“That’s all we can do.” Joyce shrugged.
After that, she left to work on her tasks.
Natalie continued watching the fashion show, and after she finished with it, she closed the website and started sketching and creating the design drafts on her sketchpad.
When it was time to clock out, she received a text message from Shane which read: I have another meeting later. Silas will pick you and the children up.
In response, Natalie typed: Alright. You get back to work now and come home earlier.
Shane acknowledged with a brief ‘okay’ and nothing else.
Natalie let out a sigh and put her phone back in her bag.
Out of the blue, someone knocked on the door.
Natalie squeezed her fingers, and as she exercised them, she answered, “Please come in.”
The office door was pushed open and in came Silas. “Madam.”
“Mr. Campbell.” Natalie raised an eyebrow in amazement.
She didn’t expect that he would be there so soon.
“Mr. Shane asked me to send you back to the villa,” Silas added as he pushed his glasses up.
Natalie left her seat. “I know. He told me. Let’s go then.”
“Yes, Madam,” Silas answered. He then drove heading to the kindergarten to pick up the children.
When they reached the villa, it was already seven o’clock, and dinner was readily served by Mrs. Wilson.
At the table, Mrs. Wilson turned to Natalie several times, looking like she had something to say but reverted to silence eventually.
Even Natalie felt uneasy under her gaze, so she put down her fork and asked, “Mrs. Wilson, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”
Upon listening to that, the two children turned to look at Natalie’s face in unison.
“There’s nothing on it. Mommy looks fantastic.” Sharon put her palms together under her chin which produced a blossoming gesture.
Natalie was amused by her adorable posture, and she reached out, patting her head affectionately.
Connor was very clever. He squinted exactly like how Shane would and asked, “Mrs. Wilson, do you have something to tell Mommy?”
Mrs. Wilson nodded.
Natalie smiled and replied, “Mrs. Wilson, just say it. I’m all ears.”
“Actually, Mr. Shane called home today and asked me to clean up a room for Jacqueline,” Mrs. Wilson said tentatively as she observed Natalie’s expression.
Natalie understood her words in an instant. Mrs. Wilson is worried that I’ll be angry.
Taking a spoonful of the soup nonchalantly, Natalie answered, “Ah, I see.”
Seeing Natalie’s reaction to that, Mrs. Wilson couldn’t help but be taken aback. “Madam, won’t you—”
Anticipating what she was going to say, Natalie put down the spoon and answered with a rather disconsolate expression, “What purpose would it serve even if I’m furious about it? Can I possibly stop Jacqueline from coming over to stay?”
Mrs. Wilson was tongue-tied hearing that.
Connor moved his eyes around. “Mommy, did you just say that Ms. Graham is coming to stay with us?”
“No, I don’t like Ms. Graham; I don’t want her to stay with us.” Before Natalie could answer, Sharon started throwing tantrum and slammed her spoon on the table.
Natalie’s expression darkened, and her voice turned extremely stern. “Sharon, pick it up!”
“No.” Sharon was so upset she looked like she would break into tears any second then. “Unless you kick that Ms. Graham out and don’t let her come here.”
Vexed, Natalie laid her palm to her forehead. “That’s enough, Sharon. Stop messing with me. How can Mommy kick her out? It’s your Daddy who agreed to it.”
“Then I’ll talk to Daddy,” as she said that, Sharon got up from the chair and was ready to give Shane a call.
Connor stopped her and said, “Don’t.”
“Why?” Sharon pouted in displeasure.
“Because we’re in no position to do that. Do you understand?” Natalie turned to look at her.
To Shane, Jacqueline was his childhood friend with ten to twenty years of friendship, while Natalie and the children only knew him for not more than six months.
How could she ask him to refuse to let Jacqueline move in?
Nevertheless, Sharon wasn’t clued about the complicated reasons behind it. Biting her lip, she pressed, “Why not, Mommy? Aren’t you Daddy’s wife? Plus, Connor and I are Daddy’s children; we’re the people who are closest to him. If we aren’t in a position to do so, then who is?”
Natalie lowered her gaze.
Connor swing his calves as he said, “Sharon, that’s different. Mommy is Daddy’s wife; you’re right about that, but we aren’t Daddy’s biological children, so we’re not in a position to make such a request to Daddy. Do you understand?”
