for five whole years, leaving Harper to search endlessly.
“Dear Harper, I missed you so much!” Chloe said, rushing over to give Harper a big hug.
“Get off!” Harper pushed her away. This was Chloe’s usual tactic.
“Auntie Harper!” Lucy greeted sweetly.
At the sight of Lucy, Harper felt her anger melt away.
“And this is…?” Harper was still in shock.
“Didn’t I tell you over the phone? She’s the gift I brought back for you.”
“Chloe, kidnapping is illegal, you know. Especially such a cute kid, she’s too noticeable.”
“She’s mine, biologically,” Chloe admitted reluctantly.
Harper: “…”
Harper’s mind was reeling. She looked again at the little girl and couldn’t help but notice the resemblance to Chloe.
“You… got married?” Harper finally managed to ask.
“It’s a long story. Can we find somewhere to eat first? We’re starving,” Chloe said, holding her growling stomach.
“Let’s go.”
At a Michelin-starred restaurant, Harper spared no expense, even though it would cost her a month’s worth of writing fees. The writing market was getting tougher with piracy everywhere. If it weren’t for Chloe, she wouldn’t splurge like this.
After ordering, Harper couldn’t wait any longer. “What’s going on? When did you settle down?”
“Settle down? This was an accident.” Thinking back, Chloe regretted her night at the Elysium Bar.
“An accident?” Harper was more confused than ever.
Chloe recounted the events from five years ago at Elysium Bar.
“What?” Harper spluttered, spraying water all over Chloe’s face.
“Harper, is that really necessary?” Chloe calmly wiped her face with a napkin.
“You… you… you… slept with the CEO of Garcia Group, Jacob?” Harper struggled to wrap her head around the revelation.
“So, Lucy is Jacob’s child?”
Chloe nodded.
Harper looked at Lucy, who was sitting nearby. “Does she know how she came into this world?”
“Yes, she knows. I told her that her mommy was wild and impulsive, and she was the result of that,” Chloe said nonchalantly.
Harper: “…” How old is this child?
"Um… so why did you leave A City without a word? Do you know how hard it was for me to find you?" Harper's frustration flared up as she spoke.
"I was kicked out by the Taylor family. Mia and Mark set me up to get me out of A City. They wanted to send me to Country W, but I switched my ticket and went to Country S instead," Chloe explained calmly, recounting the events from five years ago.
"Were you afraid they would keep causing you trouble?" Harper knew all too well about the Taylors' antics.
Chloe shook her head. "No, I was afraid of Jacob."
Sleeping with the wrong man could have dangerous consequences, and Chloe preferred to stay out of his way.
"So, why come back now? Are you here to introduce Lucy to her father?"
"I was reassigned back here. They said my style didn’t suit Country S, so they demoted me to a paparazzo," Chloe said with a resigned sigh.
She had been a proud journalist, and being demoted to paparazzi work was a hard pill to swallow.
"Why work as paparazzi? Just find a powerful backer, and you'll be on top in no time."
"Ha!" Chloe laughed dryly. "That backer is too powerful. I'm afraid he’d break my neck."
"Well, doesn’t Lucy have the right to know her father?"
"Lucy, do you want a daddy or mommy?" Chloe asked.
"Mommy, but if Daddy is handsome, I might consider it," Lucy answered casually.
Harper: "…" Indeed, a child raised by Chloe would be... quite unique.
"Mommy, I need to go to the restroom."
"Go ahead," Chloe said, helping Lucy down from her chair.
"Are you sure it’s okay to let her go alone?" Harper asked, concerned.
"It’s fine. She knows her way better than I do," Chloe replied nonchalantly.
Lucy exited the restroom and froze in place when she saw a stunningly handsome man, her eyes lighting up with admiration.
“Ouch!” Lucy deliberately fell to the ground, looking up pitifully at the man above her. "Mister, aren’t you going to help me up?"
Oliver’s mouth twitched slightly. He knew his boss was extremely attractive, but being hit on by a five-year-old was a first.
Jacob looked at Lucy, her innocent eyes making him pause. Something about her seemed familiar, stirring a vague memory.
Compelled by some unknown force, Jacob knelt down and helped Lucy to her feet.
"Thank you, mister!" Lucy planted a kiss on Jacob’s cheek before skipping away, satisfied.
Oliver: "…" Did their CEO just get flirted with by a child?
Jacob watched Lucy leave, then rose and walked away, his expression unreadable.
Back at the table, Lucy was all smiles.
"Sweetheart, did you find some money?" Chloe asked, puzzled.
"How tacky!" Lucy rolled her eyes. "I just met a man even more handsome than Uncle Patrick."
"Did you flirt with him?"
"Of course, Mommy. Didn’t you say that not flirting with a handsome guy is a sign of a bad brain? I even kissed him."
"Brat, you can’t just kiss strangers! What if he’s a bad guy?"
"Don’t worry. I tested him. He’s a good man."
What kind of nonsense was this? Chloe couldn’t help but worry about Lucy’s future.
- Writer
