Chapter 658
Lysander’s handsome face looked quite stern as his gaze focused on Elowen; everything he said was laced with a grave seriousness.
Even Thalassa could sense the tension in the air. The atmosphere was thick with it.
She glanced at Lysander, then carefully shifted her gaze to Elowen.
The little girl was pouting, her chubby cheeks reminding one of a small goldfish. She was both naive and confused, but she obediently responded to Lysander in a childish tone, “I understand, Daddy. Don’t be mad. Have a strawberry.”
She plucked a strawberry from the plate with her chubby little hand and, extending her short arm across the table, offered it to Lysander.
Her innocent and appeasing demeanor, coupled with her sparkling eyes, was enough to melt even the coldest heart.
Lysander’s anger seemed to dissipate a bit; even his sharp aura mellowed significantly.
After accepting the strawberry from Elowen, he said, “Daddy’s not mad, as long as you understand.”
Elowen nodded vigorously. Her obedient demeanor was reminiscent of a typical doting father’s sweetheart.
Thalassa was surprised. She hadn’t expected Lysander to have such a tender side when it came to children.
She remembered him once saying he disliked children because he lacked patience.
At that time, she was terrified, fearing Lysander might discover the existence of the children and, worse, treat them poorly.
So, she did her best to hide them and keep them out of Lysander’s sight.
Now, Thalassa felt relieved to see his patience and fatherly love toward the children.
Could it be that the children’s endearing ways had cured his aversion to them?
Just as Thalassa was pondering this, Lysander’s gaze shifted to Sophia, who was quietly eating her meal.
“Sophia, you too. Girls need to keep a safe distance from boys. Understand?” He said in his deep, resonate voice.
D
Sophia timidly raised her eyes to look at Lysander, then lowered her head again and nodded softly. Her voice was barely a whisper as she responded, “I understand, Daddy.”
Although her voice was soft, Lysander clearly heard her.
The soft, sweet sound of the word “Daddy” made Lysander’s heart feel like it was wrapped in cotton. A warm and soft feeling washed over his entire being.
Before becoming a father, he had never felt this way.
Thalassa, with food in her mouth and a warm smile on her face, watched her four children across from her.
Seeing the children living well in Royal Estates, with Lysander not only treating them well but also showering them with affection, made any doubts Thalassa had vanish. After the children had taken their baths, assisted by Thalassa and the housemaids, she prepared to put Elowen and Sophia to bed.
Atticus and Dorian, having matured overnight after Lysander’s lecture, insisted they were old enough to sleep on their own.
The two boys retired to their rooms, obediently settling down for the night, requiring no bedtime stories or coddling.
Thalassa figured that, as girls, Elowen and Sophia wouldn’t refuse her bedtime routine.
Just as she was about to start reading a storybook, Elowen gently pushed her away and murmured in a soft and tired voice, “Mommy, I can sleep on my own. You should go be with Daddy. He needs you to put him to sleep.”
“Your daddy is a grown-up. He doesn’t need me to put him to sleep. You’re still little, so it’s okay for Mommy to put you to bed.”
“No.” Elowen countered. “When you’re not here, Daddy can’t sleep. He stays up working in his study. We asked him to take us to find you, but he didn’t want to. He needs you to soothe him, just like when I’m upset. All it takes is a little care from you to heal me.”
Elowen’s big, innocent, and deep eyes gazed earnestly at Thalassa. Her concern for her father was evident in her tone.
Thalassa was taken aback. Did Elowen just suggest she should soothe Lysander?
Did this powerful man need her to soothe him?
“Mommy, you should go. Go be with Daddy and help him sleep. I can sleep on my own.” Elowen nudged Thalassa gently again. Her gesture was so soft that it was barely enough to nudge Thalassa.